ESPN College Football

The Pac-12 provided 37 players to the NFL draft over the weekend, one fewer than the SEC, which led all conferences.

If the six combined picks from Colorado and Utah are taken away from the conference, the old Pac-10 provided NFL teams 3.1 draft picks per team, also just behind the SEC at 3.17.

Here's where the Pac-12 players went:

First round
No. 8 Jake Locker, QB, Washington: Tennessee
No. 9 Tyron Smith., OT, USC: Dallas
No. 17 Nate Solder, OT, Colorado: New England
No. 24 Cameron Jordan, DE, California: New Orleans
No. 27 Jimmy Smith, CB, Colorado: Baltimore

Second round
7. Akeem Ayers, LB, UCLA: Tennessee
10. Brooks Reed, DE, Arizona: Houston
13. Rahim Moore, FS, UCLA: Denver
21. Stephen Paea, DT, Oregon State: Chicago
24. Shane Vereen, RB, California: New England

Third round
13. Jurrell Casey, DT, USC: Tennessee
20. Mason Foster, LB, Washington: Tampa Bay
25. Shareece Wright, CB, USC: San Diego
29. Christopher Conte, S, California: Chicago
33. Sione Fua, DT, Stanford: Carolina

Fourth round
5. Jordan Cameron, TE, USC: Cleveland
19. Casey Matthews, LB, Oregon: Philadelphia
21. Jalil Brown, CB, Colorado: Kansas City
27. Owen Marecic, FB, Stanford: Cleveland

Fifth round
8. Brandon Burton, CB, Utah: Minnesota
9. Gabe Miller, DE, Oregon State: Kansas City
14. Jacquizz Rodgers, RB, Oregon State: Atlanta
23. Richard Sherman, CB, Stanford: Seattle

Sixth round
2. Ryan Whalen, WR, Stanford: Cincinnati
14. Caleb Schlauderaff, OG, Utah: Green Bay
17. Ronald Johnson, WR, USC: San Francisco
19. David Carter, DT, UCLA: Arizona
22. Allen Bradford, RB, USC: Tampa Bay
24. Mike Mohamed, LB, California: Denver
32. Ricky Elmore, DE, Arizona: Green Bay
38. Zach Williams, C, Washington State: Carolina

Seventh round
12. D'Aundre Reed, DE, Arizona: Minnesota
24. Scotty McKnight, WR, Colorado: New York Jets
30. Lawrence Guy, DT, Arizona State: Green Bay
37. Stanley Havili, FB, USC: Philadelphia
38. David Ausberry, WR, USC: Oakland
39. Malcolm Smith, LB, USC: Seattle

By Pac-12 school:
Arizona (3)
Arizona State (1)
California (4)
Colorado (4)
Oregon (1)
Oregon State (3)
Stanford (4)
UCLA (3)
USC (9)
Utah (2)
Washington (2)
Washington State (1)

The final tally by automatic qualifying conferences:
SEC... 38
Pac-12... 37
Big Ten... 36
ACC... 35
Big East 22
Big 12...19

Nebraska was a big swing to the Big Ten from the Big 12 with seven picks. With Colorado and Nebraska, the Big 12 provided 30 selections.

This was the tally through three rounds:
SEC: 20
ACC: 19
Pac-12: 15
Big Ten: 13
Big 12: 9
Big East: 4

There's some movement on ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper's latest "Big Board" after the NFL combine concluded.

Former California defensive end Cameron Jordan has moved up to No. 14 from 17, but the other three Pac-12 players on the board moved down.

Kiper demotes former USC tackle Tyron Smith from 16th to 18th, Colorado cornerback Jimmy Smith from 18th to 20th, and Buffaloes tackle Nate Solder from 15th to 22nd.

For much of the season, Kiper's Big Board also included Washington quarterback Jake Locker, UCLA linebacker Akeem Ayers, and Bruins safety Rahim Moore.

Kiper listed Jordan as a "winner" after the combine:

The consensus on Jordan is that he's a guy who could help a team early in his career. What he showed in Indy is that he has the size to man the 3-4 defensive end spot, but even at 6-foot-4, 287 pounds, he has the athleticism to hold up as a strongside 4-3 defensive end. When you are a sharp player, show great versatility and athleticism and have teams convinced you're ready to help, you probably won't last past around pick No. 15.

Kiper also said this about former Oregon defensive tackle Stephen Paea: "Stephen Paea's record on the bench should further help his profile as an anchor D-tackle who can't be moved on the inside."

Kiper listed Ayers as one of the combine "losers."

Ayers got pegged as a really impressive physical talent with a lot of range, but you wouldn't know it as other linebackers who have less of a reputation outperformed him in the drills. His 40 time -- neither run could get below 4.80 -- didn't do him any favors. When much of your upside is dependent on people assuming you have all the physical tools, a showing like this will hurt.

Some Pac-12 players got mixed reviews at the NFL combine on Monday.

