ESPN College Football

Here are the non-AQ players of the week as selected by each conference. The independent players are selected by a nationwide media panel.

Conference USA
Offense: Reggie Bullock, RB, East Carolina. Bullock rushed for a personal-best 169 yards and one touchdown on 24 carries to help East Carolina beat UAB 28-23.

Defense: Jamie Bender, S, UAB. Had 11 tackles and returned one interception 35 yards for a touchdown in a loss to East Carolina. That was the first defensive score for the Blazers since 2009.

Special teams: Danny Hrapmann, K, Southern Miss. Made three of four field goals (43, 35 and 27 yards), including two in the final quarter of a 30-24 victory over Virginia. He also converted a fake punt deep in the Golden Eagles' end zone and ran 31 yards for a first down.

Independent
Offense: Tyler Eifert, TE, Notre Dame. Eifert set a career-high with eight receptions for a game-high 75 yards and a touchdown in a 15-12 win at Pittsburgh.

Defense: Kyle Van Noy, LB, BYU. Had eight tackles and a sack in a win over UCF.

Special teams: Cody Hoffman, WR/KR, BYU. Had a 93-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in a 24-17 win over UCF. That was BYU's first kickoff return touchdown since Oct. 17, 1998 -- a span of 161 games.

MAC

East Division

Offense: Bernard Pierce, RB, Temple. Ran for a school record and MAC record-tying five touchdowns in a 38-7 win at Maryland. Pierce eclipsed the 100-yard mark in rushing for the 12th time in his career and third time this season. He finished with 149 yards on 32 carries for five touchdowns.

Defense: Luke Wollet, S, Kent State. Had two interceptions while matching his season-high with eight tackles in a 33-25 win over South Alabama.

Special teams: Ray Hutson, WR, Bowling Green. Blocked a punt and recovered a fumble on a kickoff return in the Falcons’ 37-23 win at Miami (Ohio).

West Division

Co-Offense: Jordan White, WR, Western Michigan. Eric Page, WR, Toledo. White set his career record with 14 catches for 134 yards and a touchdown in a 23-30 loss at No. 24 Illinois. White became the fourth Bronco to have over 200 career catches and recorded his 14th 100-yard receiving game.

Page had a season-high 13 receptions and career-high 158 receiving yards in a 33-30 overtime loss at Syracuse. Page had 279 all-purpose yards, including 114 yards in kickoff returns.

Defense: Sean Baker, S, Ball State. Had eight tackles, one tackle for loss, one sack and one interception in a 48-21 victory over Army. He was a part of a Ball State defense that tied an NCAA single game record by not allowing Army to complete a pass in the game.

Special Teams: Jeremiah Detmer, K, Toledo. Kicked a 52-yard field goal in his first career attempt in a 33-30 overtime loss at Syracuse. The 52-yarder was the second-longest field goal in Toledo history.

Mountain West

Co-Offense: Chris Nwoke, RB, Colorado State, Deon Long, RB, New Mexico. Had 102 yards of total offense (85 rushing, 17 receiving) and scored two touchdowns in Colorado State’s 35-34 double-overtime victory at Utah State. Nwoke tied the game with a 1-yard touchdown run with 42 seconds left in regulation, then provided the game-winner with a 2-yard run on CSU’s second possession in overtime.

Long broke the school and Mountain West single-game record with 378 all-purpose yards in New Mexico’s overtime loss to Sam Houston State. Offensively, Long caught nine passes for 209 yards and three touchdowns, and returned a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown.

Defense: Shaquil Barrett, LB, Colorado State. Had a team-high 14 tackles in a 35-34 double-overtime win at Utah State. He also added his first career fumble recovery for a touchdown.

Special teams: Tanner Hedstrom, LS, Colorado State. Hedstrom recovered two fumbles on muffed punts, including a critical takeaway to set up the game-tying score in Colorado State’s 35-34 double-overtime win at Utah State.

Sun Belt
Offense: Blaine Gautier, QB, Louisiana. In just his fourth career start, Gautier totaled 307 yards (221 passing/86 rushing) and tossed three touchdown passes to lead the offense in a 36-31 upset over FIU.

Defense: Chris Pickett, DB, Troy. Recovered a fumble and returned it for a 63-yard touchdown in a win over Middle Tennessee. Pickett finished the game with seven total tackles, including one for loss, and also broke up a pass.

Special Teams: Brian David, K, Arkansas State. Set a new Sun Belt and school record when he made six field goals in a 53-24 win over Central Arkansas. His 23 points scored in the game also set a league and school record for points scored in a single game by a kicker.

WAC
Offense: Bryant Moniz, QB, Hawaii. Set a new school record and tied an NCAA record with seven touchdown passes in the first half of a 56-14 win over UC Davis. Moniz also set a new school record with 424 passing yards in a half. He was 30-of-40, and did not play in the second half.

Defense: Travis Brown, LB, Fresno State. Made a career-high 11 tackles in Fresno State’s 48-24 win at Idaho. Brown led the Bulldog defense that allowed just 55 yards of total offense in the second half and 44 yards rushing for the whole game.

Special teams: Kevin Goessling, K, Fresno State. Made all six of his extra point attempts and both field goal attempts from 48 yards in the win at Idaho.

Ten issues to consider heading into the second week of games.

1. Foles versus Weeden: It's possible we'll have 750-800 yards passing in Arizona's visit to Oklahoma State. It's a showdown of two marquee quarterbacks in the Wildcats' Nick Foles and the Cowboys' Brandon Weeden, though the showdown of marquee receivers -- Juron Criner and Justin Blackmon -- doesn't look like it will happen because Criner has missed practices with an undisclosed illness. The Cowboys bombed Arizona in the 2010 Alamo Bowl 36-10, which was the last of five consecutive season-ending losses for the Wildcats. The Wildcats want redemption, but for them to have any chance, Foles must outplay Weeden.

2. Play smart, Arizona State: Missouri is one team that can claim as many injuries to key players as Arizona State -- the Tigers are down six starters. It's possible that the Tigers will play things fairly close to the vest with new QB James Franklin, who's a better runner than passer, perhaps waiting for the Sun Devils to make mistakes. And that strategy has worked in the past for teams facing the Sun Devils. ASU has long been penalty- and turnover-prone. The Sun Devils have the talent to win this game outright ... as long as they don't blow it. If ASU wins the turnover battle and is at least close to even in penalties, it should be a happy Friday night in Tempe.

