ESPN College Football

We're reviewing hits and misses in Pac-12 recruiting, starting with the South Divison.

ARIZONA

Needs filled: The Wildcats have two incoming quarterbacks -- USC transfer Jesse Scroggins, who's already in school, and Anu Solomon -- who will be in competition to replace the departing Matt Scott. The class includes five linebackers, a need position. Don't be surprised if running back Pierre Cormier gets touches behind Ka'Deem Carey. It seems that coach Rich Rodriguez stocked up on athletes -- receivers and defensive backs.

Holes remaining: The Wildcats' biggest weakness in 2012 was the defensive line -- they ranked last in the Pac-12 in sacks and gave up more than 200 yards rushing per game -- and this class of 23 includes just two defensive linemen. Who's going to rush the passer in 2013?

ARIZONA STATE

Needs filled: The Sun Devils needed receivers and defensive backs. They signed five receivers and and five defensive backs -- and one athlete, who could play either. Defensive tackle Marcus Hardison, the nation's No. 5 junior college player, should help bolster a poor run defense.

Holes remaining: The Sun Devils lost QB Joshua Dobbs to Tennessee on signing day, which means they haven't signed a quarterback in two consecutive classes. Nine JC transfers means the Sun Devils are counting on immediate impact rather than long-term development. That approach can be a gamble, though four of the juco recruits have three years of eligibility instead of two.

COLORADO

Needs filled: The Buffs have a lot of needs, as they were last in the Pac-12 in scoring offense and scoring defense in 2012. The class includes six offensive linemen, and quarterback Sefo Liufau, 6-foot-4, 215-pound product of Bellarmine Prep in Tacoma, Wash., is a guy Buffs fans should be excited about. Considering the poor production at the position last season and the fact that there's a new scheme, he might get into the mix this fall.

Holes remaining: This is a fairly balanced class but there isn't a single interior defensive lineman. The Buffs gave up 226 yards rushing per game last season. The Buffs did, however, sign nine defensive linemen last year. While Liufau is the star of the class, this crew is lacking pizzazz and will rank last in the Pac-12, which is not surprising for a 1-11 team that fired its coach.

UCLA

Needs filled: Jim Mora said his top needs were offensive line, defensive back and linebacker. He signed seven offensive linemen, four defensive backs -- highly rated safety Priest Willis is still pending -- and three linebackers. As for the offensive line, two are ESPN 300 prospects and a third is a four-star lineman. Including Willis, who is expected to sign with the Bruins, two defensive backs are ESPN 150 players, a third is an ESPN 300 recruit and the fourth is rated with four stars. As for linebacker, two are ESPN 150 players.

Holes remaining: The Bruins signed the Pac-12's top-rated class and had a great final week. There is little not to celebrate, other than defensive tackle Eddie Vanderdoes picking Notre Dame. The most obvious hole is running back, where there's no obvious replacement for Johnathan Franklin. Craig Lee had committed to the Bruins but hasn't signed, so there's no true RB in this class.

USC

Needs filled: USC lost three of four starters from a secondary that underperformed last year, so signing two of the top three safeties in the nation -- Su’a Cravens and Leon McQuay -- as well as the No. 11 cornerback in Chris Hawkins is a pretty nice haul. The Trojans also added a pair of elite running backs in Ty Isaac and Justin Davis, the nation's No. 3 DT in Kenny Bigelow and the No. 2 quarterback in Max Browne. All three spots were need areas.

Holes remaining: The story of this class, as good as it is, is the handful of decommitments. In November, this was the No. 1 class but fell out of the top 10. Bigelow is the only defensive lineman; there are only two offensive linemen. In November, the question was how was USC going to finagle its way to just 75 scholarships, per NCAA sanctions. That's no longer an issue.

UTAH

Needs filled: With the graduation of RB John White and three voids on the defensive line, those were two need spots addressed by this class of 23. The Utes signed five defensive linemen, including three defensive tackles. They also signed four running backs, including JC transfer Devontae Booker.

Holes remaining: One bit of bad news for the defensive line is that DT Lowell Lotulelei, younger brother of Star and the Utes' highest-rated player, didn't sign because he's going on a Mormon mission right out of high school. This is a balanced class but it includes just two offensive linemen. The Utes also didn't get great linebacker play last season and this class only includes one, Uaea Masina.

ESPN RecruitingNation has signing day covered. Follow ESPNU’s coverage, chat with analysts and get breaking news on our Signing Day Live page beginning at 7:30 a.m. ET through 7 p.m. ET. For more on what to expect on signing day, check out the Pac-12 conference breakdown .

Bold prediction for the Pac-12: UCLA is in a position to shock the conference and perhaps the country on signing day. Already in possession of a top-12 class, the Bruins have a chance to close with a bang, as UCLA is in a good position with ESPN 150 prospects Eddie Vanderdoes, Isaac Savaiinaea and Asiantii Woulard. If all goes well in Westwood on signing day, Jim Mora could finish the day with a top-five recruiting class.

Arizona
Biggest need: Linebacker. Arizona’s defense is in need of some immediate help in all three levels, but the Wildcats will add some serious depth at linebacker with five commitments at the position.
Biggest recruit: QB Jesse Scroggins. A case could be made for either quarterback commitment -- Anu Solomon is the other -- but with Scroggins’ experience at USC and his status as an early enrollee, he could have an advantage when it comes to battling for the vacated starting quarterback spot.