Those who did well include a pair of defensive ends: Arizona's Brooks Reed and California's Cameron Jordan.

Reed's 4.68 40-yard dash tied for third among defensive linemen, and Jordan ran a 4.78 (tied for 10th) at 281 pounds.

Reed is projected to move to outside linebacker in the NFL. Here's what Todd McShay wrote about him: "Reed isn't an elite athlete, but he has good short-area explosiveness and a nonstop motor that will have him off the board before Day 2 is over."

Another take on Reed: "[Reed] has gotten a lot of comparisons to NFL Defensive Player of the Year Clay Matthews over the past few weeks. He's not quite as athletic as Matthews, but Reed's respectable 4.67 40, ability to change direction fluidity, and quickness in turn-the-corner drills make him a legitimate second-round pick as a 3-4 rush linebacker."

And here's the review of Jordan: "Jordan (6-41, 281) continues to build momentum after a strong showing at the Senior Bowl. He ran a 4.78 and put up 25 reps with 35-inch arms, and continued to show the speed and athleticism to make an impact as a mid-first round pick."

On the downside, it appears the combine hasn't been kind to UCLA linebacker Akeem Ayers or Oregon linebacker Casey Matthews:

Akeem Ayers, UCLA: Ayers could have helped lock down a spot in the first round, but he failed to impress. He ran in the low 4.8-second range, failed to show good change-of-direction skills and was not elite in the jumps, shuttles or cone drill. He had a chance to prove he is an elite prospect, but his workout did not match up to the productive player we saw on film early in the season before Ayers was nicked up.

Casey Matthews, Oregon: Matthews aggravated a recurring shoulder injury during the bench press and raised another red flag for a guy who struggled to get off blocks and has an average body type. He's tough and instinctive, but the injury dates to his freshman year and is cause for concern.

That said on Matthews, there was also this paraphrase of Mike Mayock of the NFL Network: "Matthews is not explosive like his brother Clay, but he is instinctive and will play better than his measurables suggest."

Some links:

• Some pool reports on the quarterbacks, including Jake Locker.
• It's possible five quarterbacks -- including Locker -- could end up getting picked in the first round.
• Reed talks about transitioning from a defensive end to an outside linebacker.
• Here's a positive review of former Cal linebacker Mike Mohamed.
• You can track the top performers in testing here.

Here's an early look at the Pac-12 pecking order heading into the off-season. Count on this being fluid, particularly after I get to see teams practicing this spring.

1. Oregon: The Ducks likely will be ranked in the preseason top five even though the offensive line and defensive front seven take some hits.

2. Stanford: While there are plenty of questions -- both lines, head coach -- the return of Andrew Luck makes the Cardinal a preseason top-10 team.

3. Arizona State: Losing defensive tackle Lawrence Guy to the NFL is a significant hit, but the Sun Devils still have 19 starters back from a team that lost by one at Wisconsin. But who will be the quarterback?

4. USC: Trojans take some hits on both sides of the ball, particularly on both lines, but quarterback Matt Barkley will have some nice skill surrounding him on offense.

5. Arizona: On the downside, the Wildcats must completely rebuild their lines. On the upside, quarterback Nick Foles and wide receiver Juron Criner will be the top pass-catch combination in the conference.

6. Washington: The post-Jake Locker era begins, so it's hard to judge the Huskies. And post linebacker Mason Foster, for that matter. But coach Steve Sarkisian has been recruiting well, and there are plenty of returning starters.

7. Utah: Hard to place the Utes because we don't know them in this environment. And there are questions on both sides of the ball, particularly in the secondary and offensive skill positions. But the return of quarterback Jordan Wynn helps.

8. California: The Bears must replace their best offensive player, running back Shane Vereen, and their three best defensive players, end Cameron Jordan, linebacker Mike Mohamed and safety Chris Conte. And don't even ask about quarterback.

9. Oregon State: Putting the Beavers down here might be an overreaction to running back Jacquizz Rodgers' decision to enter NFL draft. Or it might be because they lost four of their final five games. And Stephen Paea's departure leaves a HUGE void on the defensive line.

10. UCLA: The Bruins actually have some good players coming back, despite some high-profile early departures (linebacker Akeem Ayers, safety Rahim Moore). But they have offensive questions and we don't know who the coordinators will be in 2011.

11. Colorado: Just like Utah, we don't know the Buffaloes in this environment, plus there's a new coach. And, to be honest, that 52-7 loss at Cal isn't helping their candidacy. Curious how quarterback Tyler Hansen will look this spring after missing much of the year because of injury.

12. Washington State: Do. Not. Panic. Cougars. Fans. I'd bet $1 the Cougs will not finish last in 2011. Quarterback Jeff Tuel should take another step forward and he's got his top targets back. But we're not ready to promote the Cougars just yet.