3. Play loose, attack, Oregon State: The Beavers odds are pretty darn bad at Wisconsin. Even without significant injuries, or a loss to Sacramento State in the opener, few would be predicting an upset. Most likely, the best-case scenario for Oregon State is a respectable performance that includes no new injuries. Still, the Beavers need to reclaim their pride and confidence. They need to enjoy the big stage and regain some swagger. To do that, they will need to play loose and take some chances. Throw deep. Run some trick plays. Blitz. Try to have some fun, because that's exactly what didn't seem to happen last weekend.

4. Can Colorado block Cal? You might have noticed that I picked Colorado to upset California. If you want to know why that pick may end up making me look bad, it's the matchup of the Buffaloes' offensive line against the Bears' strong front seven. Hawaii pushed the Buffs around, recording seven sacks and holding them to 17 yards rushing. Cal has a more talented front seven than Hawaii, so that's a huge issue worth watching during the early going: Are the Buffs able to protect Tyler Hansen and create some gaps for Rodney Stewart? Playing at home will help, but the Colorado O-line is where an upset will start. Or end.

5. Oregon's fire: The last time the Ducks suffered a disappointing season-opening loss in a marquee nonconference game was in 2009 at Boise State. You might recall the Ducks didn't play particularly well the next two weeks against Purdue and Utah, though they managed to win both games. While the players will talk about trying to get the bad taste of the LSU game out of their mouths, it's easy to imagine the Ducks coming out flat against Nevada. This is not the same Nevada team that went 13-1 in 2010, but the Wolf Pack are good enough to steal one if Oregon takes too long to wake up.

6. Man-up, Washington: The Huskies played soft on both sides of the ball in a weak effort against Eastern Washington. That performance won't beat Hawaii, which pushed Colorado around on both lines and is coming to Seattle expecting to win. If Washington thinks it can coast into its visit to Nebraska the following weekend, it's going to get embarrassed. Two key issues: 1. QB Bryant Moniz is the Warriors' offense as both a runner and passer. He must be contained. And hit. 2. The running game must get going with Chris Polk. The Hawaii front seven had its way with the Buffs. Are the Huskies next?

7. Lucky numbers: While everyone knows Stanford QB Andrew Luck is the best player in college football, he's going to have to put up some numbers to win the Heisman Trophy. 171 yards passing -- his total in the opener -- won't get it done. Duke should offer an opportunity for Luck to pad his stats a bit. While the Cardinal's chief interest is getting their running game going -- it sagged a bit against San Jose State -- Luck throwing aggressively downfield is also a good thing.

8. Lobbestael as starter: It's one thing to come off the bench and play well. There's no thinking time. It's all about instincts. But with the injury to QB Jeff Tuel, Marshall Lobbestael now knows he's Washington State's starter for at least six weeks. He's had time to process that -- and perhaps overthink and get nervous about that. The Cougars have the players to beat UNLV at home without Tuel. But Lobbestael needs to be a good game manager. He's not going to be asked to throw for 350 yards. He needs to avoid mistakes, go through his progressions and take what the defense gives him.

9.Utah's secondary vs. USC's Matt Barkley and Robert Woods: Utah completely rebuilt its secondary this offseason, replacing all four 2010 starters. While reviews were solid during preseason practices, we have no idea how good the unit is. We will have some idea after it faces Barkley and Woods, two future high NFL draft choices. If there is one matchup where it looks like the Trojans can exploit the Utes, it's in the passing game. Utah's first job is to contain Barkley and make things uncomfortable for him in the pocket, which might not be too difficult with an uncertain Trojans O-line.

10. Reproduce the second half at Houston: UCLA played terribly at Houston for a half, which left it down 31-14. But the Bruins were pretty good on both sides of the ball in the second half. First, that shows that they fought back, which is a good sign. But it also shows the Bruins can get it done on both sides of the ball. If the Bruins play like they did in the second half for all four quarters against San Jose State, they will romp the Spartans and build some confidence for Texas' visit the following weekend.

If you don't like where you are in the power rankings, play better.

See last week's power rankings here.

1. Stanford: It's nice to play San Jose State in the opener. Still, the Cardinal did nothing to suggest they're not an elite team. Perhaps a little bit of concern about the middling running game versus Spartans.

2. Oregon: No shame in losing to LSU, but the Ducks sloppiness was concerning. On the other hand, sloppiness being such a critical element in the loss means there's an easy way to get better: Don't be sloppy.

3. USC: Beating an AQ conference foe means there's no reason to drop USC. But there sure as heck isn't any reason to move the Trojans up after a terrible offensive second half against Minnesota.

4. Arizona State: Sun Devils can move up if they beat No. 21 Missouri at home on Friday. And they will move down if they don't.

5. California: Bears were 10th in our post-spring power rankings, so our esteem for them is trending up. Most of that is solid play at quarterback from Zach Maynard against a respectable foe in Fresno State.

6. Arizona: Not unlike their good friends in Tempe, the Wildcats can move up -- BIG! -- if they manage to win at Oklahoma State on Thursday.

7. Washington: Huskies fall two spots after FCS foe Eastern Washington lit up their secondary. An, oh, no! here comes Hawaii quarterback Bryant Moniz.

8. Utah: Utah sags after its offense sputtered against Montana State. But the Utes can get a quick boost in the conference pecking order by winning the first-ever Pac-12 game at USC.

9. UCLA: Bruins showed some second-half fight at Houston, playing better on both sides of the ball after the break. But the Cougars used to be the sort of program the Bruins picked their teeth with. The screws tighten on Rick Neuheisel, as the margin for error in a must-win season narrows.

10. Washington State: The Cougars are out of the basement for the first time in the history of the power rankings, as far as I can recall. Too bad about quarterback Jeff Tuel's clavicle. Can the Cougs maintain enough for the next five to eight weeks he's going to be out? Can they get to 2-0 against UNLV?

11. Colorado: It's possible Hawaii is pretty good -- we'll find out during its visit to Washington -- but at this point, the Buffaloes showed more than a few weaknesses while losing their 19th consecutive game away from Boulder. The O-line is a particular worry.