Arizona State
Biggest need: Secondary. Arizona State is set to add plenty of help at the offensive skill positions, but the Sun Devils needed to add depth on the defensive side of the ball, and they did so. Safeties James Johnson and Jayme Otomewo are strong additions, as are cornerbacks Damarious Randall and Will Earley.
Biggest recruit: DT Marcus Hardison. Getting defensive tackle Will Sutton back for another year was a big win for Arizona State’s defense. Getting the No. 5 junior college player in Hardison, a 6-foot-4, 275-pound defensive tackle who can help Sutton inside this year, is another big win.

California
Biggest need: Offensive line. With head coach Sonny Dykes and offensive coordinator Tony Franklin, Cal is looking to take off offensively, but that can’t happen without a dominant front. Six offensive line commitments, including four-star tackles Aaron Cochran and Erik Bunte, are a good way to continue building up front.
Biggest recruit: OT Aaron Cochran. This is true figuratively and literally. Cochran, at 6-foot-8 and 364 pounds, is an important recruit for Cal, as the offensive tackle plays a position of need. He is the younger brother of Cal lineman Matt Cochran. Honorable mention here to Cameron Hunt, who committed to Cal last summer but opened his recruitment after the coaching change and now appears to be headed to Oregon.

Colorado
Biggest need: Offensive line. The Buffaloes need help everywhere, but solidifying the offensive line is step one for the new regime. Colorado holds commitments from five offensive linemen as it looks to take a step forward in the Pac-12.
Biggest recruit: QB Sefo Liufau. While building along the lines is important, Colorado needs to add playmakers at every position, and Liufau is definitely that at quarterback. He understands and appreciates the challenge at Colorado and is the kind of player the Buffs need to bring in and build around.

Oregon
Biggest need: Running back. While the Ducks have been blessed with an embarrassment of riches at tailback, it’s important that they continue to stock the cupboard in order to keep finding those gems and running the blur offense. Three tailbacks were a possibility in this class, as there will be an opportunity for playing time.
Biggest recruit: RB Thomas Tyner. This was big on two fronts as Tyner has an opportunity to contribute as a freshman, and the Ducks were able to keep Oregon’s top recruit from leaving the state. Tyner’s commitment became even more important when Dontre Wilson flipped from Oregon to Ohio State on Monday.

Oregon State
Biggest need: Defensive line. The Beavers looked to get bigger and better up front and did so in a big way. Six defensive linemen are headed to Corvallis, including four junior college defensive tackles capable of playing as soon as they arrive on campus.
Biggest recruit: CB Dashon Hunt. Oregon State needed to add talent in the secondary as well and Hunt -- the Beavers’ lone ESPN 300 commitment -- will help there. Hunt’s commitment also helped Oregon State continue its presence in Southern California, which it recruited extremely well with this class.

Stanford
Biggest need: Wide receiver. The Cardinal needed to add receiving threats in this class, and adding wide receivers Francis Owusu and Taijuan Thomas did that. Of course, at Stanford, no position poses more of an offensive threat than tight end, and the Cardinal have commitments from three high school standouts who will suit up there.
Biggest recruit: WR Jordan Cunningham. As the Cardinal continue to hunt for pass-catchers in this class, snagging Cunningham -- an ESPN 150 wide receiver -- on signing day would nicely cap an undermanned but still impressive recruiting class. It would also carry over Stanford’s terrific signing-day success from last year.

UCLA
Biggest need: Offensive line. While it might not be the most immediate need for the roster, the UCLA coaches saw a need to infuse the offensive line with young talent and they went out and did just that. There are offensive line recruits, including two ESPN 300 prospects and a third four-star lineman.
Biggest recruit: DT Eddie Vanderdoes. The country’s top defensive tackle will announce at 5 p.m. PT and the Bruins are thought to be in good position. Landing Vanderdoes -- a former USC commitment -- would be another positive sign for the Bruins in their quest to tip the rivalry in their favor.

USC
Biggest need: Secondary. The Trojans have been shaky in the secondary for several years now and are in need of players capable of adding depth and perhaps playing as freshmen. Signing day could offer a disappointment if cornerback Jalen Ramsey goes elsewhere, but the early enrollee group of safeties Su’a Cravens and Leon McQuay and cornerback Chris Hawkins, gives the Trojans three players capable of stepping in and offering a solution to the pass defense troubles.
Biggest recruit: S Su’a Cravens. USC is set to add plenty of impact players in this recruiting class, but landing Cravens as an early enrollee was huge. A local player who plays a position of need and has the talent to make an impact as a freshman, Cravens was as close to a must-get recruit as the Trojans had in this class.

Utah
Biggest need: Running back. With John White finished at Utah, the Utes have just one player returning in 2013 who logged more than 25 carries last season. While there are several tailbacks on the roster, Utah looked to add talent at the tailback position in this class and did so with four commitments from running backs, including junior college back Devontae Booker.
Biggest recruit: DT Lowell Lotulelei. There is no guarantee that the defensive tackle will turn into his older brother, Star Lotulelei, a likely top-five pick in the upcoming NFL draft. But getting a commitment from Lowell Lotulelei was arguably the most important piece of Utah’s recruiting puzzle. The four-star defensive tackle is Utah’s top-ranked commitment and will look to take over where his brother left off.

Washington
Biggest need: Offensive line. The Huskies hoped to find several big bodies to position as the future of the offensive line in this class and have commitments from three high school linemen, including four-star center Dane Crane. While the Huskies lost a commitment from Sean Harlow, who flipped to Oregon State, they could make up for it in a big way by grabbing ESPN 300 tackle Nico Falah away from USC on signing day.
Biggest recruit: WR Damore’ea Stringfellow. The highest-ranked player in the class, the ESPN 150 wide receiver is a playmaker capable of providing an immediate spark for Washington’s offense. He also gives the Huskies a big recruiting win in Southern California, as he was sought after by UCLA and USC.