With UCLA safety Rahim Moore joining linebacker Akeem Ayers in declaring for the NFL draft a year early, the Bruins lose their two best defensive players who could have returned in 2011.

But neither departure is a surprise. Both are ready for the NFL. And both are potential first-round selections.

Moore is a three-year starter who led the nation with 10 interceptions in 2009. His numbers were down this season, but he still earned first-team All-Pac-10 honors. He had 77 tackles and one interception this season.

The LA Times story on Moore's decision.

And here's the list Pac-10 players leaving early for the draft.

Akeem Ayers, LB, UCLA
Jurrell Casey, DT, USC
Tyron Smith, OT, USC
Shane Vereen, RB, California
Thomas Keiser, DE, Stanford
Brandon Burton, CB, Utah
Rahim Moore, FS, UCLA

In a decision that comes as no surprise, UCLA linebacker Akeem Ayers has decided to forgo his senior season and enter the NFL draft.

“I will miss playing with my UCLA teammates next year but I feel that the decision to go to the NFL is what is best for my family," Ayers said in a statement. "I will always be a Bruin.”

Said Bruins coach Rick Neuheisel: “Akeem has been a big-play performer throughout his career at UCLA and we support his decision to move to the next level. Who will ever forget his interceptions against Oregon and Temple that he turned into touchdowns or his many sacks? We will miss Akeem, but we look forward to watching him make those same types of plays on Sundays in the NFL.”

Ayers, a 6-foot-4, 255-pound junior, was a second-team Walter Camp All-American, a Butkus Award finalist and an All Pac-10 selection after finishing with 68 tackles, four sacks, 10 tackles for loss and two interceptions.

Ayers is a likely first-round pick. ESPN.com's Scouts Inc. ranks him 15th overall for the 2011 draft. Mel Kiper ranks him 16th and writes, "His exceptional athleticism makes him so versatile. Ideal every-down 3-4 OLB who can rush and cover. Ayers should test well at the combine."

The Bruins continue to wait on official word from All-America safety Rahim Moore, who is likely to follow Ayers to the NFL as an early-round selection.

The Pro Football Weekly announced its All-American team Monday, and it's typically fairly interesting because the team isn't built just on college performance. Here's how it describes itself.

PFW’s All-America team annually honors the most talented players in college football and is determined based on considerable feedback from NFL evaluators taking into consideration a player’s pure talent and contribution to his team. Unlike many other teams rewarding the best college football players, PFW places an extra premium on true talent and draft value in the selection process. However, participants are expected to have contributed for the bulk of the season, leaving off some talented prospects who were limited this season. Extra attention was paid to qualities such as toughness, competitiveness and work ethic.

So that's why Stanford's Andrew Luck is the quarterback and not Auburn's Cam Newton: Luck is a superior NFL prospect. And that's why Washington's Jake Locker still made the list, even though his numbers weren't great.

There's a significant Pac-10 presence, though mostly as honorable mentions. Stanford fullback Owen Marecic is the only other conference player to earn "first-team" honors.

Here's the complete list (Pac-10 players are bolded). Juniors are marked by one asterisk (*), draft-eligible sophomores have two (**) and true sophomores have three (***).

Quarterback
Andrew Luck, Stanford**

Honorable mention
Kellen Moore, Boise State*
Cam Newton, Auburn*
Ryan Mallett, Arkansas*
Jake Locker, Washington
Colin Kaepernick, Nevada

Running back
Kendall Hunter, Oklahoma State

Honorable mention
LaMichael James, Oregon**
Andre Ellington, Clemson**
Mark Ingram, Alabama*
Jordan Todman, Connecticut*
Mikel LeShoure, Illinois*

Fullback
Owen Marecic, Stanford

Honorable mention
Anthony Sherman, Connecticut

Wide receivers
Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State**
A.J. Green, Georgia*

Honorable mention
Alshon Jeffery, South Carolina***
Julio Jones, Alabama*
Ryan Broyles, Oklahoma*
Titus Young, Boise State

Tight end
Lance Kendricks, Wisconsin

Honorable mention
D.J. Williams, Arkansas
Michael Egnew, Missouri*

Offensive tackles
Nate Solder, Colorado
Anthony Castonzo, Boston College

Honorable mention
Marcus Cannon, TCU
Danny Watkins, Baylor
Gabe Carimi, Wisconsin
Lee Ziemba, Auburn
Ben Ijalana, Villanova

Offensive guards
Cordy Glenn, Georgia*
Clint Boling, Georgia

Honorable mention
John Moffitt, Wisconsin
Rodney Hudson, Florida State
Stefen Wisniewski, Penn State

Center
Maurkice Pouncey, Florida

Honorable mention
Chase Beeler, Stanford
Mike Brewster, Ohio State*

Defensive ends
Da’Quan Bowers, Clemson*
J.J. Watt, Wisconsin*

Honorable mention
Ryan Kerrigan, Purdue
Adrian Clayborn, Iowa
Allen Bailey, Miami (Fla.)
Cameron Jordan, California