12. Oregon State: Lots of Beavers fans protested being 11th last week. They probably feel less aggrieved now after losing to Sacramento State, an FCS team. What sort of fight will Oregon State put up at Wisconsin? Or does that one get ugly? The Badgers are a team not afraid to run up the score if they can.

Here are the non-AQ players of the week, as selected by each conference. The independents are selected by a national panel of writers.

C-USA
Offense: Case Keenum, QB, Houston. Threw for 310 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Cougars to a 38-34 win over UCLA in his first game since tearing his ACL last year.

Defense: Cordarro Law, DL, Southern Miss. Had eight tackles (two solos) and added two sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss in Southern Miss’ win over Louisiana Tech.

Special Teams: Robert Kelley, PR, Tulane. Set a school-record for kickoff return yards in his first game for the school, with 213 yards on seven returns.

Independent
Offense: Kriss Proctor, QB, Navy. Ran for 176 yards and three touchdowns, including a 75-yard scoring sprint on the third play from scrimmage, in a win over Delaware.

Offense: Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame. Recorded a career-high 12 catches for 154 yards and two touchdowns in a loss to USF. Floyd set the school record for career receptions and now has 183.

Defense: Kyle Van Noy, LB, BYU. With his team trailing 13-6, Van Noy caused a fumble that he also recovered, taking it 3 yards into the end zone for the decisive score in a 14-13 win over Ole Miss.

Special teams: Jon Teague, K, Navy. Set a career and Navy record with a 54-yard field goal. Teague added a 36-yard field goal and was 4-of-5 on extra points.

MAC
East Division

Offense: Bernard Pierce, RB, Temple. Had 20 carries for 147 yards and tied a career-high with three touchdowns in a win over Villanova. Pierce became the third player in Temple history to record 10 games of 100 yards rushing.

Defense: Chris Jones, DT, Bowling Green. Had tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks, a forced fumble and safety in a win over Idaho.

Special Teams: Travis Carrie, PR, Ohio. Had a 65-yard punt return for a touchdown in a 44-24 win at New Mexico State.

West Division

Offense: Chandler Harnish, QB, Northern Illinois. Threw a career-high five touchdowns and ran for 80 yards and a score in a 49-26 victory over Army on Saturday.

Defense: Nathan Ollie, DT, Ball State. Had four tackles, including two sacks, in a 27-20 win over Indiana.

Special Teams: Ryan Casano, PK, Toledo. Made all three field goals and seven extra points for 16 points in a 58-22 win over New Hampshire.

Mountain West
Offense: Kellen Moore, QB, Boise State. Completed 28-of-34 passes for 261 yards and three touchdowns to lead No. 5 Boise State to a 35-21 win over No. 19 Georgia.

Defense: Nordly Capi, DE, Colorado State. Set a new NCAA single-game record with four forced fumbles in a 14-10 victory at New Mexico. His fourth forced fumble of the contest helped the Rams preserve their first conference victory. He added seven tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks .

Special teams: Greg McCoy, KR, TCU. Set a new TCU single-game record with 229 kick return yards a 50-48 loss at Baylor. His total ranks fourth in Mountain West history.

Sun Belt
Offense: T.Y. Hilton, WR, FIU. Had 283 all-purpose yards, 12 shy of his own school record, in a win over North Texas. The 283 yards were the most by any player in the country in Week 1.

Defense: Eric Russell, DB, Middle Tennessee. Led the team with 13 tackles, including 11 solo, and got his first career sack in a loss at Purdue. He also had an interception and was the main kick and punt returner for the team.

Special Teams: Hendrix Brakefield, P, Western Kentucky. Averaged 44.6 yards per kick on eight punts in a loss to Kentucky. Of his eight punts, three went for over 50 yards -- including a 58 yarder. He also had two punts downed inside the 10.

WAC
Offense: Bryant Moniz, QB, Hawaii. Moniz completed 20-of-33 passes for 178 yards and a touchdown while adding a career-high 121 rushing yards on 14 carries with three more scores in a win over Colorado.

Defense: Paipai Falemalu, DL, Hawaii. Had six tackles (five solo), including three for a loss, in a win over Colorado.

Special teams: Taveon Rogers, KR, New Mexico State. Returned four kickoffs for 177 yards -- including a 97-yard touchdown -- in a loss to Ohio. Rogers had a total of 259 all-purpose yards.

Taking stock of the first week of games in Pac-12 history (and perhaps the last first weekend of games in Pac-12 history).

Team of the week: California was far from perfect in its 36-21 win over Fresno State -- the offensive line struggled at times -- but the Bears, singled out by some as a potential game one upset victim, made a solid statement against the Bulldogs that they might be a factor in the Pac-12 North Division. The biggest piece of news was the solid play of quarterback Zach Maynard. That he bounced back so well from an early interception might even be more meaningful. His two predecessors were known for letting mistakes linger and affect their performances.

Best game: It shouldn't have been a thriller, but Washington needed a late interception to outlast Eastern Washington 30-27. And it's worrisome that the Huskies were outgained by the Eagles 504 yards to 250. Hey, guys, how about a little pass defense?

Biggest play: Sure you've seen the highlight of UCLA receiver Nelson Rosario's 54-yard reception against Houston, ESPN's Play of the Day on Saturday, though it came in a losing effort. Rosario, turned around with his back to the endzone in tight coverage, grabbed the ball with his right hand, then trapped it on the back of the Cougars defender to make the catch. An instant classic. Now, Nelson, how about becoming consistent on routine plays?

Offensive standout: USC wide receiver Robert Woods caught a school-record 17 passes for 177 yards and three touchdowns in the Trojans' 19-17 win over Minnesota. A tip of the cap to Oregon State's true freshman running back Malcolm Agnew, who rushed for 223 and three TDs on 33 carries in the Beavers upset loss to Sacramento State.

Defensive standout: While Arizona State linebacker Vontaze Burfict (three sacks) and Utah linebacker Brian Blechen (two interceptions) put up nice numbers versus FCS foes, Cal linebacker Mychal Kendricks piled up a game-high nine tackle with 2.5 coming for a loss -- the 0.5 was a sack -- against a solid Fresno State team. He also broke up a pass as the Bears held the Bulldogs to 218 yards and 11 first downs. It's possible the Bears will have the best defense in the conference.