Washington State
Biggest need: Offensive line. While much of the attention with Mike Leach’s offense goes to the offensive skill players, it can’t take off without an effective offensive line. Six offensive linemen, including junior college tackle Jacob Seydel, are headed to Pullman in this class.
Biggest recruit: QB Tyler Bruggman. The Cougars won a big recruiting battle for Bruggman, as they were able to pull him away from hometown Arizona State. He was someone Washington State targeted early on as a player who could fit into and succeed in the offense.

It took a while for Utah to be Dunn with Colorado.

(Yes, that just happened).

Reggie Dunn, the Utes kicker returner extraordinaire -- and the term sells Dunn short -- provided Utah the winning points in a 42-35 victory over Colorado with another 100-yard kick return in the fourth quarter, this time immediately answering the Buffaloes' Marques Mosley, who had done the same on the previous kickoff.

That increased Dunn's NCAA-record total to five career 100-yard kickoff returns, four of which came this season.

Four this season! Are you kicking me?

Dunn's heroics and Buffaloes turnovers made the difference, as the Utes looked pretty horrible against the Buffs, now 1-11 (1-8 Pac-12).

Colorado outgained the Utes 418 yards to 336 but lost the turnover battle 5-1.

Colorado quarterback Nick Hirschman passed for 306 yards but also threw four interceptions. John White rushed for 168 yards on 20 carries in his final game for the Utes.

Utah finishes the season at 5-7 overall and 3-6 in Pac-12 play.

Washington quarterback Keith Price broke out against Utah, and the Huskies secured a sixth win and bowl eligibility for a third consecutive season with a 34-15 victory.

Price completed 24 of 33 passes for 277 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. He also ran for a score.

The Huskies defense held the Utes to just 188 total yards. Nearly all of that went to running back John White, who gained 142 yards on 22 carries. The Utes had been 11-0 when White rushed for more than 100 yards, but quarterback Travis Wilson was just 8-of-23 for 55 yards with an interception, so there was little passing threat.

Bishop Sankey rushed for 162 yards on 36 carries with two scores for the Huskies. He became the 10th 1,000-yard rusher in Washington history.

Washington, 5-1 at home this season, improved to 6-4 overall and 4-3 in the Pac-12. It visits Colorado next week. Utah, winless on the road this year, fell to 4-6 and 2-5. The Utes need to beat both Arizona and Colorado over the next two weeks to earn bowl eligibility for a 10th consecutive season.

On Oct. 20, things were pretty dreary for Utah and Washington. The Utes had just lost their fourth Pac-12 game in a row at Oregon State. The Huskies had just lost their third conference game in a row at Arizona. Each season was at a proverbial crossroads, and the upcoming opponent was a tough one.

Both, however, got off the canvas, wiped away the blood shed the previous weeks, and came out swinging. The Utes dumped California and Washington State over the next two weeks, and the Huskies bested Oregon State and Cal.

Now both have seen sagging bowl hopes rise. Yet they stand in each others' way on Saturday. Utah visits Washington at its home-away-from-home, CenturyLink Field, with both trying to set a positive trajectory for the final quarter of the season.

For both, the uptick should be first traced to the schedule. It's gotten easier.

But both team are playing better, particularly the Utes previously-sputtering offense. Coach Kyle Whittingham noted that things have started to click in every area, see consecutive games with 49 points.

Said Whittingham, "I think it's the evolution of our quarterback, [true freshman] Travis Wilson. I think [offensive coordinator] Brian Johnson is starting to feel more comfortable. I think the offensive line has continued to improve. You've got guys making plays. Very few mistakes. We're not dropping footballs and committing ignorant penalties. I think it's all the way around. John White is back on track."

The formula is efficient play from Wilson and 100-yard efforts from White. The Utes are 11-0 over the past two seasons when White hits the century mark, which includes the last two wins.

As for the Huskies, the offense has been consistently underwhelming, but the defense has taken a big step forward under first-year coordinator Justin Wilcox. The Huskies are giving up 26.3 points per game, nearly 10 fewer than a year ago, an 393.4 yards per game, 60 fewer than last year. Last year, they gave up 6.4 yards per play, this year they are yielding 5.8.

The big issues here will be the play of the offensive lines, and Wilson dealing with a boisterous road crowd. Wilson's first two starts were on the road, and the Utes scored just 21 points combined at UCLA and Oregon State.

As for the lines, both have been works in progress throughout the season. And both have played better of late.

"I feel good about the progress that we have made," Huskies coach Steve Sarkisian said. "I think they have matured especially the last two weeks and hopefully we can continue that the next three weeks.''

The Huskies young line should have its hands full with the Utes tough front-seven, led by All-American defensive tackle Star Lotulelei, who figures to command two interior blockers.

"Star is a tremendous player," Sarkisian said. "It starts right there in the middle with 92."

For the Utes offense, it starts with establishing White and not putting pressure on Wilson to throw on the road.

If Washington wins, it will improve to 6-4 and become bowl eligible with winnable games ahead at Colorado and Washington State.

If Utah wins, it will even its record at 5-5 and only need to split its final two games with Arizona and at Colorado.

It's fair to say that the winner will be on the cusp of a successful season, while the loser might feel like it's Oct. 20 again.

The Utah Utes continued their second-half surge -- not unlike the Utah Utes of 2011 -- and blew out the visiting Washington State Cougars 49-6.

The victory leaves the Utes (4-5, 2-4 Pac-12) needing two wins in their final three games to keep their streak of eight straight postseasons alive. Washington State coach Mike Leach, however, sees his run of 10 bowl games in 10 seasons come to an end as the Cougars (2-7, 0-6) have been eliminated from postseason contention.