Defensive tackles
Marcell Dareus, Alabama*
Nick Fairley, Auburn*

Honorable mention
Stephen Paea, Oregon State
Corey Liuget, Illinois*

Inside linebacker
Luke Kuechly, Boston College***

Honorable mention
Greg Jones, Michigan State
Manti Te’o, Notre Dame***
Nate Irving, North Carolina State

Outside linebackers
Von Miller, Texas A&M
Justin Houston, Georgia*

Honorable mention
Bruce Carter, North Carolina
Akeem Ayers, UCLA*
Sean Spence, Miami (Fla.)*

Cornerbacks
Patrick Peterson, LSU*
Prince Amukamara, Nebraska

Honorable mention
Brandon Harris, Miami (Fla.)*
Janoris Jenkins, Florida*
Cliff Harris, Oregon***
Omar Bolden, Arizona State*

Safeties
Eric Hagg, Nebraska
Jaiquawn Jarrett, Temple

Honorable mention
Mark Barron, Alabama*
Rahim Moore, UCLA*
Ahmad Black, Florida

Placekicker
Alex Henery, Nebraska

Honorable mention
Dan Bailey, Oklahoma State

Punter
Drew Butler, Georgia*

Honorable mention
Chas Henry, Florida

Return specialist
Cliff Harris, Oregon***

Honorable mention
Patrick Peterson, LSU*

Third-year players -- juniors and redshirt sophomores -- have until Jan.17 to declare their intentions to enter the 2011 NFL draft, and a number of Pac-12 players are likely to do so.

USC already has lost two: Defensive tackle Jurrell Casey and offensive tackle Tyron Smith.

Many of the upcoming decisions -- both to stay or to go -- are going to be surprises. Some certain early draft picks opt to return for whatever reason, including the fact that they will never -- ever -- have as much fun as they did in college. And a handful of obscure players annually decide to enter the draft for whatever reason, including getting bad advice from a know-it-all "acquaintance" who doesn't know a darn thing.

This will not turn out to be a complete list. And our speculation is intentionally vague because it can be nothing else: We don't know what's going on inside these young men's heads.

Note: Though some players have indicated they plan to return, they are included here because, well, you never know -- they might change their minds.

You can review Mel Kiper's "junior" rankings here.

Arizona
QB Nick Foles, Jr.: Foles would benefit from returning for his senior year and could improve his stock considerably. But his knee injury this year and questions about the Wildcats' offensive line might give him pause.
WR Juron Criner, Jr.: Criner is the best receiver in the country few folks have heard of, but he might want to look at this year's receiver class, which is loaded.
CB Trevin Wade, Jr.: Wade needs to return for his senior season after taking a step back as a junior.

Arizona State
CB Omar Bolden, Jr.: Bolden rejuvenated his career this fall, earning first-team All-Pac-10 honors. He also knows what it's like to get hurt and miss a season. The Sun Devils could break through in 2011, and that could greatly benefit his status.
DT Lawrence Guy, Jr.: The general thinking is Guy wants to return for his senior season. He faces a tough choice.

California
RB Shane Vereen, Jr.: Mel Kiper ranks Vereen No. 5 among junior running backs. The Bears' questionable supporting cast on offense next year might sway him to the pros.
OLB Mychal Kendricks, Jr.: Lots of potential, but he's not ready.

Colorado
OG Ryan Miller, Jr.: Miller has already said he plans to return next fall, though Kiper ranks him No. 2 among junior guards.

Oregon
RB LaMichael James, RSo.: Kiper ranks James as the No. 3 "junior" running back. The Ducks' first unanimous All-American must choose between college glory -- Heisman Trophy, (another) national championship -- or getting paid now. Probably won't get picked until the second round because of size and middling skills as a receiver, but his top-end speed is enticing.
TE David Paulson, Jr.: Kiper ranks him No. 4 among junior tight ends. Good bet to return.

Oregon State
RB Jacquizz Rodgers, Jr.: Rodgers has indicated he plans to return because his brother, James, is likely to get a fifth year via medical hardship because of a knee injury this past season. But Beavers fans are rooting for it to be Jan. 18.
WR James Rodgers, Sr.: It's likely the Rodgers are a package deal: Both stay or both go.

Stanford
QB Andrew Luck, RSo.: If he enters the draft, he's almost certain to be the No. 1 overall pick. More than a few folks, however, believe he's seriously considering a return for his junior year, particularly if coach Jim Harbaugh remains at Stanford. We'll see.

UCLA
LB Akeem Ayers, Jr.: Odds are that Ayers will enter the draft. A likely first-round pick.
FS Rahim Moore, Jr.: Odds are that Moore will enter the draft. A likely first-round pick.

USC
DL Armond Armstead, Jr: Armstead has said he plans to return. He should. A healthy season could send his stock skyrocketing.

