I wrote a few days ago that Oregon would be a 10-and-a-half point favorite over the Huskies once official Las Vegas lines were released.

And indeed they are as the first official line for week one of the season is out via VegasInsider.com.

In other lines involving Pac-10 teams, Oregon State is a five-point favorite at Stanford (I would expect that one to come down --- certainly I think I'd take the home team and the points in that one); Arizona is a 28-point favorite over Idaho (sounds about right); USC is a 17-point favorite over Virginia (ditto); Cal is a 7-point favorite over visiting Michigan State (I'd take the Bears and lay the points on that one); and Oklahoma State is a six-point favorite over the Cougars (another that sounds about right --- anymore than a TD and you'd have to think about taking WSU).

There is no line yet on the Tennessee-UCLA game --- the Bruins are off the boards right now due to their QB situation, according to the LA Times.

VegasInsider also has these 42 predictions for the college football season, including a rather dire one for UW coach Tyrone Willingham, projecting that he is one coach on the hot seat who won't survive (it's prediction No. 27).

UW quarterback Jake Locker is one of 31 quarterbacks named to the watch list for the 2008 Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award, given annually to the top QB in the nation.

Here's the official release:

FORT WORTH, Texas (July 17, 2008) - The 2008 Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award® (The O'Brien) Watch List was released today by the Davey O'Brien Foundation and its National Selection Committee. The Watch List spotlights 31 Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A) quarterbacks who will vie for the award honoring the nation's best quarterback for the 2008 football season. In addition to the Watch List, all Football Bowl Subdivision quarterbacks are equal candidates for The O'Brien until semifinalists are selected.

Watch List candidates were selected by a subset of the National Selection Committee and approved by the Davey O'Brien Executive Committee. Semifinalists will be announced October 27; finalists November 24. This prestigious award focuses on accomplishments both on and off the field. The Selection Committee is asked to evaluate all candidates on their quarterback skills and athletic ability, academics, reputation as a team player, character, leadership and sportsmanship.

The 2008 winner will be announced during The Home Depot College Football Awards Show on ESPN December 11. The recipient will be honored February 16, 2009, at the 32nd Annual O'Brien Awards Dinner at The Fort Worth Club in Fort Worth, Texas.

2008 O'Brien Watch List:

Todd Boeckman SR Ohio State

Sam Bradford SO Oklahoma

Tom Brandstater SR Fresno State

Hunter Cantwell SR Louisville

Rudy Carpenter SR Arizona State

Jimmy Clausen SO Notre Dame

Chase Clement SR Rice

Chase Daniel SR Missouri

Sean Glennon SR Virginia Tech

Matt Grothe JR South Florida

Max Hall JR BYU

Cullen Harper SR Clemson

Graham Harrell SR Texas Tech

Chase Holbrook SR New Mexico State

Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada SR Navy

Dan LeFevour JR Central Michigan

Jake Locker JR Washington

Colt McCoy JR Texas

Curtis Painter SR Purdue

Todd Reesing JR Kansas

Mark Sanchez JR USC

Riley Skinner JR Wake Forest

Rusty Smith JR Florida Atlantic

Matthew Stafford JR Georgia

Tim Tebow JR Florida
Mike Teel SR Rutgers

Willie Tuitama SR Arizona

Drew Weatherford SR Florida State

Pat White SR West Virginia

Juice Williams JR Illinois

John Parker Wilson SR Alabama

About The Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award®
The O'Brien honors the nation's best college quarterback of the year and inspires student-athletes to triumph both on and off the field. By recognizing and honoring athletes who excel in both sports and academics while exhibiting strong character and leadership, The O'Brien aims to help instill a lifelong moral fiber in each candidate. The O'Brien is overseen by the Davey O'Brien Foundation, which was founded in 1977 and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. The Foundation had given away over $750,000 in scholarships and university grants to help high school and college athletes transform leadership on the field into leadership in life. For more information, visit www.DaveyOBrien.org.

And we don't mean sausage. ....

--- Mike Huguenin of Rivals.com has this fun look at what the coaches involved in some of the more intriguing college football matchups this season might say to each other before the game. Two involve UW's Tyrone Willingham.

--- ESPN.com's tireless Ted Miller has this ranking of the Pac-10's tight ends, slotting UW at eighth while noting the addition of Kavario Middleton could change things. Reading through the list reinforces the idea that tight end is a pretty good position in the conference this year.

--- Thanks to Miller for also finding this note on former Husky Joe Lobendan, now with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

--- There's an interesting note buried in this blog post that the Dallas Cowboys "flirted'' with signing Marques Tuiasosopo before Tui decided to sign with the Raiders, instead, thinking he had a better chance at earning a more prominent role in Oakland.

--- Here's a really nice story on former Husky Dashon Goldson from the 49ers' official web site. Camps are just around the corner and sounds as if Goldson has a real chance at a starting job this year. Obviously, playing for the 49ers means a return to Seattle every year. This year's comes on Sept. 14.

--- UCLA suspended starting strong safety Bret Lockett for the first game for violating team academic rules. Is this evidence Rick Neuheisel is wielding a sharper disciplinary sword than he did at UW?

All for now.