John White ran for two touchdowns and caught a third from quarterback Travis Wilson, who was an efficient 17-for-21 for 171 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. White carried 18 times for 101 yards and had touchdown runs for 47 and 2 yards.

Utah moves to 11-0 when White carries for at least 100 yards.

I can't leave out Utah's Reggie Dunn, who returned the opening kickoff of the second half 100 yards for a touchdown. Dunn returned two kickoffs for 100 yards last week. A pair of Coleman Petersen field goals and a 9-yard touchdown run from Lucky Radley rounded out the scoring for the Utes.

Washington State and Leach's vaunted Air Raid offense again struggled. The Cougars were held to 255 total yards by a stingy Utah defense, which forced a pair of turnovers, including an interception by Reggie Topps, and six sacks.

It was almost the third time this season that Washington State's offense had been kept out of the end zone, but a 5-yard touchdown pass from Jeff Tuel to Kristoff Williams on the game's final play prevented the shutout.

Utah's offense, however, didn't have many issues against a Washington State defense that had shown some improvement in recent weeks. The Utes totaled 453 yards of offense, including 205 yards on the ground.

"We're starting to figure it out," Utah coach Kyle Whittingham told the Pac-12 Network after the game. "We've still got work to do, but when you look at the last four weeks, I think we've taken a step forward in each of those four weeks and we're closer to where we need to be."

Utah has climbed up from the canvas, with a big assist from Reggie Dunn. California has big problems.

In what felt like a make-or-break game for both teams in terms of having any hope for a successful season, the Utes whipped the sloppy Bears 49-27 and gave themselves hope for duplicating the same turnaround they manufactured in 2011.

For now Cal, which must beat Washington, Oregon and Oregon State to earn bowl eligibility -- yeah, right. The primary subject will be coach Jeff Tedford's future.

Cal actually outgained Utah 441 yards to 345, but the Bears' mistakes and special teams made the difference. Dunn returned two kickoffs 100 yards for touchdowns -- two! -- and Reggie Topps returned a fumble for a touchdown.

Utah intercepted Cal QB Zach Maynard once and sacked him four times, as the Bears were mostly listless, trailing 28-6 at half and 49-13 early in the fourth quarter.

The Utes got 105 yards rushing and two TDs from RB John White.

The Utes improve to 3-5 overall and 1-4 in the Pac-12. They play host to Washington State on Saturday. Cal falls to 3-6 and 2-4. It plays host to Washington in a rare Friday night game.

Cody Vaz's encore wasn’t as pretty as his debut. But an offensive outburst wasn’t needed as the No. 8 Oregon State Beavers pounded their way to a 21-7 victory over Utah to improve to 6-0 and become bowl eligible for the first time since 2009.

Oregon State is 6-0 for just the second time in school history -- the previous time coming in 1907.

Behind three rushing touchdowns from Storm Woods -- and an outstanding performance from the OSU offensive line against a touted Utah front -- the Beavers were patient and methodical when the passing attack failed to take flight.

Vaz, pinch-hitting for the second week in a row while Sean Mannion recovers from a knee injury, was 16-of-26 with 174 yards with no touchdowns. More importantly, no interceptions and zero sacks.

Utah, however, turned the ball over four times, losing a pair of fumbles and seeing quarterback Travis Wilson -- also making his second consecutive start -- throw two interceptions.

The Beavers jumped ahead 14-0, turning both of Utah’s first-quarter turnovers into touchdowns. Wilson got the Utes on the board when he connected with Jake Murphy to cut the deficit in half with 6 minutes left in the second quarter. Wilson finished 15-of-28 with 172 yards.

Woods would add a third touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Neither offense looked particularly sharp, but Utah (2-5, 0-4 Pac-12) did have some success moving the ball. However, anytime the Utes would get in striking distance, they’d turn the ball over or the Oregon State defense would step up with a big play by Scott Crichton or D.J. Alexander.

Oregon State’s fantastic wide receiver duo of Markus Wheaton and Brandin Cooks were kept out of the end zone, though Wheaton did catch a game-high seven balls for 90 yards.

Utah running back John White got 20 carries, but could only muster 68 yards against a Oregon State’s defense, which entered the game ranked first in the Pac-12 and fourth nationally.

USC and quarterback Matt Barkley started the season as the toasts of college football. Or the hated front-runners, depending on how you respond to the Rorschach test that the Trojans are across the nation.

But a loss at Stanford and middling numbers from Barkley have doused much of the hype and knocked them off the college football radar. National championships and Heisman Trophies are no longer associated with the program in 2012, and more than a few seem eager to stick the dreaded "overrated" label on the team and player.

"I'm good at blocking all that stuff out," Barkley said. "I know what's significant to us. I know what people who know football are seeing, not just the media and what they are writing. It doesn't get to me or our offense. We've just got to keep our heads down and work for every yard we get."

USC off the radar? Trojans coach Lane Kiffin isn't buying it.

"I don't think at SC you're ever off the radar," he said. "I think that shows in the ratings of games. Even when you're not No. 1, No. 2 or No. 3, all the conversations are about SC and you're always everybody's biggest game. I don't think you ever really come off the radar here."

Backing him up is Utah coach Kyle Whittingham. To him, as well as the Utes fan base, it's a big deal that No. 13 USC is coming to Salt Lake City to play inside Rice-Eccles Stadium on Thursday night (9 p.m. ET on ESPN).

"Without a doubt," Whittingham said. "It's been many, many years since USC was here."

Many years is right. The Trojans' previous visit was in 1917 -- a 51-0 victory.

