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Pretty much every team plays true freshmen. But how much of an impact are those freshmen having on the game? Through four weeks, some have made immediate impacts. Others have seen some mop-up time. Across the ESPN blogosphere this morning, we’re looking at the five teams in each conference who have had freshmen make the greatest impacts on their team.

1. California: The quarterback is the most important position, and anytime you have a true freshman playing quarterback, it’s going to have a significant impact on the outcome of the game. So far, quarterback Jared Goff has risen to the occasion, even if it hasn’t translated into wins for the Bears. He leads the country in total offense. He’s completing 61 percent of his passes (103-of-168) and has seven touchdowns to four interceptions. Goff is one of seven true freshmen who have seen time for the Bears. Running back Khalfani Muhammad is tied for second on the team with 21 carries (97 yards, one touchdown).

2. UCLA: The Bruins have played 16 true freshmen so far, which, as of last week, was second in the country only to Texas A&M. Linebacker Myles Jack has had the biggest impact with 14 tackles, including two for a loss and a team-high four pass breakups. They are also getting good production from Eddie Vanderdoes, who had two tackles for a loss against New Mexico State, and offensive lineman Alex Redmond has started all three games at guard.

3. USC: The Trojans have gotten impact performances on both sides of the ball from their freshmen. Seven have seen the field for the Trojans. Safety Su’a Cravens has been as advertised so far with 18 tackles, half a tackle for a loss, and an interception. With Silas Redd out, running back Justin Davis has supplemented Tre Madden nicely. In four games, Davis has rushed for 189 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 47.2 yards per game and a team-high 5.9 yards per carry.

4. Washington State: The Cougars have gotten quality -- not necessary quantity -- out of their true freshmen. They have only played four. But two of them are getting quality playing time and making significant contributions. Cornerback Daquawn Brown made his first career start against USC and posted a team high 11 tackles while breaking up two passes. He also had an interception against Southern Utah. Wide receiver River Cracraft is fourth on the team with 10 catches for 111 yards.

5. Colorado: The Buffs aren’t going as young as they did last year, but they are still getting production from their rookies. And they have found something special in linebacker Addison Gillam. Through two games he’s the Buffs leading tackler with 20 stops -- including a sack, two tackles for a loss and five stops on third down. He also blocked a punt. Defensive end Jimmie Gilbert should also continue to see time. In 64 snaps he has three tackles and a sack.

Honorable mentions

These guys have been impactful, but chances are their teams would still have had success if they weren’t on the field based on quality of competition and/or depth at a position. But their contributions shouldn’t be overlooked.

• Oregon TE John Mundt: Five catches for 121 yards and two touchdowns.
• Oregon RB Thomas Tyner: 12 carries for 80 yards and three touchdowns.
• Arizona LB Scooby Wright: 13 tackles, three for a loss.
• Oregon State KR Victor Bolden: 19 returns, 365 yards, 19.2 average.
• Utah LS Chase Dominguez: Haven’t heard his name before? Good. You shouldn’t. He’s a long snapper.
• Arizona State K Zane Gonzalez: Has converted 4 of 7 field goals with a long of 40 and is 3-4 inside 40 yards. 13 of 13 on PATs.
• Washington KR John Ross: Six kick returns for 112 yards (18.7 average). Three punt returns for 16 yards (5.3 average).

LOS ANGELES -- USC (3-1 overall, 0-1 in the Pac-12) will head to the desert to take on Arizona State (2-1, 0-1) Saturday in a battle between Pac-12 South Division foes. The Sun Devils, coming off a 42-28 loss to Stanford, showcase a high-octane offense and a defense headlined by 2012 Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year Will Sutton. The Trojans defeated Utah State 17-14 in a contest that featured another phenomenal outing by the defensive front seven, but also a passing game that was stagnant for the third time in four games this season.

Offense
Scoring: 38.3 points per game (No. 8 Pac-12, No. 35 overall)
Rushing: 108 yards per game (No. 9 Pac-12, No. 107 overall)
Passing: 361.3 yards per game (No. 4 Pac-12, No. 8 overall)
Total: 469.3 yards per game (No. 7 Pac-12, No. 43 overall)

Quarterback: No. 10 Taylor Kelly (6-foot-2, 201, RS Jr.)
Directing ASU’s up-tempo, spread attack, Kelly is a precision passer who can also make things happen on the ground when he has to. He has completed 82 of 137 passes for 1,019 yards and eight touchdowns with three interceptions in 2013, and he ranks No. 9 nationally in total offense (354.7 yards per game).

Running Back: No. 1 Marion Grice (6-0, 207, Sr.), No. 8 D.J. Foster (5-11, 195, So.)
Grice gives the Sun Devils’ offense a dangerous rushing option, and both he and Foster are also utilized frequently as pass-catchers. Still, there is definitely room for improvement when it comes to the output of this group. As a team, Arizona State averages just 2.9 yards per rush.