Special teams standout: Washington kicker Erik Folk was 3 for 3 on field goals of 40-plus yards in the tight win over Eastern Washington, connecting on kicks of 53, 47 and 40 yards.

Smiley face: To the Bay Area. Both Cal and Stanford took care of business with solid performances. Sure, San Jose State isn't much, but Stanford was cruelly efficient in dispatching the Spartans. Cal surely raised more than a few eyebrows in the conference.

Frowny face: The state of Oregon. Both Oregon and Oregon State went down, though to very different foes in very different ways.

Thought of the week: Two things we thought we'd see on Saturday that we didn't: An improved UCLA defense and a strong performance from Colorado at Hawaii. The Buffs defense was pretty solid, though the Hawaii offense was rebuilding other than quarterback Bryant Moniz. But the offensive line is a big concern, giving up seven sacks and struggling to open holes for the running game. A struggling offensive line doesn't bode well for Cal's visit. As for the UCLA defense, it played much better in the second half at Houston. We'll see if the first half was an anomaly-- Case Keenum is a pretty good QB, after all -- or the start of a pattern of inconsistency.

Questions for the week: Welcome to "measuring stick" week. There are big nonconference games across the board that likely will establish how the Pac-12 is viewed nationally, particularly after a lackluster opening frame. Will the conference notch a couple of quality wins? Or will it get cut down and see its national perception plummet? Further, Utah's visit to USC is the first Pac-12 game in,well, history. Will the Utes immediately prove they belong?

The good: No.5 Boise State thoroughly and convincingly beat Georgia 35-21, picking up a critical first win over the SEC. But the Broncos were not the only to win a non-AQ vs. AQ game. Houston beat UCLA 38-34; BYU beat Ole Miss 14-13; Hawaii beat Colorado 34-17 and Ball State beat Indiana 27-20. The MAC now has eight wins over the Big Ten in the last three years. The Cardinals have also beaten Indiana twice since 2008, a huge first win for new coach Pete Lembo.

Speaking of firsts ... New Temple coach Steve Addazio picked up his first win, 42-7 over Villanova. Bernard Pierce ran for 147 yards and three touchdowns in the victory. New Northern Illinois coach Dave Doeren also picked up his first win when the Huskies beat Army 49-26.

The great escape: UTEP barely escaped Stony Brook, 31-24 in overtime. The Miners trailed 24-10 in the third quarter but Nick Lamaison keyed the comeback -- throwing three late touchdown passes, including the winner in overtime. Lamaison ended with 365 yards in his first career start. ... Wyoming also needed a last-second touchdown to escape Weber State. Brett Smith threw a touchdown pass to Robert Herron with 22 seconds left to give the Cowboys a 35-32 win. Weber State led for most of the fourth quarter before seeing its upset bid slip away.

The heartbreak: Utah State and Middle Tennessee felt all sorts of heartbreak after their down-to-the-wire games came up just short for them on Saturday. The Aggies had the defending national champions down for nearly the entire game. But Auburn scored twice in the final 2:07, thanks in part to an onside kick the Tigers easily recovered. Utah State lost 42-38, but if anything came out of the loss -- the nation got its first glimpse of poised true freshman Chuckie Keeton, who impressed everyone with his play in the game. You can beat Auburn won't soon forget him. Meanwhile, Middle Tennessee had its game-tying 47-yard field goal attempt against Purdue blocked and lost 27-24. The Blue Raiders led 24-17 with 9:26 left in the game, but could not hold on long enough to win. Purdue scored 17 points and gained 192 yards in the fourth quarter. "It kicks you in the gut right now, you're sick to your stomach that you lost the game," Middle Tennessee coach Rick Stockstill said. ... New Mexico hung with Colorado State for the entire game but lost 14-10 because a familiar foe came back. Turnovers. The Lobos had three of them. Last season, New Mexico finished the season with a minus-12 turnover margin. ... Western Kentucky gave it a valiant effort against Kentucky, putting a scare into the Wildcats before losing 14-3. The Hilltoppers had more first downs and more total yardage, but also committed more penalties and turnovers in the loss. ... TCU also saw its win over Baylor evaporate when Aaron Jones kicked a 37-yard field goal with 1:04 left for a 50-48 win. Casey Pachall threw an interception to end the game. Much already has been made of the uncharacteristic defense TCU played. But contrast the end of this game with the Rose Bowl. TCU got a huge defensive play to help win the game when Tank Carder batted down the 2-point conversion attempt late in the game. But the Horned Frogs could not make one stop on Baylor's game-winning drive.

The young guns: In the week leading up to the opener against Southern Miss, Louisiana Tech coach Sonny Dykes was asked who reminded him of his 17-year-old starting quarterback, Nick Isham. “Greg Brady,” Dykes said. Isham, a true freshman born in 1993, asked the Bulldogs sports information director, “Who’s Greg Brady?” Isham might be young, but he gained his first game experience against Southern Miss, going 20-of-36 for 176 yards in a narrow 19-17 loss. Keeton, Brett Smith of Wyoming and Rakeem Cato of Marshall were the two other non-AQ true freshmen to make starts and both looked poised behind center despite their teams' losses. Keeton went 21-of-30 for 213 yards, while Cato was 15-of-21 for 115 yards in a rain-shorted day against West Virginia. Smith went 27-of-41 for 294 yards and three touchdowns, but the first pass of his career was intercepted.

Helmet stickers

Boise State defense. The Broncos absolutely dominated up front in a win against Georgia. The defensive line had six sacks and constantly harassed Aaron Murray. The Bulldogs had just 13 first downs and were never much of a threat.

Chandler Harnish, Northern Illinois. The Huskies quarterback threw a career-high five touchdown passes and ran for another in a 49-27 win over Army.

T.Y. Hilton, FIU. Hilton opened a win over North Texas with a 62-yard kickoff return that he almost broke for a touchdown. On the next drive, he scored on a 60-yard reception on the first play. He had 180 all-purpose yards in the first quarter and finished the game with 283 all-purpose yards, 12 shy of his own school record.