Still, in the preseason this looked like a game with far more national juice. Most so-called pundits projected this as a likely battle of ranked, unbeaten teams, a game with significance for the Pac-12 South Division as well as the national picture. It was seen as one of just a few potential stumbling blocks for USC as it fired up its engines for a run at the national title game.

Instead, we have USC getting beaten at the line of scrimmage in 21-14 loss to the Cardinal, and Utah getting whipped every which way in a 37-7 humbling at Arizona State.

Both teams are coming off a bye week. The Trojans already had a bounce-back game in their solid 29-7 win over California. The Utes spent the extra week trying to correct the myriad issues exposed by the Sun Devils -- blocking, in particular.

"The offensive line play has been an ongoing project for us. Obviously a priority," Whittingham said. "We had plenty to work on."

The Utes must get the running game going against USC. They need running back John White to be fully healthy after an ankle injury -- he didn't look at that way at Arizona State -- because the Trojans have produced a potent pass rush this season (four sacks a game), which could make for a long night for quarterback Jon Hays if his play-action fakes aren't working.

The Trojans also have issues on the offensive line, most particularly the health of center Khaled Holmes. He's likely out of the game, which means fifth-year senior Abe Markowitz will be eyeballing Utah's 325-pound nose tackle Star Lotulelei. In last year's meeting, Holmes, probably the best center in the Pac-12, if not the nation, mostly fought Lotulelei to a stalemate. It's difficult to imagine Markowitz won't need a lot of help from his guards.

Utah's hope rests on being able to slow the Trojans' running game and get pressure on Barkley without resorting to a lot of blitzes. While the Utes pride themselves on their man-to-man coverage in the secondary, it's likely they will use a lot of the Cover 2 to help keep Trojans receivers Robert Woods and Marqise Lee in check. That's what Stanford did, and such schemes have kept Barkley's numbers down because opposing defenses are willing to take chances with alignments that invite Barkley to check into running plays.

"If teams are going to play Cover 2 and just send safeties over the top and double-team both outside receivers, you're going to be forced to run the ball where they can't support the run," Barkley said.

Sure, Barkley would like to go deep every other play, but, he added, "I'm not really worried about being flashy and all that if we're moving the ball."

The problem is the Trojans have been hot and cold moving the ball, through the air or on the ground. They are fifth in the Pac-12 in scoring and pass efficiency, and sixth in total offense, rushing and passing yards. They are 11th in third-down percentage.

Those numbers suggest mediocrity, not the offensive greatness most projected for Barkley and company in the preseason.

Yet, it's still early. A lot can -- and likely will -- happen over the second half of the season. Neither of these teams have permanently set a trajectory for how things will go in 2012.

An upset victory for Utah would be monumental for the program in its second year of Pac-12 play. And an impressive performance by USC could land it back on the national radar.

Welcome to Week 4. Ted and Kevin both went 7-3 in Week 3. Kevin picked Arizona State over Missouri. And Ted may have been just a bit outside with his selection of Colorado to notch the upset at Fresno State.

For the season, Ted is 23-10 and Kevin is 22-11.

California at USC

Kevin Gemmell: The Bears showed a lot of heart in their loss to Ohio State. But they are getting a USC team that is salty and vengeful. The Trojans have owned Cal of late and I expect that to continue. Though the wide receiver talent that will be on the field -- Marqise Lee, Robert Woods, Keenan Allen -- is worth tuning in for. USC 28, Cal 14.

Ted Miller: There's a temptation to think the Stanford loss could double-dip USC, which might still be pouting. Cal certainly showed at Ohio State it can physically match a quality foe. But I suspect center Khaled Holmes will return for the Trojans, and that will give them a boost on the offensive line. And Matt Barkley will bounce back. USC 33, California 17.

Arizona at Oregon

Kevin Gemmell: I think Oregon wins this game -- probably by a couple of touchdowns. But I'm most excited to see what the combined yards, first downs and offensive drives are. The Wildcats kick off three consecutive games against very good defenses, so I'm curious to see how they respond. Oregon 49, Arizona 35.

Ted Miller: I suspect this might be competitive at halftime but the Ducks will assert themselves in the second half when the Wildcats' thin defense starts to wear down. Oregon 52, Arizona 28.

Utah at Arizona State

Kevin Gemmell: I think this is the toughest one to predict this week. Lots of unknowns with Utah -- how healthy is John White? How much of last week was just raw emotion against a rival? Penalties and turnovers hurt the Sun Devils, but they rallied hard. When it's a coin flip, go with the home team. ASU 24, Utah 17.

Ted Miller: This is a key separation game in the Pac-12 South. I think playing at home gives the Sun Devils the edge. ASU 28, Utah 20.

Oregon State at UCLA

Kevin Gemmell: Well, we know the Beavers will be rested. And they've had two weeks to prepare. But the Bruins are playing fantastically on both sides of the ball. Datone Jones' emergence (finally) has been a real bright spot for the Bruins on defense. UCLA 31, Oregon State 27.

Ted Miller: Wisconsin's poor showing against Utah State diminished the Beavers' impressive victory over the Badgers. Still, Oregon State should be well rested and has had a lot of time to devise a game plan. Of course, if I pick Oregon State to win, many of their fans will give up all hope. Don't do that. Maybe the curse is over? Oregon State 35, UCLA 33.

Colorado at Washington State

Kevin Gemmell: Connor Halliday? Jeff Tuel? Probably won't matter. While I admire the Buffs' resiliency and commitment to keep grinding, their young secondary will have problems with the Cougars' passing attack. Things are starting to click on offense for Washington State. Washington State 35, Colorado 17.