Wide Receiver: No. 21 Jaelen Strong (6-3, 205, RS So.), No. 82 Kevin Ozier (6-2, 200, RS Sr.), No. 3 Richard Smith (5-9, 172, So.)
Strong, a transfer out of Los Angeles (Calif.) Pierce College, has quickly emerged as Kelly’s go-to receiver, leading ASU with 24 catches for 330 yards and two touchdowns. He made 12 grabs for 168 yards and one touchdown against Stanford.

Tight End: No. 87 Chris Coyle (6-3, 240, RS Sr.), No. 17 Darwin Rogers (6-4, 248, Sr.), No. 12 De’Marieya Nelson (6-3, 226, RS Jr.)
Coyle is coming off an impressive 2012 campaign in which he hauled in 57 passes for 696 yards and five touchdowns. He has six receptions for 126 yards and two touchdowns so far this season.

Offensive Line: LT No. 62 Evan Finkenberg (6-4, 298, RS Sr.), LG No. 74 Jamil Douglas (6-4, 301, RS Jr.). C No. 67 Kody Koebensky (6-3, 298, RS Sr.), RG No. 73 Vi Teofilo (6-3, 302, RS So.), RT No. 54 Tyler Sulka (6-5, 289, RS Jr.)
The Arizona State offensive line had a rough day against Stanford, allowing a constant flow of pass-rushers into the backfield, while also failing to open up lanes for a run game that had only 50 yards on 24 carries. USC racked up seven sacks against the Sun Devils in 2012, and the Trojans’ front seven is even better this time around, so this will be a key matchup to watch.

Defense
Scoring: 24 points per game (No. 8 Pac-12, No. 59 overall)
Rushing: 174 yards per game (No. 11 Pac-12, No. 77 overall)
Passing: 159 yards per game (No. 2 Pac-12, No. 17 overall)
Total: 333 yards per game (No. 7 Pac-12, No. 35 overall)

Defensive Line: DT No. 90 Will Sutton (6-1, 305, RS Sr.), NT No. 92 Jaxon Hood (6-0, 299, So.), DE No. 95 Gannon Conway (6-4, 280, RS Sr.)
Sutton leads an aggressive ASU defense that features multiple fronts, but the Corona (Calif.) Centennial product has yet to perform at quite the same level that he did a year ago, and as a whole, the Sun Devils have struggled against the run. Hood went down with a hamstring injury against Stanford and is doubtful, so Conway will likely see time inside along with Mo Latu (6-3, 380, RS So.), while Davon Coleman (6-1, 283, Sr.) could take on a bigger role at end.

Linebacker: No. 31 Anthony Jones (6-1, 215, RS Sr.), No. 2 Steffon Martin (6-1, 231, Sr.), No. 52 Carl Bradford (6-1, 242, RS Jr.), No. 21 Chris Young (6-0, 244, Sr.)
Bradford, who plays at the hybrid linebacker/end DEVIL backer spot, can be a disruptive force -- he had seven tackles, one sack and two quarterback hurries this past Saturday. Young leads the team with 19 tackles.

Cornerback: No. 24 Osahon Irabor (5-11, 186, RS Sr.), No. 17 Lloyd Carrington (6-1, 185, RS So.)
The secondary has been one of the strengths of the Arizona State defense, evidenced by the Sun Devils’ No. 17 national ranking against the pass. Irabor, who has started 36 consecutive games, has been the star of the group.

Safety: No. 4 Alden Darby (5-11, 192, Sr.), No. 9 Robert Nelson (5-11, 169, RS Sr.)
A 2012 second-team All-Pac-12 honoree, Darby is a rangy playmaker who is also a team leader. Nelson possesses exceptional cover skills for a safety.

Special Teams

Punter: No. 99 Dom Vizzare (6-4, 234, Jr.), No. 26 Matt Haack (6-1, 192, Fr.)
Neither Vizzare nor Haack have looked particularly sharp. Haack assumed punting duties for the first time last weekend and averaged 38.8 yards on four punts, while booting one attempt into the back of a blocker.

Kicker: PK No. 5 Zane Gonzalez (6-1, 162, Fr.), KO No. 25 Alex Garoutte (6-1, 209, RS Jr.)
Garoutte has been solid, drilling 14 of 22 kickoffs for touchbacks. Gonzalez hasn’t been as reliable as the team’s placekicker, however, going 4-for-7 on field goals, including just 1-of-3 from 40 yards or longer.

Kick returner: No. 1 Marion Grice (6-0, 207, Sr.), No. 3 Richard Smith (5-9, 172, So.)
As a team Arizona State averages 21.7 yards per kick return.

Punt returner: No. 9 Robert Nelson (5-11, 169, RS Sr.)
Nelson averages six yards per punt return.

USC and Arizona State have plenty in common as they prepare for their meeting on Saturday. For one, they both have experienced the red-hot blowback of negative national publicity.