Case Keenum, Houston. In his return from an ACL injury, Keenum looked like he was back to his old self, throwing for 310 yards and two touchdown passes in a win over UCLA. He went past the 300-yard mark for the 26th time in 38 career starts.

Bryant Moniz, Hawaii. Moniz threw for 5,000 yards last season but he helped the Warriors beat Colorado with his legs. Moniz ran for 121 yards and three touchdowns -- the most rushing yards by a Hawaii quarterback since Glenn Freitas had 122 yards and four touchdowns against UTEP in 1995.

Kriss Proctor, Navy. Much was made over what Proctor would face this season -- taking over for Ricky Dobbs at quarterback. But he did more than fine against Delaware, running for 176 yards and three touchdowns in a 40-17 win. He also threw his first career touchdown pass.

Ten issues to consider heading into the third week of games.

1. Oregon's biggest issue might not be LSU's D-front: In Phil Steele's unit rankings, he rated LSU's D-line 10th in the nation and its LBs 15th. There's no individual player as disruptive as Auburn's Nick Fairley, but LSU's Tigers are better across the entire front-7 than those Tigers. The Ducks could again struggle to run the ball. But the big problem is the LSU secondary, which Steele rates the nation's No. 4 unit. Auburn's secondary was weak all through 2010, and Ducks QB Darron Thomas picked it apart for 363 yards. But even though LSU lost first-round draft pick CB Patrick Peterson, their defensive backfield is deep and talented. Thomas won't find throwing into it as easy in any event, but particularly without his top-two receivers from a year ago.

2. Will UCLA catch a Case of Keenum? UCLA was dominating Houston last year when it knocked QB Case Keenum out of the game in the second quarter, but Keenum remains a guy who is good enough to win a game on his own. Still, the Bruins should be able to win the battle on both lines of scrimmage, and that should make things easier for QBs Kevin Prince and Richard Brehaut, who both will play. Prince will be on the field to start the game. But will he be on the field to finish?

3. A Gray day for the USC defense: USC shouldn't have too many problems with Minnesota, but the biggest question is will the Trojans again show flashes of playing good defense. Golden Gophers QB MarQueis Gray is a bit of a mystery. He's being billed as a dual threat -- the sort who has given USC trouble in the past -- but he seems more like a 6-foot-4, 240-pound athlete who can run some option and scramble. His passing is decidedly questionable. The Trojans figure to crowd the line and dare Gray to throw. That means a secondary in man-coverage. Recall that the secondary got beaten a bunch in 2010.

4. Maynard debut: You look at California's depth chart and you think, "If these guys are any good at QB, they might be pretty tough." That's the pressure on Zach Maynard in his debut against a solid Fresno State team. If Maynard puts up good numbers, the Bears no longer will be so easy to write off in the Pac-12 North.

5. Buffs, hit Moniz: Hawaii QB Bryant Moniz put up huge numbers in 2010: 5,040 yards passing with 39 touchdowns. The Buffs secondary is suspect. Not a great combination. But a good way to protect a suspect secondary is with a good pass rush. While Moniz is a good athlete who can run, the best way for Colorado to end its 18-game road losing streak is to pound on Moniz and not give him time to throw. The good news on that: The Warriors have just three starters back on offense, one of whom is an offensive lineman.

6. The Price of confidence: Washington QB Keith Price makes his debut as Jake Locker's replacement against Eastern Washington, which is hardly a patsy. Sure, the Eagles are an FCS team. But they also are the defending FCS national champions and they are the preseason No. 1 team in FCS football. Warning! Warning! The key thing here is for the Huskies to show up focused and take care of business. For Price, he wants to play within himself, get comfortable and build his confidence because the competition will ramp up quickly.

7. Cougars grinning: Washington State is going to beat Idaho State. Not a big deal. What's a big deal is being 1-0 for the first time since 2005. What is a big deal is a team getting some early momentum, which it hasn't had in in coach Paul Wulff's first three seasons. The Cougs need to go out and pound on Idaho State. They need to walk away feeling good about themselves.

8. Luck and Shaw: Stanford is going to pound San Jose State. But the key thing for Cardinal interests is getting Luck some numbers and then sitting him, and letting Shaw get comfortable with his new job fronting the program.

9. Utah, Arizona State and Oregon State -- just win: The Utes, Sun Devils and Beavers each face weak, FCS foes. Each is going to win. And each faces a far more formidable foe the next week. The key is taking care of business, staying healthy and getting refocused. Starters eating orange slices in the third quarter is good, too.

10. Defense wins championships: OK, so what if LSU's defense thwarts Oregon's offense? The Tigers offense, particularly with Jarrett Lee at QB, is hardly scary. One of the often forgotten elements of the 2010 national title game against Auburn is the Ducks did about as good a job as anyone of slowing down QB Cam Newton. Lee is no Cam Newton. There is no law saying Oregon can't win a game 17-13. The LSU defense might stop the Ducks offense, but what if the Ducks defense is even more in control against perhaps the worst offense they will face all season?

Hawaii: The surf, the sand, the sunsets. Surfing and rain forest hikes. Don't forget the luaus (a whole pig! Yum.).

Relaxation.

None of this is part of new Colorado coach Jon Embree's plan for the Buffaloes trip to Hawaii on Saturday.

"It has to be a business trip for us," he said.

Trips, business or otherwise, haven't been good to the Buffs of late. They are riding an 18-game road losing streak. Their last win outside of the state of Colorado came on Oct. 27, 2007 at Texas Tech.

You might guess this factoid annoys Embree. It does, but he doesn't duck it. While some coaches -- particularly new ones -- would ignore this unhappy trend ("The past is the past. We're looking forward."), Embree embraces it.

Embraces it in the sense that the former Colorado tight end has grabbed it in a bear hug, thrown it into the dirt and asked his players to stomp on it.

"It doesn't matter if we were playing on the moon," he said. "We have to learn how to play when we're not in Folsom Field."

Embree points out the obvious math: If you want to win more than six or seven games a year -- the Buffs play seven road games on their 13-game, bye-less slate -- you've got to be able to bring your A-game on the road.

It should help that Colorado has a veteran team, with 18 starters back, including quarterback Tyler Hansen and 1,300-yard rusher Rodney Stewart. Further, Hawaii appears to be rebuilding. It has just nine starters back, including three on offense.