Ted Miller: Will Colorado man up or will it wave a white flag over its season? I took a long shot last week on the Buffs. Not this week. Washington State 40, Colorado 20.

Utah boasts the top defensive tackle in the Pac-12 -- probably the country -- in Star Lotulelei. Arizona State's defensive tackle -- Will Sutton -- is probably playing the best football of any defensive interior lineman through the first three weeks of the season.

Both take center stage this weekend when the Sun Devils host Utah on Saturday in a Pac-12 South matchup. Each team is looking to get to 3-1, and both coaches believe it will be the play of their defenses that gets them there.

"You've got two guys that are probably pretty similar," said ASU coach Todd Graham of the opposing defensive tackles. "They are both pretty dominant, both pretty physical, both very fast off the ball and explosive and disruptive. It will be interesting to watch those two on opposite sides of the ball. They are similar in their skill set. But Will is my guy so I'm pretty partial to him."

And with good reason. Sutton is tied for second in the conference in sacks (3) and has more tackles than any other defensive tackle in the conference with 22. He's tied for 11th in the league in tackles and only linebackers and defensive backs rank ahead of him.

Pretty good stuff. But Utah's offensive line, though there is some inexperience, is used to seeing a pretty good defensive line in practice.

"We have a pretty formidable front led by Star Lotulelei," said Utah coach Kyle Whittingham. "He's our leader on defense, no doubt. I think having the opportunity for our offensive line to go up against a quality defensive line like they do week in and week out is a healthy thing and a good thing. And hopefully it makes them better."

Probably not a good thing for Utah this week, but Lotulelei has actually made Sutton better, though he probably doesn't know it. Sutton has been a fan of Lotulelei for quite some time. And he watches film on Utah's big man every chance he gets.

"He's big and physical so I like to see what he does," said Sutton, a 6-foot-2, 271-pound junior. "I'll study him and see if I can use any of his moves to better myself."

Is he willing to share what he's learned?

"Yes, I have taken some stuff from him, and no I can't tell what," Sutton said with a laugh.

At 6-4, 320 pounds, Lotulelei isn't the type of player who will put up big statistical numbers. His job is to disrupt, plug holes and eat up blockers. He's exceptional at it, which is why many project him to be a top-10 pick in the 2013 NFL draft. However, he came up big in Utah's victory last week over rival BYU, tallying six solo tackles and blocking a field goal.

Naturally, Lotulelei and the rest of the Utah front have Graham concerned.

"This is the best defense we've played so far," Graham said. "I think the explosiveness on the defensive line, their interior defensive linemen, there aren't any better in the country. They have one of the best defensive tackles in the nation. They are very disruptive, very explosive and very smart. They are well-coached. One week they'll do a multitude of things. They are well-schooled schematically."

And Utah's defense gets a boost this week with the return of safety Brian Blechen, who missed the first three games serving a suspension.

"He is ready," Whittingham said. "He has worked his tail off. He has taken virtually every rep for us on the scout teams. If there is a positive aspect, he has handled it the right way and done everything he could do -- he was a quarterback on the scout teams, a receiver, whatever we have needed him to do he has done."

ASU comes into the game tied for the conference lead with seven interceptions. Utah quarterback Jon Hays, who has once again thrust into the role as starter, is completing 56 percent of his throws (30 of 53) with three touchdowns and no interceptions. The Utes should also be more effective running the ball with John White back in the lineup. Whittingham said that will be crucial moving forward.

"Arizona State is very good on the defensive line and playing good defense overall," Whittingham said. "We've got our work cut for us, there is no doubt about it. We've got to play much better in the run game offensively than we have been if we want to have a chance to win. We haven't been running the football nearly effective enough so that's one area of emphasis for us."

We have movement at the top, as you might expect.

See last week's power rankings here.

1. Oregon: The Ducks emerge from their preseason in a familiar place: atop the Pac-12. While the Nov. 3 visit to USC was diminished by the Trojans' loss to Stanford, the Ducks' home game against Stanford on Nov. 17 suddenly ramps up a bit. Nationally ranked Arizona visits on Saturday. Will the Ducks get tested?

2. Stanford: The Cardinal have a well-timed bye so they can take a little extra time to soak in the national praise for their outstanding all-around effort against USC. But a visit to Washington on Sept. 29 looms as a game to take seriously, even though the Cardinal have dominated the series of late.

3. USC: Yes, Trojans, there will be an overreaction to your loss, and plenty of folks will dance on the rubble of your lackluster performance at Stanford. But you do know that you could have avoided such a fate by not giving everyone solid grounds to call you overrated, right? The question now: What are you going to do about it? Sulk? Feel sorry for your five-star-recruit selves? Or get mad and get even? Win out and a 12-1 Pac-12 champion could still be in the national title picture. And you better wake up with California coming to town. The Bears looked pretty capable at Ohio State.

4. UCLA: I know; it's still early. I know; the Bruins have teased us before. I know; they still have the Pac-12 slate ahead. But I guess what I want to ask: How do you feel about Jim Mora these days? Oregon State comes to town this weekend, which will be a legit challenge. But no game on the schedule appears unwinnable any longer. And that includes that team across town.

5. Arizona: The Wildcats took care of business against an overmatched foe, but things get just a bit tougher with a visit to No. 3 Oregon on Saturday. Of course, few of us thought the Wildcats would be bringing an unbeaten record and No. 22 national ranking with them to Eugene. It could be a scoring fest. While a win would be monumental for new coach Rich Rodriguez, a respectable showing wouldn't quash the recent momentum.

6. Oregon State: Wisconsin's close call at home to Utah State nicks the Beavers' win over the Badgers a bit, but Oregon State can make a statement at UCLA on Saturday. The Bruins and QB Brett Hundley should reveal if the Beavers' improved defense is ready for prime time.