USC opened the season with coach Lane Kiffin sitting on one of the nation's hottest seats. The Trojans, however, looked like a team with enough talent to silence doubters and again change the negative Kiffin narrative. That all changed after the 10-7 home defeat to Washington State on Sept. 7. That game featured the most miserable offensive performance the Trojans have posted in over a decade and was capped by "Fire Kiffin!" chants in the LA Coliseum.

Two consecutive wins, an impressive 35-7 victory over Boston College and a lackluster showing -- at least on offense -- against Utah State, haven't cooled things down much for Kiffin.

The Sun Devils? Their victory over Wisconsin vaulted them into the national rankings, but the mind-blowing endgame gaffe by the Pac-12 officiating crew threw the positives in the background. Then they turned in a miserable performance for the first three quarters at Stanford, a strong fourth quarter doing little to change the perception that they face planted in a game when the program could have made a national statement.

But the programs share two things that are far more important than experiencing media and fan blowback. Such as: 1. Both play in the Pac-12 South Division; 2. Both don't want to start the conference schedule 0-2.

Low moments and controversy during the season's first quarter? Fine. Get over it. Or potentially see the season go splat.

"You put it behind you and move forward," Arizona State coach Todd Graham said. "Obviously, it's USC, so it doesn't make it that hard. These guys know how important this game is."

The winner of this game keeps itself square in the South Division race. The loser will face a major uphill climb going forward to get back into it. And for Kiffin a loss could begin in earnest his slog toward termination.

For his part, Kiffin is trying to keep the negative noise out of the locker room and his own mind's eye. He's not even willing to consider the big-picture implications for a victory. His priority Tuesday was that day's practice.

"We don't look down the road that far," he said. "We're worried about right now."

Chief of those "right now" worries is his offense. After the dreary performance against the Cougars, the Trojans seemed to find their rhythm against Boston College. But they managed to gain just 282 yards against the Aggies, with the passing game again feckless.

Part of that was QB Cody Kessler and WR Marqise Lee being banged up.

"I thought we started OK and had some movement going on there and some balance," Kiffin said. "Then Cody took a pretty big hit on his hand. From there, his numbers dramatically changed. He was not able to grip the ball [and had] accuracy issues."

Kessler started 10 of 15 for 125 yards. He finished 3 of 12 for 39 yards. Lee caught six passes for 72 yards, but again didn't seem in sync with Kessler.

The Trojans defense doesn't seem to need too much help. It's fourth in the nation in total defense, 11th in scoring defense and second in yards per play. Maybe it all comes together for the offense in Sun Devil Stadium?

“Offensively, obviously they’ve got big time talent, big time play makers; their running backs, wide receivers, they’re as good as you can play against," Graham said.

Graham's team has plenty of talent, too, though it will be without nose tackle Jaxon Hood, who was hurt at Stanford. The Sun Devils bumbled their way through the first half at Stanford, particularly on special teams -- see two blocked punts. But they found their rhythm on both sides of the ball in the second half, particularly the fourth quarter, scoring three unanswered touchdowns before Stanford shut the door.

Graham is particularly worried about his running game, which has been surprisingly inconsistent this year. The Sun Devils have rushed for 166 yards the past two games, including just 50 against Stanford. It would not be a good thing to pass every play against a USC team that ranks fourth in the nation with four sacks per game.

"We’ve been a faster tempo, but we have not run the ball the way we need to run the ball,” Graham said. “That’s probably the biggest concern there."

The Sun Devils’ clear edge is at quarterback. While Taylor Kelly hasn't been as efficient in the early going as he was last year, Kessler is averaging just 89.5 yards passing per game. And this will be Kessler's first road start in Pac-12 play.

While coaches are always wary of drawing a line in the sand before a game, there's a feeling of "must win" hanging over this one for both coaches. A victory would open up plenty of possibilities in the Pac-12 and even the national picture. A loss might end high preseason aspirations before the schedule even hits October.

Garry Paskwietz and Darrell Rideaux discuss the Trojans as they head into a tough Pac-12 road trip against ASU.

Listen to the podcast here.

There was a time, when I was so broken hearted. Love wasn't much of a friend of mine;
The tables have turned, yeah. Cause me and them ways have parted;
That kind of love was the killin' kind.

• Two of the Pac-12's best running backs, Ka'Deem Carey and Bishop Sankey, will square off in Seattle.
• ASU is waiting for Will Sutton to break out.
• A first look at Cal-Oregon.
• Colorado is still looking for a makeup game.
• Oregon's secondary is a tight group.
• Oregon State is making a move at middle linebacker.
• The Colts-49ers game was silly with Stanford alumni.
• One of UCLA's freshman offensive linemen has decided to transfer.
• USC getting ready for a hostile environment in Tempe.
• Here's the transcript from Kyle Whittingham's Monday news conference.
• Washington has the dubious honor of being college football's most penalized team.
• A video roundup of Mike Leach and players at Monday's news conference.
• Per Athlon, some Pac-12 stats to consider after last week.

Some Pac-12 numbers for your review.