Of course, one of those three on offense is QB Bryant Moniz, the best player many have never heard of. He threw for an eye-popping 5,040 yards and 39 touchdowns last season. He's also a pretty good runner, see four rushing TDs.

And a pass-happy team playing at home isn't a good recipe for Colorado, which lost both starting cornerbacks to the NFL draft from a secondary that struggled in 2010 in any event.

Beyond this, Embree has been impressed with film of the Warriors defense.

"That may be the strength of their team, their defense," he said.

It should help the Buffs cause that two Warriors starters have been suspended for the game -- linebacker Aaron Brown and wide receiver Darius Bright -- for their involvement in a nightclub brawl.

Embree admits he has no special secret for winning on the road. He's tried to, as he says, "paint a picture," of the itinerary so the players not only know what they will be doing but also why they are being asked to do it. He's tried to address the mental side of playing on the road, including the sense that a pattern of failure on the road may become a self-fulfilling prophecy as players tense up when the screws tighten.

"I feel the best way for us to address the issue is to talk about it," he said.

Of course, ending the streak means the topic merits no further discussion. Here's a guess no coach or player would object to that.

It also would mean the Embree Era gets off to a good start. And it might start to hint that the Buffs will be competitive in their first year of Pac-12 play.

Hawaii has made a name for itself recently with its prolific passers. Timmy Chang holds the NCAA career passing record (though Case Keenum is trying to break it this season). Colt Brennan got himself into the Heisman mix.

Now there is Bryant Moniz, who last season became just the 10^th player in NCAA history to throw for 5,000 yards. Moniz has the eye-popping stats his predecessors had, but he has something they never did: a Facebook fan page.

The Warriors created the page to help bring a little more love Moniz’s way. On it, you will find feature stories and videos, including a trailer for the “Mighty Mo” series, which features Moniz. In the intro to the video, Moniz is dressed in his jersey and holds the state flag while standing on an overlook of Waikiki.

The rest of the video features the “Hawaii 5-0” theme music and highlights of Moniz from last season, along with him surfing, holding his daughter, working out in the weight room and standing on a military ship.

“It was a lot of fun,” Moniz said of making the video. “And I think it brings good publicity to our team and our university and our school and hopefully it will help out with boosting the economy, and maybe recruiting future players to Hawaii and stuff like that.”

Did he get recognized while shooting the video?

“Tourists were watching, but one kid from the mainland recognized me,” Moniz said. “We took a picture together on top of the outlook.”

Moniz’s story has been retold many times, but it bears repeating. He walked on at Hawaii and found himself at the bottom of the depth chart when he began in 2009. To help support himself, he delivered pizzas. But Moniz proved himself throughout the spring, and then injuries vaulted him into the starting job.

Last season, he led the nation in passing (360 yards per game), total offense (367.3 ypg) and passing touchdowns (39). This season, Hawaii was voted the preseason favorite to win the WAC, and he was voted preseason offensive player of the year.

But to match the success he had last season, he has to break in a new set of receivers. Of the top six pass-catchers last season, five are gone. Only Royce Pollard returns. There is a long list of players who will try to become the next Greg Salas and Kealoha Pilares. Moniz spent extra time with them this summer not only doing 7-on-7s, but also hanging out off the field so they could all get to know each other better.

“The attitude of the guys is where it needs to be,” Moniz said. “Everybody wants to be that next Greg Salas or Kealoha Pilares.”

On that list, three potential starters -- Darius Bright, Billy Ray Stutzmann and Jeremiah Ostrowski -- have all missed time during preseason camp with injuries. Meanwhile, Hawaii also will be breaking in an entirely new offensive line for the third straight season.

For Moniz, all the changes mean more of a leadership role. He is ready to take that on.

And if there is a little bit more attention on him, too? He is ready for that as well.

Time for your non-AQ mailbag. You can keep your comments coming to me.

Jordan in Akron, Ohio writes: Last year, Miami (Ohio) went from 1 win to 10 wins and the MAC championship. While unlikely, which one-win team from the previous season could repeat that success or at least, who do you see winning the most games? (Akron 1-11), (San Jose St. 1-12), (New Mexico 1-11) or (Memphis 1-11).

Andrea Adelson: Wow, this is a toughie! I do not see any of those teams getting to 10 wins this season. But I think San Jose State will finish with the best record among those four teams. While the Spartans have a question mark at quarterback right now, they return 18 starters. Now you might say that can't be good considering they won one game last season. But San Jose State had the injury bug hit them so hard last season, the team ended the season with 43 healthy scholarship players. This year, they have Duke Ihenacho back, a former first-team WAC selection. They also have WAC freshman of the year Keith Smith at linebacker, along with Pompey Festejo returning and everybody else on defense. The schedule is hard, but not nearly as difficult as it was last season. So if the Spartans stay healthy, they could be most improved among the four you mentioned.

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Eric in Sacramento writes: Boise is in the Mountain West. Nevada, Fresno State and Hawaii are the contenders for the WAC championship and all will be heading towards the MWC next year. I believe a good way to say goodbye to one conference and hello to another is by winning the WAC this year. Who looks the strongest going into the season?

Adelson writes: I go back and forth on who I think is going to win the WAC this season between those three schools. Each has positives and negatives. Bryant Moniz returning to Hawaii is a huge plus, but he loses his best receivers and four starters on the offensive line. Will Nevada be able to ride the momentum of last season without Colin Kaepernick, Vai Taua and Dontay Moch? How will Fresno State do with Derek Carr at quarterback and a defense that needs to get better more quickly. I am more inclined to go with Hawaii because of the system in place, and I think the defense is going to be solid. But Nevada gets Hawaii and Fresno State at home, so that could make the difference.