7. Utah: The Utes bounced back from the Utah State loss to outlast archrival BYU without QB Jordan Wynn, whose career is over, and RB John White, who actually does have an ankle injury that was made to officially disappear last week. Here's how things stand (and Utes fans, feel free to correct me, because I know you will): We're so 2011 all over again; only Jon Hays looks like a better QB than he was a year ago. The question is whether this version can move up the Pac-12 pecking order. I know this: It will help when White really is 100 percent. Not sure if the Utes can win consistently in the conference without him.

8. Arizona State: The sloppiness returned on the road at Missouri, and the Sun Devils wasted an opportunity with the Tigers playing without QB James Franklin. So now we get to see another measure of Todd Graham's new-look team: resilience. As much as has been made of the program's lack of discipline in recent years, the bigger issue -- to me -- was the general lack of backbone and locker-room cohesion. A home matchup with Utah could provide a good early measure.

9. California: There was a lot to like about the way Cal played on both sides of the ball at Ohio State, though like many of you, I lost my voice yelling, "GO FOR IT!" on that ill-fated fourth-and-1 moment when coach Jeff Tedford opted to miss a third field goal. Still, QB Zach Maynard played well enough to win against a highly ranked team on the road, RB Brendan Bigelow showcased some much-needed explosiveness and the defense -- other than two horrible plays -- looked physical and stingy. So what happens at USC?

10. Washington: The Huskies emerged, as expected, at 2-1 after three games. They have a bye this weekend. Then they go: Stanford, at Oregon, USC and at Arizona. That's four ranked teams in a row. How will they weather that storm?

11. Washington State: The Cougars won at woeful UNLV, and they should win Saturday at home against woeful Colorado. A 3-1 start is a good thing. But we won't really know how well the Mike Leach era has taken root until the Pac-12 schedule -- apologies to the Buffs -- really takes root, starting with a game with Oregon in Seattle on Sept. 29.

12. Colorado: Oh, man. Buffs, as my mother always said, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything." So I got nothing for you.

What did we learn in Week 3? Read on.

Barkley's, USC's coronation was premature: There is no certainty in college football, particularly when you're questionable on the line of scrimmage. That's what USC quarterback Matt Barkley found out. His offensive line couldn't block Stanford's defensive front seven, which sacked him four times and harassed him constantly. Barkley, even with elite receivers Robert Woods and Marqise Lee, completed only 20 of 41 passes with two interceptions in a 21-14 loss. Sure, losing center Khaled Holmes to an ankle injury was a major blow -- the Cardinal exploited his replacement, Cyrus Hobbi -- but the Cardinal's domination up front wasn't about one spot. And that domination was on both sides of the line. The Cardinal, with a first-year starting quarterback, outgained the Trojans 417 yards to 280. Barkley's Heisman Trophy hopes took a major blow, as did the Trojans' hopes for a national title, that bit of unfinished business that brought Barkley back for his senior year.

Luck had nothing to do with it: That was a sign in the crowd at Stanford, duly noted by ESPN analyst Robert Smith. Stanford has billed itself as a physical, run-first team, even when it had Luck. So, without him, it figures the Cardinal would remain themselves. Still, many of us doubted whether the Cardinal would be as physical without now-NFL offensive linemen Jonathan Martin and David DeCastro. They were. Stanford figured out a way to neutralize the Trojans' flash, and then the Cardinal exploited their superiority on both lines of scrimmage. The most telling number? The Cardinal outrushed USC 202 yards to 26. The Pac-12 game of the year still might be Nov. 3 when Oregon visits USC. But if Stanford takes care of business, it might end up being the Cardinal's visit to Oregon on Nov. 17.

Oregon returns to the top: Oregon's 63-14 blowout of Tennessee Tech wasn't terribly relevant. But USC's loss and sudden vulnerability topples it from atop the Pac-12 perception pecking order. Stanford moves up. But the Cardinal can't eclipse the Ducks because Oregon has blown them out in consecutive seasons. USC no longer can be considered a favorite on Nov. 3 when the Ducks visit. But the wiser way to view things is to see a lot of football ahead. The Ducks have yet to play a team with a pulse. It's possible we'll see a few more plot twists before we get to November.

Arizona, UCLA avoid letdown: Arizona and UCLA posted big upset wins over ranked teams last weekend and became ranked teams themselves. Sometimes teams that do that fall flat the next week while still drunk on the past instead of focusing on the present. The Wildcats and Bruins did not. They both rolled big and improved to 3-0. Sure, both played overmatched foes, a convenient bit of scheduling. Particularly the Wildcats against South Carolina State. But both now head into interesting matchups -- UCLA hosts Oregon State and Arizona visits Oregon -- riding plenty of positive momentum, sitting prettier than most had imagined in the preseason.

Arizona State's reinvention remains a work in progress: Arizona State had three turnovers in its first two games. It had four in its 24-20 loss at Missouri. QB Taylor Kelly had zero interceptions in the first two games. He had two against the Tigers. The Sun Devils had five penalties for 35 yards in the first two games combined. They had seven for 54 yards at Missouri. The point: As cleanly as the Sun Devils played in the first two games, their becoming a disciplined team on a consistent basis is still a work in progress. That probably shouldn't be surprising. It's hard to completely reinvent a team culture in just two games. And the Sun Devils' fourth-quarter surge, coming back from a 24-7 deficit, showed backbone. That's a positive.

