Psst, Cal, I just wanted to let you know you have a huge game against USC next week. It’s going to be epic. You’re a top ten team, they’re a top ten team (in one poll). I mean, it’s big, right? College GameDay might even visit your beautiful Strawberry Canyon stadium. That’s never happened before. You must be really excited to meet Chris Fowler, Lee Corso and the orangest man alive, Kirk Herbstreit. That thing’s on national TV in primetime, too, right? Wow, how exciting!

Have you heard all the talk that you might be the team to beat this year? No, seriously, everyone thinks you’re going to dethrone the Trojans of Troy. They say Jahvid Best might be a Heisman front-runner and that he could run all over USC’s defense. Your secondary, that’s a good unit, too. It looks like Matt Barkley could throw a few picks your way.

You’re excited, aren’t you? Has there ever been a bigger game in the history of your stadium? Probably not. Just think of all that energy flowing through the stadium right before the ball is kicked off. This is going to be your chance to stick your flag in the Pac-10’s proverbial surface and proclaim it Golden Bear country.

Nobody blames you for looking ahead. I’d be excited, too. I’d probably gloss right over the patsy on the schedule that you haven’t lost to in 4 years. In fact, you should. Rest up, stay healthy. Mentally prepare yourselves for the juggernaut that is USC.

If nothing else, at least you’ll have an excuse on Sunday.

Sometimes, you just have to love your own. While getting my daily dose of information from approximately 234 blogs, I stumbled across an article at ESPN celebrating some of the best stadiums college football has to offer. It sparked an internal need to go find all the great things anyone has ever said. It helps my self-esteem.

With apologies to the Montana Grizzlies and one of the more bizarre and unbelievable discussions I found while Googling, we dive head-first into a sea of unending admiration:

- From ESPN the Magazine: Adrian Peterson waxes nostalgic about the day he lost (YEAH, I SAID LOST. I REPEAT, OKLAHOMA, YOU LOST!!!) to Oregon.

“It was like some sort of crazy torture in the movies,” Peterson says. “How do people do that so long without taking a breath? I think my ears are still ringing.”

- For the nature lover, the NY Times college sports blog, The Quad, enjoys the scenery:

“The view from the open-air press box is one of the prettiest in all of college football, with the tall pines, low clouds and looming mountains in the backdrop.”

- From the San Francisco Chronicle, former Cal quarterback Steve Levy had a good time:

“Their fans are out of control,” Levy said Tuesday, recalling the aftermath of the Ducks’ 27-20 overtime win in 2005. “Oregon fans are the funniest, most ruthless fans. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw one fan trying to grab my helmet, and I ran over there and knocked him right out (with a shoulder shiver).”

- You can’t find them actually saying it, but Keith Jackson and Lee Corso’s quotes are on blogs and forums, so you know it’s true:

“Per square yard, the loudest stadium in the history of the planet.” - Keith Jackson

“Per person, the Oregon stadium is the loudest stadium I’ve ever been in.” - Lee Corso

- Lloyd Carr, former headmaster of Michigan’s 100,000+ seat stadium, knows where noise hangs out:

“That was the loudest stadium I’ve ever been in.”

- I don’t know where his career went after college, but J. Brady McCollough is the Shakespeare of Autzen Stadium adulation:

“Sitting in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, Oregon’s Autzen Stadium is one of college football’s hidden jewels. Before kickoff, Autzen is as peaceful as the Willamette River, which runs through Eugene just a few minutes from the stadium. After kickoff, the fans – even the alumni – forget who they are, where they come from and what their degree is in. The audience adopts a new collective identity for the next three-and-a-half hours: the 12th, 13th and 14th man.

Autzen’s 59,000 strong make the Big House collectively sound like a pathetic whimper. It’s louder than any place I’ve ever been, and that includes “The Swamp” at Florida, “The Shoe” in Columbus and “Death Valley” at Louisiana State. Autzen Stadium is where great teams go to die.

R.I.P. Michigan 2003.”

- Don’t let anyone tell you any different – arbitrary and meaningless rankings matter!

Autzen Stadium is the 10th best stadium, the 7th best stadium, has the 2nd most die-hard fans, is the scariest place to play, the 9th toughest place to play, the 10th best stadium a decade ago and finally the #1 most intimidating stadium.