Number to the left is national rank.

Scoring offense

2. Oregon, 61.3 points per game
3. UCLA, 52.7
15. Arizona, 43.7
18. Washington, 42.7
20. Utah, 42.0
24. Oregon State, 41.0

Total offense
2. Oregon, 672.0 yards per game
3. Washington, 629.0
4. UCLA, 614.3
9. California, 556.0
20. Utah, 504
27. Oregon State, 508.7
29. Arizona State, 495.5

Note: As noted last week, Pac-12 teams are humming on both sides of the ball, though the ultimate measure will be Pac-12 play. Eleven teams average at least 31 points per game. Washington State is 11th in the Pac-12 in total offense, but the Cougs are generating nearly 400 yards per game. Meanwhile, USC is last in the Pac-12 in scoring offense (22.2 ppg) and total offense (340.0 ypg).

Rushing offense

2. Oregon, 355.3 yards per game
5. Arizona, 322.3
9. Washington, 303.7
12. UCLA, 284.3

Passing offense

2. California, 438.7
3. Oregon State, 420.8
7. Colorado, 370.5
8. Arizona State, 361.3
14. UCLA, 330.0
16. Washington State, 328.8
17. Washington, 325.3
18. Oregon, 316.7

Note: Eight top-18 passing attacks? And Utah is 29th with 286 yards per game, so nine rank in the top 30. The Pac-12 is throwing the rock around. On the downside of that, Oregon State is 121st in the nation in rushing with just 55 yards per game.

Scoring defense

3. Arizona, 8.7
5. Oregon, 9.0
8. Washington, 10.0
11. USC, 11.0
13. Washington State, 12.0

Total defense
4. USC, 230.5
10. Washington State, 264.8
12. Washington, 279
26. Arizona, 310.3
29. Colorado, 317.5
30. Oregon, 319.0

Yards yielded per play (FBS foes only)

2. USC, 3.5
8. Oregon, Washington State, 4.0
19. Colorado, UCLA, 4.3
20. Stanford, Washington, 4.4

Pass efficiency defense
7. Washington
11. Arizona
13. Oregon
15. Washington State
21. Colorado

Note: Many of these defenses will get major tests this weekend with Arizona at Washington, USC at Arizona State, Stanford playing Washington State in Seattle and Colorado at Oregon State.

Rushing

2. Bishop Sankey, Washington, 148.7
4. Jordan James, UCLA, 141.3
20. Tre Madden, USC, 113.8
22. De'Anthony Thomas, Oregon, 112.7
24. Tyler Gaffney, Stanford, 110.3
Note: Arizona RB Ka'Deem Carey has 149.5 yards per game and his numbers will be official, per NCAA statistical qualification rules, after the Washington game. James' and Madden's early production probably rates as a surprise for the Bruins and Trojans.

Pass efficiency

8. Keith Price, Washington
10. Marcus Mariota, Oregon
12. Sean Mannion, Oregon State
14. Kevin Hogan, Stanford
16. Travis Wilson, Utah
18. Brett Hundley, UCLA
20. Connor Wood, Colorado

Note: Mariota is a strong favorite for first-team All-Pac-12 QB. There is considerable competition for second-team.

Receiving yards per game

1. Paul Richardson, Colorado, 208.5
2. Brandin Cooks, Oregon State, 159.8
15. Jaelen Strong, Arizona State, 110.0
16. Chris Harper, California, 108.0
17. Bryce Treggs, California, 105.7

21. Dres Anderson, Utah, 101.0
25. Josh Huff, Oregon, 99.3

Note: USC's Marqise Lee is at No. 72 in the country and 12th in the Pac-12 with 73.2 yards per game. Who saw that coming?

Random notes: USC has given up 25 tackles for a loss, which is tied for 96th in the nation. Cal has given up 26 TFL, which is tied for 104th. ... As for QB sacks, USC (16), Utah (15), Washington (11), Oregon State (11) and Oregon (8) rank among the nation's top-25. ... Oregon State, Stanford and Colorado have scored points on every red-zone trip this season. The Beavers have scored TDs in 18 of 22 red-zone opportunities. ... Washington has yielded a touchdown on just two of its opponents eight red-zone trips.

We’re four weeks into the season and the Pac-12 has (mostly) made short work of its nonconference foes. Now the fun starts. League play kicks off conference-wide this week. But before we look forward, the ESPN blogosphere is looking back at some of the best and worst through the first four weeks of each conference.

Best game: In terms of excitement, it’s tough to beat an overtime shootout. And that’s what happened when Oregon State traveled to Utah in Week 3. After building a 27-10 lead early in the third quarter, it looked like the Beavers would cruise. But Travis Wilson would lead the Utes back and they’d eventually grab a 38-37 lead. The teams swapped touchdowns in the closing three minutes to force overtime, where the Sean Mannion-to-Brandin Cooks connection gave the Beavers a 51-48 victory.