Utah
CB Brandon Burton, Jr.: Burton, second-team All Mountain West, is No. 5 on Kiper's list of junior corners. He's definitely on the NFL radar.
OT Tony Bergstrom, Jr.: It would make sense for the second-team All Mountain West player to return for his senior year.

Washington
WR Jermaine Kearse, Jr.: Kearse is highly productive but dropped a few too many balls this year. While he'd benefit from another year, he might be worried about the Huskies breaking in a new quarterback.
RB Chris Polk, RSo: Polk eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark for a second consecutive season. He's admitted that entering the draft is a possibility.

Washington State
DT Brandon Rankin, Jr.: It would be wise for Rankin to return for his senior season.

Oregon running back LaMichael James had a big night Thursday, winning the Doak Walker Award as the nation's best running back and earning consensus All-American honors.

Read more here.

James was the Pac-10's only player named a Walter Camp first-team All-America.

Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck, UCLA linebacker Akeem Ayers and Stanford center Chase Beeler earned second-team honors. Oregon's Cliff Harris was named a second-team All-American as both a cornerback and kick returner.

The preseason expectation for the Pac-10 was lots of quality depth, though probably no national title contender. It also looked to be loaded with exceptional quarterbacks with NFL futures ahead.

As we pause to take a measure at midseason, some of that proved true. Other aspects have not.

Yes, the Pac-10 is deep. It might be the nation's deepest conference. It has nine quality teams that can compete on a high level, and over the past few weeks team No. 10 -- woeful Washington State -- has shown clear signs of improvement. It doesn't appear there is any game on the conference schedule that qualifies as "easy" any longer.

But there also is, against expectation, an elite team: Oregon is No. 2 in the country and it looks capable of doing what few thought possible in the preseason -- running the table in the Pac-10. That, of course, won't be easy. But it's surprising that entertaining the possibility is now reasonable and relevant.

As for the quarterbacks, that's mostly held true. Stanford's Andrew Luck, Arizona's Nick Foles and USC's Matt Barkley each rank in the top-21 in the nation in passing efficiency. Each looks to have a future playing on Sundays. Moreover, a number of youngsters have stepped up, including Oregon's Darron Thomas, Washington State's Jeff Tuel and Oregon State's Ryan Katz. Arizona State's Steven Threet has put up big passing numbers -- though also too many interceptions -- and California's Kevin Riley has been mostly solid. UCLA's Kevin Prince, when healthy, has been proficient running a new pistol offense, though his passing has regressed.

Perhaps the most hyped of the group, however, Washington's Jake Locker, has underperformed. It's fair to say that three of his five games haven't been very good, including a career-worst performance against Nebraska.

Besides Oregon, we hit the midseason with Stanford, Arizona and Oregon State nationally ranked, though each has suffered a defeat, and in the Beavers case, two.

The Wildcats and Beavers look like the top potential obstacles for Oregon -- the Ducks already dispatched Stanford soundly -- but don't count out Cal, which plays host to the Ducks on Nov. 13.

Oregon State, slotted third in most preseason conference rankings, regained its mojo after winning at Arizona this past weekend. The Wildcats posted perhaps the best nonconference win with a victory against then-No. 9 Iowa.

Arizona State, Washington, UCLA and USC form a second tier. Each has had some good moments. And some bad. The scramble among these teams for bowl eligibility will be a big story in the season's second half, though obviously the Trojans can only play the spoiler as they are ineligible for the postseason because of NCAA sanctions.

Offensive MVP: LaMichael James leads the nation with 169.6 yards rushing per game. He's scored 10 total touchdowns, including nine rushing. He's a leading Heisman Trophy candidate. He's the speedy face of the nation's best offense.

Defensive MVP: UCLA linebacker Akeem Ayers is the best defensive player in the conference -- and one of the best in the nation -- but the MVP is Oregon defensive tackle Brandon Bair, who leads the Pac-10 with 12 tackles for a loss. He also has three sacks and -- get this -- five passes defended.

Biggest surprise: This was going to be Arizona's defense until the Oregon State loss. Instead, it's Oregon quarterback Darron Thomas, whose rapid growth running the Oregon spread-option offense has been a revelation and is the prime reason the Ducks are national title contenders. Someone else played quarterback for the Ducks last year but no one remembers his name anymore.

Biggest disappointment: USC built a reputation for outstanding defense under Pete Carroll. And Carroll was widely considered the nation's best recruiter -- the builder of an NFL factory line, in fact -- on the mean side of the ball. So when new coach Lane Kiffin arrived at USC with his dad, Monte Kiffin, one of the best defensive coordinators in NFL history, the widely held assumption was the Trojans would recover their mojo. Nope. They presently rank 100th in the nation in total defense, surrendering 428.7 yards per game.