California and Utah can't be overlooked: Cal lost its opener to Nevada, spoiling the debut of remodeled Memorial Stadium. Utah lost at Utah State in Week 2, ending a 12-game winning streak in the series. Both losses were greeted with gnashing teeth by the respective fan bases. Their performances on Saturday, however, showed that both are certainly not easy outs and could become factors in their Pac-12 divisions. Utah beat a 25th-ranked BYU team that waxed Washington State. The Utes' defense remains formidable, no matter the issues on offense. And the Bears were just a couple of plays away from pulling the upset at No. 12 Ohio State before succumbing 35-28.

The ending of the Holy War ... was weird.

Utah was cruising, leading 24-7 entering the fourth quarter. Then BYU came charging back, in large part due to poor play from the Utes.

But that wasn't the weird part. That came when, first, the Utes gave up a 47-yard pass on fourth-and-12 in the waning moments that gave the Cougars hope on the Utah 34-yard line.

There is one thing you don't do on fourth-and-12 in the waning moments: You don't let a receiver get behind you. Utah let a receiver get behind it.

Then the Utah fans charged the field when time seemed to run out. But there was 1 second left. Clear the field! That allowed BYU to set up for a 51-yard field goal. It was blocked by Star Lotulelei, but the Utes fans charged the field -- again -- before the play was over.

That earned Utah a 15-yard penalty and BYU another field goal attempt. This time from just 36 yards.

But Riley Stephenson missed again. Utah wins 24-21. Finally.

Despite the sloppiness of the fourth quarter -- and the final possession -- Utah won because it was opportunistic.

For one, not only did it play without newly retired QB Jordan Wynn, running back John White, it's best offensive player, was, indeed, hurt, as had been reported. We could get clogged up with the idea that Utah trotted out White to tell everyone he was 100 percent -- a lie -- but it's late and we're trying to finish this game story.

Utah won with just 245 yards of offense, just 49 rushing. While BYU had 312 yards, it also had two turnovers and the Utes had none.

QB Jon Hays completed 18 of 27 passes for 198 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. He managed the game and made enough plays for Utah to post its eighth victory in the past 11 Holy Wars.

Utah improves to 2-1. It will be at Arizona State on Saturday.

The debate in Utah this week has been the state of the Holy War. Some feel it might be more heated on Saturday because of recent events -- Utah bolting for the Pac-12 and then taking a two-year hiatus from the rivalry -- and some feel it might be muted due to its early season date and no in-conference stakes.

It might come down to splitting rhetorical hairs. Is the rivalry scalding or sizzling? Is it boiling or simmering? Here's a guess that things will be fairly intense inside Rice-Eccles Stadium on Saturday.

"I don't know how there could be any increase on what's been in the past," Utes coach Kyle Whittingham said. "It was every bit as intense last year, and I expect it to be every bit as intense this year. It's one of the most heated rivalries in the country, and I don't see that changing, personally."

You get the feeling from Whittingham, a BYU graduate, that he's going to leave the rivalry talk to fans and reporters. He just wants to win a freaking football game. He also knows that after losing last week at Utah State -- ending a 12-game winning streak in the series -- his Utes could suddenly find themselves in third place among the state's three FBS football teams.

Further, he doesn't have much time for the politics of Utah's decision to take "a break" from the series for two years starting in 2014, ending what will then be 70 consecutive years of play. He's got his own problems, such as losing starting quarterback Jordan Wynn, who was forced to retire because of recurrent shoulder injuries, and a porous offensive line.

The Utes gave up three sacks last week to the Aggies, and are averaging just 3.2 yards per rush.

"Obviously, we're sub-par protecting the quarterback," Whittingham said. "And that's going to be absolutely critical if we are going to have a chance to win the game. We have got to play much more efficiently on the offensive front."

The Utes have won seven of the past 10 games with the Cougars, including a shocking 54-10 victory in Provo last year, the biggest win in the series in 89 years. That game, in which BYU imploded with seven turnovers -- six fumbles -- is an anomaly. Over the past 15 years, 12 games have been decided by a touchdown or less and seven of those 12 were decided by a field goal or less.

But 2-0 and 25th-ranked BYU certainly enters the game seemingly in a better place. It outclassed Washington State and Weber State, getting good quarterback play from Riley Nelson and impressive work on both lines. The Cougars already have recorded nine sacks, and they surely plan to get after Jon Hays and true freshmen Travis Wilson, who will both step into the void created by the loss of Wynn.

The good news is both Hays and Wilson are mobile. The bad news is neither is a refined passer. That means the Utes need running back John White to reemerge. You might have heard this before: The Utes are 9-0 when White eclipses 100 yards rushing, and 0-6 when he doesn't. He had 174 yards in the blowout win against BYU a year ago. He had 96 against Utah State.

So this sets up in a fairly obvious way. Utah needs to get White going. BYU knows this. Expect the Cougars' 3-4 defense to be very crowded along the line of scrimmage, daring the Utes to throw over the top.

That might not be a great idea, though, at least in terms of a predictable strategy. If Hays and Wilson get time -- or can make time -- they have a strong crew of receivers and tight ends to throw to. They could gash the Cougars, and a few big plays could make the difference in what should be a low-scoring game.

Win or lose, this game won't count in the Pac-12 standings for Utah. Nor did the loss at Utah State. But it is significant, and not only because it's a rivalry game.

The Pac-12 South suddenly looks far deeper than it did in the preseason, with Arizona and UCLA now nationally ranked, and Arizona State getting votes in the national polls. Utah probably could use some momentum before it begins the conference schedule at Arizona State on Sept. 22. Then, after a bye, plays host to USC and visits UCLA.

Emotions and rivalries and bad feelings and Holy Wars, etc., are great copy. But Whittingham is more concerned with the football part of football. That part is keeping him busy enough.