Best player: For as shaky as Oregon State’s defense has been, its offense has been sensational. So we’re going to give the nod to Cooks, who has 10 more receptions than anyone else in FBS football. Through four games he leads the nation in catches (43), receiving touchdowns (7) and first-down receptions (23). Mannion gets honorable mention, since someone has to throw the ball. But Cooks is head-and-shoulders above the rest of nation’s receivers right now. Another honorable mention to Washington’s Bishop Sankey, who has emerged over the last nine or so games as one of the country’s elite running backs.

Best performance: How about the Washington State defense -- that’s right, defense -- for its performance in the 10-7 win at USC. Damante Horton nabs a pair of interceptions, including a game-changing pick-six. Daquawn Brown makes his first career start and has a team-high 11 tackles and two pass breakups. Toni Pole blocks a kick, the front seven gets 7.5 tackles for a loss and a sack. You can say USC’s offensive inefficiency played a role. And you’d be right. But give credit where it’s due. Mike Breske had the boys ready to go and the Cougs came to town and pushed their way to a win.

Best surprise: Though his team has played in only two games so far this season, it’s hard not to feel good about the comeback of Colorado wide receiver Paul Richardson -- and really the rebirth of the Buffs under Mike MacIntyre. Richardson has 417 yards in just two games, which puts him eighth in the country. Had Colorado played its game against Fresno State (which was postponed due to flooding), it’s likely we’d see Richardson toward the top with Cooks. As for the Buffs in general, we don’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves. They still have a long way to go. But you can definitely see an air of confidence about this team that’s been lacking the last couple of seasons.

Biggest disappointment: Head’s: Oregon State's defense. Tails: USC's offense. Go ahead and flip. Either way, you're right. Both have been disappointing. Anytime a BCS conference team loses to an FCS team, it’s disappointing. Anytime one of the country’s proudest football institutions is averaging 22 points per game through four games, it’s disappointing. Anytime a team -- once ranked in the top 25 (I guess that actually applies to both schools) -- is allowing an average of more than 35 points per game, it’s disappointing. Both teams are 3-1. And probably counting their blessings that (1) USC's defense has been that good and (2) Oregon State's offense has been that good.

This is my mailbag. There are many like it, but this one is mine.

Eric in Redmond, Ore. writes: The Oregon State defense seems to spend large portions of games with their silly hats on. What is going on with them? It seems there is talent at every position, but they play like day-old pancakes with too much syrup on them. On the other hand, how good is Sean Mannion to Brandin Cooks!? Can they keep this up all season? If they do, will there be Heisman considerations for either one? I have to say that right now, I think they are both #1 at their respective positions (in the conference).

Evan in New York writes: Sean Mannion has carried the OSU team on his shoulders. Mannion leads the nation in passing and leads the nation in TDs. Not saying he is in contention, but does he at least get a nod from the Heisman pundits? Without him the team could easily be 1-3 now. Or is it really about just propping up the best players on the best teams?

Shane in Corvallis, Ore. writes: Apparently of all Pac-12 teams the Beavers feel the need to give their fans the most heart attacks. What team would you say is the most stress inducing for their fan base?

James in Corvallis writes: Hey Kevin, even though there were question marks at a couple of positions for the Beavers’ defense, there were enough starters back on that side of the ball to expect much better play than they are showing. The entire defense has been missing tackles, missing assignments, and generally overplaying everything. What are your thoughts on why the Beavers’ defense has been sooooooo bad this year and is there any hope that it could turn around?

Kevin Gemmell: Lots of Oregon State fans eager to chat up their Beavers this week, so I’ll lump them all together in one efficient answer.

Oregon State has been hit hard with the injury bug on defense. And I know coaches like to say that’s not an excuse, but it kind of is. When you’re expecting to have your best talent out there -- and don’t -- it’s a valid excuse. Behind closed doors, I’m sure the coaching staff is frustrated that they are thin. There has been a notable drop off at some positions, and it’s especially noticeable in the tackling.

Take the Utah game, for example. In the first half, the defense played great holding the Utes to just a touchdown. Utah had just six rushing yards through the first quarter and didn’t get a first down until the second quarter. The schemes appear to be right. They just need better execution and they have to finish plays.

As for Cooks, in general, wide receivers are seen as a product of their quarterback. So while Cooks has put himself in great shape to be a Biletnikoff finalist, I don’t see any Heisman buzz in his future.

Mannion would have the better chance of the two if he continues his current pace. He’s leading the nation in touchdown passes, passing yards and completions and he’s 12th in QBR rating. Anytime you have a completion percentage in the 70s, you’re doing it right.

But Sir Heisman is a fickle fellow. Remember, it’s as much about perception as it is numbers. And right now the perception of Oregon State isn’t particularly strong. It’s not fair that defensive woes get placed on Mannion’s potential candidacy, but that’s how it goes. If the Beavers can pull off some wins over a couple of the ranked north teams, and he performs well, maybe he generates a little buzz on the West Coast. But he’s going to have to prove that he’s just as capable as Marcus Mariota and Brett Hundley before he gets in the conversation.