Best game: While UCLA's blowout win at Texas was the most shocking result, Arizona's 34-27 win against then-No. 9 Iowa probably generated the most national respect. The Wildcats came out on fire then tried to hand the game back to the Hawkeyes with a flurry of mistakes. Only instead of wilting, the Wildcats asserted themselves and imposed their will on both sides of the ball, first driving for the winning touchdown and then slamming Iowa's chance for an equalizer with three consecutive sacks. It was a clear, decisive KO victory. The Wildcats showed that, sure, Pac-10 teams are fast, but they also can break your nose.

Best coach: After transforming Oregon's offense into a ridiculously potent and entertaining operation as its coordinator, Chip Kelly got the Ducks to the Rose Bowl in his first season as head coach. Neh. Now he's got the Ducks ranked No. 2 and in serious national title contention. And it benefits the Pac-10 to have a guy who's not afraid to be his colorful self even when the cameras are on. So: Show some respect, OK!

A look back as we now hit the meat of the conference race.

Team of the week: UCLA shocked the nation with a 34-12 stomping of No. 7 Texas. The Bruins, who were physically dominant on both lines of scrimmage, now seem fully recovered from an 0-2 start.

Best game: Arizona needed a late drive and defensive stand for a second weekend in a row as the Wildcats nipped California 10-9. Not a lot of 10-9 games through the years in the Pac-10, eh?

Biggest play: The Wildcats wouldn't have won without a 51-yard completion from Nick Foles to Juron Criner, which was the centerpiece of the 77-yard, game-winning drive. Criner, who was questionable for the game with a turf toe, fought off tight coverage from Darian Hagan to make the play.

Offensive standout: The UCLA running game, which piled up 264 yards against Texas, gets the nod. Therefore, we include the offensive line, running backs Johnathan Franklin (118 yards) and Derrick Coleman (94 yards) as well as quarterback Kevin Prince (50 yards).

Defensive standout(s): UCLA linebacker Akeem Ayers led the defensive effort at Texas. He had six tackles and an interception, and his sack included a forced fumble. Oregon safety John Boyett also merits a tip of the cap. He recorded a game-high 11 tackles against Arizona State and returned an interception 39 yards for a TD.

Two-way standout: Owen Marecic, Stanford's starting fullback AND linebacker, scored on an offensive run and interception return that were just 13 seconds apart at Notre Dame.

Special teams standout: Stanford kicker Nate Whitaker tied a school record with five field goals: 24, 41, 36, 33 and 29 yards during the Cardinal's 37-14 win at Notre Dame, where Whitaker played before transferring to Stanford.

Smiley face: Oregon and Stanford both passed tough road tests and set up a top-10 matchup in Autzen Stadium on Saturday that will announce the Pac-10's early leader.

Frowny face: Poor Cal. The Bears have lost consecutive games in painful fashion. First, they were embarrassed at Nevada, a team they couldn't stop on defense. Second, they yielded a late TD vs. Arizona, failing to score a TD in a 10-9 loss. Two missed field goals from Giorgio Tavecchio would have helped the cause, too.

Thought of the week: The Pac-10 is clearly nine teams deep. Good for the conference. The question, however, is whether any team can go undefeated in a nine-game conference schedule and play its way into national title consideration. The feeling here is no. Then the question becomes: Can any team get through with only one loss? Maybe. But it will be taxing to do so.

Thought of the week II: While most national eyes will be on Stanford's visit to Oregon -- and rightly so -- Washington's visit to USC and Arizona State's trip to Oregon State should be revealing. We don't know what to make of these four teams just yet. We should get a much clearer picture of the conference pecking order by Sunday.

Quote of the week: Said UCLA safety Tony Dye to the LA Times: "The first two weeks, we didn't exist. This is our team right now. If we keep rolling like this, we're going to win the [Pac-10]."

Quote of the week II: Said Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh as he opened his press conference following a blowout win at Notre Dame, "Might be the biggest press conference I've ever been to right here."

Who deserves a sticker on his helmet for a job well done?

UCLA: While individuals played big roles -- linebacker Akeem Ayers, the offensive line, quarterback Kevin Prince, free safety Rahim Moore, running backs Johnathan Franklin and Derrick Coleman, etc. -- the Bruins shocking 34-12 domination of Texas was a total team effort and should be credited as such.

Stanley Havili: Havili, USC's fullback, had four carries for 80 yards, including a 59-yard TD in the Trojans' 50-16 win at Washington State. He also caught five passes for 107 yards -- including a 58 yarder -- with a TD.

Nate Whitaker: Playing against his old team, Notre Dame, he tied a Stanford record with five field goals: 24, 41, 36, 33 and 29 yards during the Cardinal's 37-14 win.

Juron Criner: He wasn't supposed to play due to a turf toe, but in a game devoid of offense, Criner made the two biggest plays on Arizona's 77-yard, game-winning TD drive against California. First, he hauled in a 51-yard pass from Nick Foles. Then, on third down, he caught a 3-yard TD from Foles to give the Wildcats a 10-9 win.