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Alex in Cranston, R.I., writes: Hey Andrea, keep up the awesome work you do at ESPN!!! I love reading your columns on the non-AQs. They are very detailed, and you definitely know your stuff. I happen to have a question about Hawaii (I know, I'm from Rhode Island, it's odd). Obviously they have a relatively weak SOS, such as opening against Colorado, Washington, UNLV, and FCS opponent UC Davis, and with a down WAC because of Boise State's departure, the WAC really is only a 3 horse race, along with Nevada and Fresno State. Hawaii is the only contender from the WAC to return their starting QB, Bryant Moniz, who threw for 5,000 yards last year, and is on the preseason Watch List for both the Davey O'Brien and Maxwell awards. My question to you is this: If Hawaii is able to run the table in the WAC, and beat BYU the last game of the year to finish 13-0 (7-0), is there a realistic chance that they could maybe sneak into a BCS bowl? Or is their schedule too weak to be considered for that? From my perspective, it won't matter how hard they try this year, because they'll probably play an 8th home game in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl as they usually do, despite being undefeated.

Adelson writes: A lot depends on what happens with the other non-AQs. If Hawaii is the only undefeated non-AQ when the season ends, then the Warriors would get into a BCS game automatically if they finish in the Top 12 of the final BCS standings. But if you are asking whether an undefeated Hawaii would get in over an undefeated Boise State or undefeated TCU, that answer would be no. It is more than just the strength of schedule (which would be weaker). Those two programs are going to start the season ranked and with national attention on them already. Hawaii would have a long climb up. Plus the Warriors have to fight the perception that they are just a gimmicky team playing six hours behind everyone else. Hardly anyone gets to see them on TV. But as you know, nothing is impossible. See: 2007.

We just had a poll on defensive player of the year for the non-AQs. Now we end the day with a poll asking you, "Who is going to be the offensive player of the non-AQs in 2011?"

Two of the players I selected are my players to watch in my spring wrap: Boise State quarterback Kellen Moore and San Diego State running back Ronnie Hillman. I have also included on this list Chandler Harnish of Northern Illinois, Bryant Moniz of Hawaii and G.J. Kinne of Tulsa.

Harnish had an outstanding junior season after many wondered whether or not he would be completely healthy for 2010. He ended up starting every game but one last season and threw for 2,530 yards, 21 touchdowns and five interceptions while adding 836 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground. With Chad Spann gone, the Huskies could rely more on him -- especially with a deep and talented receiving group.

Kinne is playing for his third offensive coordinator in three years at Tulsa. He flourished last season en route to Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year honors, leading the team in passing (3,650 yards) and rushing (561 yards). Moniz threw for 5,040 yards -- tops in the NCAA last season -- though he does lose his two leading receivers. Hillman led all freshmen with 1,532 yards rushing and could be even better in 2011.

But it is a no-brainer to pick Moore once again as the non-AQ offensive player of the year. Do we sound like a broken record yet?

2010 overall record: 10-4

2010 conference record: 7-1 WAC (co-champs)

Returning starters

Offense 3, defense 6, punter/kicker 1

Top returners

QB Bryant Moniz, LB Corey Paredes, WR Royce Pollard

Key losses

WR Greg Salas, WR Kealoha Pilares, FS Mana Silva, RB Alex Green

2010 statistical leaders (* denotes returners)

Rushing: Green (1,199 yards, 18 TDs)

Passing: Moniz* (361-of-555 for 5,040 yards, 39 TDs, 15 INTs)

Receiving: Salas (1,889 yards, 14 TDs)

Tackles: Paredes* (151)

Sacks: Aaron Brown*, Paipai Falemalu* (five each)

Interceptions: Silva (eight)

Spring Answers

1. Talent at receiver. There are plenty of candidates to help fill the big shoes of Pilares and Salas. Jeremiah Ostrowski and Billy Ray Stutzmann appear to be the front-runners to replace them with Corey Paclebar, Justin Clapp and Donnie King Jr. in the mix as well. Allen Sampson could be a playmaker at wideout, too.

2. Hadden at kicker. Redshirt freshman Tyler Hadden emerged as the front-runner to replace Scott Enos at kicker. He is going to have to step up immediately -- Enos set the single-season school record for points by a kicker with 122 and made all 105 of his extra-point attempts.

3. New hybrid end/linebacker. Many teams have gone with this hybrid position. Hawaii is calling it “elephant” and has someone in mind to play it on specific downs. Linebacker Art Laurel had a great spring, and appears to be the perfect fit at the hybrid spot. He had three sacks in the spring game.

Fall Questions

1. Revamped offensive line. The Warriors lost four starters on the offensive line, including three who started every game last season and one who had 21 career starts. It’s going to be important for that line to come together quickly to give Moniz time to throw.

2. Another 1,000 yard rusher? Hawaii is known for its passing offense, but Green surpassed 1,000 yards rushing in 2011 and notched the highest total in school history. Redshirt freshmen Joey Iosefa and John Lister are the only returning running backs on scholarship, so this could be an area where a true freshman could contribute.

3. Another 5,000-yard season for Moniz? Hawaii has some talented receivers who can step up for Pilares and Salas, but will that translate into another 5,000-yard season for Moniz? Fans have to hope the Moniz of the regular season, and not the one in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl, is who they get for 2011.

Welcome to another edition of the mailbag. Keep your comments and questions coming! I try to answer all the mail that comes in, but you will have a better shot at getting a response if you leave the profanity out.

One correction before I start. I referred incorrectly to the injury that forced Miami (Ohio) quarterback Zac Dysert out for the 2010 season in a blog post earlier this week. Then-coach Mike Haywood initially announced Dysert had a rib injury but further tests showed a lacerated spleen. I apologize for the error. Thanks to Robert Jones in Santa Fe, N.M., for pointing it out.

Now on to some questions.

Christian Morrison in Salt Lake City writes: I know BYU has a brutal 2011 football schedule, but which game stands out as the most difficult? It would have to be at Texas, right? You think an undefeated BYU gets a nod at the title game?

Andrea Adelson: Great question, Christian. I would put that one at the top, because the Longhorns should be better this season. It is hard to see Mack Brown having two straight subpar years. TCU is going to be tough, too, because the defense should be just as strong as it always is, and the deep running game will help new starter Casey Pachall. I am torn on how difficult the Ole Miss game will be for the Cougars. The Rebels have all sorts of problems, especially at quarterback, and on paper BYU should be favored to win that game. It will be tough because openers are generally unpredictable, but I don't think it will be impossible to win that game.