As for heart attacks, if this is how the Beavers are going to play all year, I’d lay off the Smoked Pork Chili Cheese Burger at Block 15 and go with the Sun Burger.

Tonya in Gresham, Ore. writes: As an old fat woman who loves college football I am wondering why folks aren't talking more about Marcus Mariota as a Heisman candidate. He seems always to be mentioned but as an afterthought. Do the folks on the East Coast realize that his numbers come from just a little over half a game each week? Since he began starting as a QB for Oregon he has only completed 25 percent of his games! Most often sitting out after the first or second series in the third quarter (and we all know that takes only about 5 min off the clock at best). This young man is for real and I as a fan would like to hear more about him!

Kevin Gemmell: First off, you’re gorgeous, Tonya. Don’t let anybody tell you different.

As for Mariota, I think you need to look a little harder. Heading into last week he was atop the ESPN.com Heisman poll and even on a bye week, he distanced himself even further.

I’m not saying the ESPN.com Heisman poll is scripture. But it’s a pretty good sample of writers from across the country who see every conference.

The Ducks open conference play with Cal this week, and then back-to-back road games at Colorado and Washington. They’ll see three ranked teams in the next six weeks, including No. 5 Stanford. That’s the game that will likely make or break his Heisman hopes because the country will be tuning in to see what he’s all about.

Anton in Los Angeles writes: Hey Kevin, love the work you and Ted do with all the PAC-12 teams! I was wondering how much you are excited for the top pass rushing D-linemen potentially in the nation going at it when Will Sutton and Morgan Breslin go at it in Tempe. Who do you think will have the bigger game/impact??? Both teams' O-lines have looked suspect at times this past week.

Kevin Gemmell: Thanks Anton, I’m a huge fan of your work as well.

I think this is going to be one of the great sidebars to this game. How does ASU, which allowed three sacks and 10 tackles for a loss against Stanford, protect Taylor Kelly?
USC did a heck of a job corralling Chuckie Keeton last week, sacking him four times and holding him to minus-15 yards rushing. ASU does a really good job of moving Kelly around. He rarely throws from the same spot in the pocket on consecutive plays. They sprint him out and get him involved in the run game, so that will be a fun cat-and-mouse game between Breslin, Leonard Williams, George Uko and Co.

On the flip side, the Sun Devils blitz like crazy. They love to bring guys. Kessler has already been sacked six times this year, so I guarantee the ASU staff is looking for weaknesses.

Both guys have had success because of others around them, so look for complementary players to have an impact as well.

Both are dominant players, and both should impact the game in their own way.

0006shy in Los Angeles writes: Kevin, I agree with everything you've been writing about Lane Kiffin. But putting USC at #10 in the Power Rankings, below teams that have lost to FCS schools, just seems wrong. I take great pride in the fact that my Trojans have NEVER played, and NEVER lost to, an FCS school. Please consider taking this into account next week when you make the new rankings list.

Kevin Gemmell: While Ted and I consult every Sunday about the Power Rankings, he’s the one who does the final version. And as you can see from this week’s Power Rankings regarding Oregon State, he doesn’t always value my counsel. That's something he'll have to live with.

I feel like Utah’s win -- and USC’s for that matter -- was more impressive than Oregon State’s gift win from the Aztecs. The Beavers had no right trailing that team by as much as they did. And really had no right winning that game. But hey, good for them, and good for the conference going 10-0 against the Mountain West. And the Beavers beat Utah -- and they earned it -- so I can see where Ted is coming from there.

That said, I agree, USC should probably be ahead of Oregon State right now. As noted above, the Beavers have done nothing but give their fan base heart attacks against teams that shouldn’t be competitive against the Pac-12. The Trojans haven’t exactly been stellar offensively, but that defense has really been impressive. And to lock down Keeton the way they did last week, in my mind, should have earned them a bump.

I’ll press Ted harder next week if they beat the Sun Devils. If they don’t, I would only expect southward movement.

Nick in LaLaLand (I’m assuming that’s LA) writes: Hey Kevin, I was at the USC game and paying a little closer attention, wondering if Kiffin would open up the p-book a little. Alas, maybe not so, and the play calling got very conservative in the second half. Here's my questions: 1) when can we start adding PI yardage to Marqise Lee's stat line 2) a win is a win, but it wasn't pretty and was more like Utah State was prevented from winning rather than USC taking the victory. Was last weekend indicative of the mediocrity of BC and does our offense have more troubles ahead? 3) also when was the last time we scored in the thirrd quarter? Yikes. Thanks KG!

Kevin Gemmell: It hasn’t been that long of a drought. Tre Madden ran for a 30-yard touchdown in the third quarter against Boston College. (Wasn’t sure if you were being facetious, but we aim to please on the Pac-12 blog). I’ll check with Larry Scott to see if we can put the “Lee Exemption” into effect for this season. No promises, but he and I are tight, so we’ll try to make it happen.