John Boyett: The Oregon safety had a game-high 11 tackles and an interception he returned 39 yards for a TD. He also had three pass breakups in the 42-31 win at Arizona State.

UCLA should probably be happy just to lead No. 7 Texas 13-3 at the half, but, golly, the Bruins have blown a couple of opportunities handed to them because of sloppy play from Texas.

Due to two turnovers -- a forced fumble and an interception, both from Bruins linebacker Akeem Ayers -- they got a first-and-10 on the Longhorns 20 and a first-and-10 on the Longhorns 23 (after driving 13 yards).

Neither possession yielded points. One ended in a missed field goal. The other in a fumble from quarterback Kevin Prince.

And in a game in which both defenses have dominated, every point matters.

The teams have combined for just 176 yards -- 75 from UCLA, which also has just 5 yards passing. They are a combined 2 of 11 on third down.

And let's pause for a moment and pay our respects to Ayers, who has been the best player on the field. He's got an interception, sack and forced a fumble.

He's just a freak.

Stanford's visit to UCLA on Saturday features multiple mysteries and intriguing storylines. Will Bruins quarterback Kevin Prince be healthy? What about the health of Stanford linebacker Shayne Skov, receiver Chris Owusu and running back Jeremy Stewart? What defense will the Cardinal run? Who will make the first mark in the Pac-10 schedule?

Stanford senior center Chase Beeler, however, is focused on something that stands out specifically for him and his fellow hogs that is no mystery because it's a measured number published for all to see: Last weekend, the Bruins' rebuilt front seven surrendered 313 yards rushing at Kansas State.

"As an offensive linemen, that's something that excites me," Beeler said. "If myself or any of the other offensive linemen were operating things, I don't know if we would ever pass the football. We'd always be running."

While the conventional wisdom is that Stanford's offense, post-Toby Gerhart, will lean in talented sophomore quarterback Andrew Luck, coach Jim Harbaugh owns Big Ten sensibilities and has worked hard to cultivate an edgy physicality within his team. As in: Yeah, it's Stanford, one of the nation's elite universities, but on the football field it plays like bikers whose manhood has been questioned.

So count on Stanford challenging the Bruins' questionable run defense with its post-Gerhart backfield-by-committee, which rushed for 213 yards and scored three TDs in the opener against Sacramento State.

"We know we are going to play a team that is going to be running the ball," UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel said. "And we've got to find a way to stop that run. If they can run the ball down our throats, as they seemed to attempt in almost every game they play, then it's going to be a long evening."

Neuheisel likely is just as concerned about his offense as his run defense. For one, Prince, after missing all of fall camp with a back injury, is now nursing a shoulder injury, which has limited him in practice this week. Prince certainly looked rusty while completing just 9 of 26 passes for 120 yards with two interceptions at Kansas State, but he also was victimized by numerous drops.

Neuheisel didn't give Prince a bad grade for the opener, considering the circumstances.

"He managed the game really well," Neuheisel said. "I thought he ran the ball really well. While he was a little rusty with his accuracy, from the decision-making standpoint, I thought he was pretty sharp there. The ball just wasn't where it needed to be all the time. Truthfully, I had to expect much of that because he missed much of training camp. But there should be a quantum leap from Week 1 to Week 2. If he gets sharp, we are going to be a much better offense."

But not practicing won't help him get sharp. If Prince can't go -- or can't go all the way -- his backup is Richard Brehaut.

Stanford is not without issues. Neither Owusu nor Skov, two of the Cardinal's stars, played in the opener. Harbaugh's new policy is to not talk about injuries, so the nature and severity of the injuries are a bit of a mystery, though probably not to UCLA coaches, who have ways of finding such things out. Harbaugh has intimated he thinks both will play. Stewart appeared to hurt his ankle in the opener and should be viewed as decidedly questionable.

Another mystery: After adopting a new 3-4 scheme during spring practices with new coordinator Vic Fangio, the Cardinal played a 4-2-5 against Sacramento State. Fangio is a longtime 3-4 guy, and Neuheisel said he expects a 3-4. Harbaugh said his defense ran a 4-2-5 because Sacramento State runs a one-back spread. And that's mostly what the Bruins' new "pistol" offense is.

So what are the Bruins to do?

"I don't know if they were doing that to fool us or what, but we'll prepare for both," Prince said. "If they play that 4-2-5, we know what we want to do against it because we learned from what we did against Kansas State [which ran a 4-2-5 last weekend]. If they play a 3-4, we've played teams like that before. We know what to do."

As for the Bruins' defense, it's got a lot to prove against a Stanford unit that, at least on paper, should be far more difficult to stop than Kansas State. Carson Coffman, the Wildcats' quarterback, is no Andrew Luck.

"You want to go out and prove we're much better team than we were at Kansas State," linebacker Akeem Ayers said.