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Ben E. in Salt Lake City writes: In regards to Rocky Long's comment about Boise State's blue turf being an unfair advantage. This topic crops up every year or two. If the "advantage" is "blue uniforms on blue field", then why not Oregon? Just because Oregon's colors happen to be the same color of green as their field. Last time I checked, Oregon's field is actually a slightly darker shade of green than normal fields. There are many teams that have green-on-green, and it's not unfair. They just need to give opposing teams a couple of hours in their uniforms scrimmaging around before the game to get used to the field.

Adelson writes: I understand why coaches and fans dislike the blue turf, but I am not buying it. If you are the better team, you are going to win regardless of the turf. Is it an unfair advantage for the home team when it has a 100,000-seat stadium? Isn't there a reason it is called home-field advantage?

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Doug Kelly in Mesa, Ariz., writes: What are your thoughts on Hawaii football this year? Do they have a legitimate shot at taking the WAC title with the departure of Boise?

Adelson writes: I do think the Warriors have a shot, mainly because Bryant Moniz and Corey Paredes return. Hawaii has to develop some receivers to replace Kealoha Pilares and Greg Salas, but Royce Pollard is back and some young guys showed flashes this spring. In this type of offense, I am more of the belief that the quarterback makes the receivers. Moniz is capable of doing that. Paredes developed into one of the best players in the WAC last season and could be the preseason pick for WAC defensive player of the year. There are plenty of holes to fill and questions to answer, but I am not downgrading Hawaii at this point.

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Brian in Raleigh, N.C., writes: Why are all your articles UCF related? I am so tired of your biased reporting. You are working for ESPN now and not just the Orlando Sentinel. Could you please make sure you "share the wealth" around the nation? You are such a UCF homer.

Adelson writes: If by all you mean a small handful, then yes I am a blatant homer. Last I checked, UCF was a Top 25 team. That has nothing to do with where I live and where I previously worked. Covering 50-plus teams means that I am not going to hit on everybody every day or every week, and it also means that ranked and high-profile teams may get a little more coverage than somebody else. But I am doing my best to get everyone the information they want to read.

System quarterbacks are always the source of much debate. We heard all about whether Case Keenum deserved mention in the Heisman race because of the system he plays. We heard the same arguments about Hawaii quarterbacks Timmy Chang and Colt Brennan. So it should come as no surprise that one of the same knocks has been held against this player. Still, there is no denying what he accomplished in 2010.

No. 15 Bryant Moniz, QB, Hawaii

The former walk-onpizza delivery guy turned in one of the best seasons in school history. Sure he plays in a pass-happy system, but you still have to be able to make the throws, and he was plenty capable despite his awkward delivery. Moniz passed for a nation-leading 5,040 yards, second on the school single-season list behind Brennan’s 5,549 in 2006. Moniz also ranked No. 1 in the nation in total offense (367.3 yards per game), passing touchdowns (39) and passing yards per game (360), while completing 65 percent of his passes. A miserable performance in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl, in which he threw four interceptions, forced me to keep him in this spot. Still, Moniz helped the Warriors win a share of the WAC and make it back to a bowl game. His story is pretty remarkable when you consider he was No. 6 on the depth chart when he walked onto the team in January 2009.

No. 16 Dontay Moch, DE, Nevada

No. 17 Dwayne Harris, WR/KR, East Carolina

No. 18 Chad Spann, RB, Northern Illinois

No. 19 Reggie Rembert, CB, Air Force

No. 20 T.Y. Hilton, WR/KR, FIU

No. 21 Eric Page, WR/KR, Toledo

No. 22 Jake Kirkpatrick, C, TCU

No. 23 Muhammad Wilkerson, DT, Temple

No. 24 Bobby Rainey, RB, Western Kentucky

No. 25 Roosevelt Nix, DT, Kent State

Wanted to give you a quick rundown of the top non-AQ players in the final NCAA statistics for offense. Many of these players will be back for 2011, but many will be gone.

First let us take a look at rushing. Four non-AQ players finished in the Top 10 in yards per game:

No. 3 Bobby Rainey, Western Kentucky (137.4)

No. 6 Lance Dunbar, North Texas (129.4)

No. 7 Vai Taua, Nevada (123.85)

No. 10 Ronnie Hillman, San Diego State (117.9)

Taua is the only player who does not return next season. Hillman was a true freshman and many expect him to have an even better season. Rainey and Dunbar will both be seniors and vying once again to be the best running back in the Sun Belt. With Dunbar, it will be interesting to see how he fairs under new coach Dan McCarney, though offensive coordinator Mike Canales remains onboard. Rainey carried the ball a nation-leading 340 times last season. Can he handle another strenuous workload in 2011?

At quarterback, seven of the top 11 players in total passing yards were non-AQ players:

No. 1 Bryant Moniz, Hawaii, 5,040 yards

No. 4. Dominique Davis, East Carolina, 3,967

No. 6 Kellen Moore, Boise State, 3,845

No. 7 Ryan Lindley, San Diego State, 3,830

No. 8 Kyle Padron, SMU, 3,828

t. No. 9 Corey Robinson, Troy, 3,726

No. 11. G.J. Kinne, Tulsa, 3,650

I stretched this list all the way to 11 to show the depth of quality quarterbacks among the non-AQs. Although big-name players like Andy Dalton and Colin Kaepernick are gone, every player on this list returns to school next season, which means non-AQ quarterbacks will definitely be ones to watch again. But what is interesting is their receiver situation. Everybody but Kinne is losing his leading receiver. In the case of Moore, he loses two in Austin Pettis and Titus Young. Moniz loses Greg Salas and Kealoha Pilares, and Lindley loses DeMarco Sampson and Vincent Brown.

At receiver, seven of the top 100 players in total yards also came from non-AQ schools:

No. 1 Salas, 1,889 yards

No. 5 Jordan White, Western Michigan, 1,378

No. 6 Brown, 1,352

No. 7 Pilares, 1,306

No. 8 Aldrick Robinson, SMU, 1,301

10. Sampson, 1,220

11. Young, 1,215

Ssix of these players are definitely done with their college careers. The one up in the air is White, who is petitioning the NCAA for a medical hardship waiver and sixth season of eligibility. White had serious injuries to both his knees and sat out 2006 and 2008, so it seems likely his waiver will be granted. He set the school record for receiving yards in 2010.