So we’re clear, Boston College isn’t a great team. It’s better than it was last season, but that's not saying much, so USC did what it’s supposed to do against a team like that.

But you’re right, the play calling continues to be a mystery. The running game is chugging along nicely and you get first-and-goal on the Utah State 1-yard line and it’s play-action pass? I get that Kiffin probably wants his guy to get some confidence with a touchdown pass, but I’d wager Cody Kessler gets more confidence connecting on a 30-yard post than a 1-yard dunk off. There’s something to be said for trying to be overly creative. It’s 1-yard. You’re USC. Run the freaking ball straight ahead and blow that lower-tier Mountain West team off the line.

It feels like Kiffin is pressing so hard to show the world he can be a great play caller that the simplest plays are getting overlooked.

I like what’s happening with Madden and Justin Davis. Through four games the Trojans are averaging 20 more rushing yards per game than they were last year. And they already have six rushing touchdowns after only getting 12 all last season which was second worst in the league ahead of Washington State’s six rushing touchdowns.

But they need to do a better job sustaining drives. They are last in the Pac-12 in third-down conversions (27.5 percent) and bottom third in red zone touchdowns.

At this point, all I can say is be thankful for that defense.

Here's a quick look at Week 5 in the conference. All games are on Saturday and times are ET.

Colorado (2-0, 0-0) at Oregon State (3-1, 1-0) 3 p.m. Pac-12 Network: This is the first meeting of these teams as Pac-12 members. The Buffaloes lead the series 3-2, including a 28-21 win in 1988, the team's last meeting. There should be plenty of passing in this game. Buffs QB Connor Wood has passed for 370.5 yards per game, which ranks fourth in the nation, while Oregon State's Sean Mannion has passed for 401.0 yards per game, which ranks second in the nation. Mannion also leads the nation with 15 touchdown passes. His top target is Brandin Cooks, who leads the nation with 10.8 catches per game and has caught seven of Mannion's TD throws. Meanwhile, Woods has Paul Richardson, who leads the nation with 208.5 yards receiving per game. The last time these teams played, Colorado rallied from a 21-16 fourth quarter deficit to pull out a 28-21 win. Buffs RB Eric Bienemy carried the ball 20 times for 211 yards and three TDs, including a 66-yard TD run in the fourth quarter to put Colorado on top. Oregon State QB Eric Wilhelm was 27-of-38 for 353 yards and 2 TDs.

Arizona (3-0, 0-0) at No. 16 Washington (3-0, 0-0) 7 p.m. FOX: Washington leads the series 18-10-1 but the Wildcats rolled the Huskies 52-17 last year in Tucson. Unlike the above game, this one might be about rushing. Arizona ranks fifth in the nation with 322.3 yards rushing per game, while Washington ranks ninth with 303.7 yards rushing per game. RB Ka'Deem Carey leads Arizona with 149.5 yards rushing per game, while the Huskies counter with Bishop Sankey, who averages 148.7 yards per game. Arizona leads the Pac-12 in scoring defense (8.7 ppg). Washington is third in the Pac- 12 in scoring defense (10.0 ppg). The Wildcats have given up just 26 points through three games. The last time they gave up 26 or fewer points through the first three games of the season was in 1996. The Wildcats are 2-9 over their last 11 league road games, with five of those nine losses coming against ranked opponents. The Huskies are 3-0 for the first time since 2001, and have scored 34 or more points in three straight games for the first time since 2002. UW senior QB Keith Price tossed three TD passes to add to his Husky career record total of 61 (t20th all-time in Pac-12). Price has completed 77 percent of his passes this season with seven TDs and just one INT.

No. 5 Stanford (3-0, 1-0) vs. Washington State (3-1, 1-0) 10 p.m. ESPN (CenturyLink Field, Seattle): Stanford leads the series 37-25-1, including a 24-17 victory last year. At 61 percent, Stanford is one of three Pac-12 teams with a third-down conversion rate better than 60 percent (UCLA at 68.3 percent, Washington at 65.9 percent). All three Pac-12 teams are among the top five nationally in third-down conversion. Stanford has won 11 straight dating back to last season, which is currently the second longest streak in FBS (Ohio State is at 15). Stanford is returning to CenturyLink Field, where it suffered its lone conference defeat last year, to Washington. Cardinal junior WR Ty Montgomery is third in the Pac-12 in all-purpose yardage (165.7 ypg) and averages 20.7 yards per touch. In the win over Idaho, Washington State junior QB Connor Halliday recorded his sixth career 4-touchdown game, tying Ryan Leaf for most all- time in school history. With 346 yards passing, he also posted his third straight 300-yard performance, and eighth career 300-yard performance. Sophomore WR Gabe Marks posted career-highs with 11 receptions and 146 yards in the win over Idaho. His 31 receptions this season are currently tied for fifth among all FBS players. The Cougar defense is allowing just 221.7 yards per game over the last three games. The Cougars have won three in a row for the first time since the 2006 season and are looking to make it four straight for the first time since the winning the final game of the 2004 season and the first three contests of the 2005 season. In last season's surprisingly close game, Stanford sacked Cougars QB Jeff Tuel a record 10 times.