While Stanford has been billed as a Pac-10 contender much of the preseason, the Bruins were tapped eighth in the preseason media poll. And that relegation probably included most penciling in a win at Kansas State, a team the Bruins pushed around in 2009. With one of the toughest schedules in the nation -- Houston and Texas are the other two nonconference opponents -- there's more than a little bit of worry in Westwood that things could get ugly early.

Prince understands the thinking. He's just not buying it.

"I know how fans are. I was a big time UCLA fan before I joined the squad. I used to freak out over games like that, too," he said. "But it was just the first game of the season. There are still 11 games to be played. And then a bowl game. There is plenty of time to get better, but we've got to do it quickly."

Quickly, that is, if the Bruins hope to play that 13th game.

One week is in the books, and it wasn't a good one. The Pac-10 went 6-4 and ended up frowning in each of its major tests.

Team of the week: Other than a brief first-half lull, Arizona looked like a good team in midseason form, despite losing both of its coordinators and rebuilding its defense. The 41-2 blitzing of a solid Toledo team featured dominance in all three phases. Goodbye bad taste from the Holiday Bowl. The Wildcats outgained the Rockets 518 to 183. Nuff said.

Best game: It's very possible that Oregon State lost to a TCU team that will play for the national title. I came away more impressed with the top-to-bottom quality of TCU than believing the Beavers got exposed. As it was, it was a competitive, well-played, entertaining game. And if Beavers fans need to vent for the sake of venting -- as we all sometimes do -- I'd suggest wondering how might the Beavers' defense have looked if end Matt LaGrone and middle linebacker David Pa'aluhi, returning starters from 2009, hadn't decided to quit the team.

Biggest play(s): Washington twice had fourth-down plays in the fourth quarter inside BYU's 30-yard line. Both times QB Jake Locker threw an incompletion. The Huskies lost 23-17. Great QBs need to make those plays.

Offensive standout(s): Wow. Lots to choose from. USC QB Matt Barkley completed 78 percent of his passes at Hawaii with five TDs. Arizona's Nick Foles and Stanford's Andrew Luck also were outstanding. But the top notice has to go to Oregon's "backup" running back Kenjon Barner, who was a force of nature against New Mexico, rushing for 147 yards on 17 carries -- 8.6 yards per tote -- with four TDs. Oh, he also caught a short pass he turned into a 60-yard TD.

Defensive standout: Wow. Not a lot to choose from. While it's hard to laud a player from UCLA's defense after it got pushed around by Kansas State, OLB Akeem Ayers showed why so many NFL scouts are salivating over him. He piled up 11 tackles with a sack and a pass breakup. But what really stands out is his ability to get his hands on the football -- he recovered two fumbles. He might want to refrain in the future, however, from pushing a running back when he's out of bounds.

Special teams star: USC receiver Ronald Johnson not only caught three TD passes against Hawaii, but he also went 89 yards for a TD on a punt return. It's notable that UCLA kicker Kai Forbath ignored a preseason injury that was supposed to keep him on the bench and went 3-for-3 on field goals at Kansas State, with a long of 44.

Smiley face: The QBs lived up to the preseason hype. The known guys -- Barkley, Foles, Locker and Luck -- each played well. The new guys -- Arizona State's Steven Threet, Oregon's Darron Thomas and Oregon State's Ryan Katz -- were solid. California's Kevin Riley played well, and Washington State's Jeff Tuel was hardly the reason the Cougars went down hard at Oklahoma State. The only QB who played poorly was UCLA's Kevin Prince, and he probably looked rusty because he sat out most of fall camp with a back injury.

Frowny face: Defense. The top two rushers in the nation at present -- and three of the top 14 -- played against Pac-10 defenses this past weekend. And look who ranks 106th in the nation in total defense, two slots below Washington State.

Thought of the week: This is a quiet week with few marquee games, other than the start of the Pac-10 slate with Stanford's visit to UCLA. But next week will define how the Pac-10 is perceived nationally this season. Consider the slate:

Iowa at Arizona
ASU at Wisconsin
Nebraska at Washington
Cal at Nevada
Wake Forest at Stanford
Houston at UCLA
USC at Minnesota
Washington State at SMU
Louisville at Oregon State

Five at home, four on the road. Three ranked teams. No patsies. The Pac-10 needs to get at least six wins or you'll start to hear how it's a "down year" instead of folks lauding the conference's depth.

Questions for the week: Can California (vs. Colorado), USC (vs. Virginia) and Washington (vs. Syracuse) take care of business against inferior BCS conference foes at home? Same for Oregon: Will the Ducks be able to handle the atmosphere at Neyland Stadium against a Tennessee team the Ducks shouldn't have too many problems against? How will the Trojans' defense react after a terrible effort at Hawaii? Who's got the advantage between UCLA's new pistol offense and Stanford's new 3-4 (which the Cardinal didn't use vs. Sacramento State)? How do the Huskies react to a disappointing loss at BYU?