USC (3-1, 0-1) at Arizona State (2-1, 0-1) 10:30 p.m. ESPN2: USC leads the all-time series against Arizona State, 19-10. The Trojans are 12-1 in the series since 2000, with ASU’s lone victory coming in 2011, a 43-22 win to end an 11-game losing streak. Prior to this millennium, ASU was 9-7 all-time against USC. The Trojans beat the Sun Devils in Los Angeles last year in a 38-17 rout in the Coliseum. Arizona State RB Marion Grice is ranked No. 1 in the nation in scoring (16) and No. 5 in rushing TDs (6). Over the past six games, he has scored 14 TDs (11 rushing, three receiving), scoring once every 7.8 touches in that span. Sun Devils QB Taylor Kelly set a new career high with 367 passing yards against Stanford, and is sixth in the nation at 339.7 passing ypg. USC OLB Morgan Breslin leads the Pac-12 in sacks (1.3 per game) and tackles for loss (1.8 per game) -- Breslin missed the opener against Hawaii due to injury. USC has four players on its roster from Arizona (OLB Devon Kennard of Desert Vista HS, C- OG Cyrus Hobbi of Saguaro HS, SNP Peter McBride of Chaparral HS and S John Auran of Brophy College Prep), while the Sun Devils feature 39 Californians.

California (1-2, 0-0) at No. 2 Oregon (3-0, 0-0) 10:30 p.m. Pac-12 Network: California leads the series 39-34-2, but the Ducks prevailed 59-17 win last year. In that game, Ducks QB Marcus Mariota completed 27 of 34 passes for 377 yards with six touchdowns and no interceptions, which was a 230.79 passing efficiency rating. Cal is facing its second-consecutive top-five opponent -- two weeks ago the Bears played Ohio State -- and third ranked foe this season. Cal freshman QB Jared Goff tops the FBS with 435.3 yards passing per game. The Ducks are 13th in the FBS in pass efficiency defense, so the Goff versus the Ducks secondary is an interesting matchup. Oregon leads the Pac-12 and is second in the FBS in scoring, averaging 61.3 ppg. It has scored 50 or more points in a game three straight times, and in 10 of the last 16 games. The Ducks have scored in less than two minutes in 23 of 28 scoring possessions. 12 different players have found the end zone for the Ducks.

The Pac-12 has announced its players of the week. Utah quarterback Travis Wilson got the offensive honors, Oregon State cornerback Steven Nelson was named defensive player of the week and USC punter Kris Albarado got the special teams honors.

Some more details on the winners, per the Pac-12’s release:

Wilson, a sophomore from San Clemente, Calif., completed 24 of 35 passes for 273 yards and no interceptions in leading Utah to a 20-13 victory over BYU, the fourth-straight win over their in-state rival. His 74-yard second-quarter pass to Dres Anderson was his fifth pass play of more than 50 yards this season and set up a touchdown that put Utah up 13-0 just before halftime. Clinging to a 13-6 fourth-quarter lead, Wilson engineered a 12-play, 79-yard drive that concluded with a 2-yard touchdown pass and extended the Utes’ lead to 20-6.

Nelson, a junior from Atlanta, Ga., stepped in front of a San Diego State pass and returned it 16 yards for the game-winning touchdown in the Beaver’s come-from-behind 34-30 win over the Aztecs on Saturday night. The interception came with 2:31 left in the game with Oregon State down by three after they had faced deficits of 13 and nine points earlier in the second half. Nelson co-leads the nation with four picks on the year and is the first player in team history to have four interceptions in his first four career games.

Albarado, a sophomore punter from Lake Charles, La., helped stymie the Utah State offense with his precision punting in the Trojan’s 17-14 victory on Saturday at the Coliseum. Five of his seven punts pinned the Aggies within the 20-yard line, including two inside the five, leading to an average starting field position for Utah State on their own 21-yard line. The first-year punter is averaging 40.3 yards on 23 boots, with more than half (12) of those backing opponents within their own 20. He has a pair of 50-yard punts on the season, including a best of 64 yards.

Also nominated for offensive player of the week honors were quarterbacks Sean Mannion of Oregon State and Keith Price of Washington; running back Jordon James of UCLA; and wide receivers Jaelen Strong of Arizona State, Ty Montgomery of Stanford and Gabe Marks of Washington State. Also nominated for defensive player of the week honors were defensive ends Cassius Marsh of UCLA, Leonard Williams of USC and Hau’oli Kikaha of Washington; defensive back Michael Walker of Utah; and linebacker Darryl Monroe of Washington State. Also nominated for special teams player of the week honors were punters Keith Kostol of Oregon State and Tom Hackett of Utah and UCLA kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn.