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Receiver Paul Richardson is Colorado's best player. He's got Pac-12 speed, which the Buffaloes were sorely lacking in 2011. Coach Jon Embree's chief task in recruiting is to get more Paul Richardsons -- speedy guys for both sides of the ball.

But the rebuilding project in Boulder is going to require just as much David Bakhtiari as Paul Richardson. Bakhtiari, the Buffs' left offensive tackle, earned second-team All-Pac-12 honors in 2011 as a sophomore, the only Colorado player to get an All-Conference nod.

He's a want-to guy. A guy who talks about chemistry and a sense of urgency. A guy willing to lead. A guy who seems slightly bothered -- politely so, of course -- when a reporter notes the Buffs' significant holes heading into 2012.

Why should folks believe Colorado can improve on a 3-10 finish despite losing its top passer, top rusher and top-two receivers (Richardson missed four games due to injury)?

"There is definitely a sense of urgency that I can see from last year's team to this year's team," Bakhtiari said. "People are moving around with a purpose. They are buying into our common goal, which is a bowl game. We've decided we are tired of going home in December and watching all these games."

Bakhtiari has been impressed with QB Connor Wood, the Texas transfer who has the inside track to replace Tyler Hansen. He raves about RB Tony Jones, who will step in for Rodney Stewart. Stewart only led the Buffs in rushing four consecutive years and now ranks second on the school's all-time rushing list. And a healthy Richardson is the obvious choice to replace the receptions that departed with Stewart (45) and Toney Clemons (43).

But if the Buffs are going to improve, they are going to need to score more than 19.8 points per game, a total that ranked last in the Pac-12 in 2011. That starts with Bakhtiari and the O-line, which is replacing guards Ethan Adkins and Ryan Miller.

Offensive line coach Steve Marshall, speaking to B.G. Brooks, called Bakhtiari "probably was our most productive player (in 2011) game in and game out." He'll be protecting Wood's blindside as well as leading the charge for a rushing offense that needs to do better than 3.5 yards per carry and 109 yards per game.

Like most Colorado players, Bakhtiari was recruited by Dan Hawkins, a far softer touch than the demanding, straight-talking Embree. (Said Bakhtiari, "Embree is a little more, 'I want production and I'm going to get it.'"). Unquestionably, there was an adjustment to the change in styles in 2011. There was a lot less nurturing and a lot more barking at practices. And Embree isn't afraid to publicly question his players commitment to winning.

But there were hints of accord late last season between coaching staff and locker room. After a 1-9 start, the Buffs won two of their final three games, including a shocking and impressive 17-14 win at Utah, which knocked the Utes out of the Pac-12 title game.

"Guys are now understanding what these coaches want and how they want it to be," Bakhtiari said. "Last year, we were kind of chickens with our heads cut off."

That's a start. It's probably going to take a few more Richardsons and Bakhtiaris to get the Buffs into Pac-12 South Division contention. But that's a start.

Pac-12 spring preview: South Division

Spring practice is almost here. Here's a snapshot at what to expect from the Pac-12 South in the coming weeks.

ARIZONA

Spring practice starts: March 4

Spring game: April 14

What to watch:

• Hello, my name is ... Like the other two teams in the South Division with new head coaches (Arizona State and UCLA) much of Arizona's first few weeks will be Rich Rodriguez evaluating his personnel and getting to know what he has to work with. Likewise, the players are going to have to figure out what this new coaching staff is about. Everything from how they do pre-practice stretches to how they call the cadence is going to change.
• New scheme and a new scheme: A spread option on offense and a 3-3-5 on defense. That's a lot of new material to digest on both sides of the ball. Until Rodriguez can recruit the players he likes into his scheme, he's going to have to make it work with the players he has. Fortunately on the defensive side of the ball, Arizona has good depth in the secondary with Cortez Johnson, Marquis Flowers, Shaquille Richardson, Jourdon Grandon and Tra'Mayne Bondurant. The Wildcats should also get a boost with the return of injured players Jake Fischer (LB), Jonathan McKnight (CB) and Adam Hall (S).
• Perfect fit? Former starter Matt Scott, who was beaten out by Nick Folesin 2009, is expected to reprise his starting role under Rodriguez. He redshirted the 2011 season and -- magically -- Foles never got hurt last year despite taking 23 sacks and countless hits. Scott is considered the more versatile quarterback and should fit nicely into the new run-based spread attack.

ARIZONA STATE

Spring practice starts: March 13

Spring game: April 21

What to watch:

• QB competition: We know what kind of offense new coach Todd Graham is going to run; now it's a matter of figuring out who is going to run it. Graham has his choice of three players -- Mike Bercovici, Taylor Kelly or Michael Eubank -- to replace NFL-bound Brock Osweiler. Graham said earlier this month that there are no favorites heading into the competition and each one brings his own skill set to the table. Eubank has the size (6-foot-5, 235 pounds), Bercovici (6-1, 205) is a mechanic and Kelly (6-1, 202) is a little bit of everything.
• Get the locker room: By the end of the 2011 season, ASU's locker room wasn't just divided, it was completely splintered. Graham's task -- and that of his new coaching staff -- is to pick up the pieces, mend internal fences and find some chemistry on both sides of the ball. Linebacker Brandon Magee, long considered a great locker room leader, should help get the Sun Devils back on track as he returns from a season-ending Achilles injury.
• Hands competition: The Sun Devils lose three of their top four wide receivers from last season -- Gerell Robinson, Aaron Pflugrad and Mike Willie. Jamal Miles returns after finishing second on the team last season with 60 catches and six touchdowns. Rashad Ross figures to be the No. 2 guy, but establishing depth in that corps -- especially if Graham wants to be up-tempo -- is key.

COLORADO

Spring practice starts: March 10

Spring game: April 14

What to watch:

• Momentum, maybe? For as rough as 2011 was for the Buffs, they ended the year on a high note, winning two-of-three down the stretch -- including a 17-14 win over Utah in the season finale. But there is also the possibility that things might get worse before they get better. With just four returning starters on offense, spring in Boulder will likely be more about teaching and less about refining.
• Where to start (offense)? Well, quarterback might be a good place. In the court of public opinion, Connor Wood, a transfer from Texas, seems to be the favorite. Nick Hirschman appeared in five games last season, mostly in mop-up time when the game was already out of hand. It's also possible a starter could be named by the end of spring ball. Finding offensive weapons to surround the new quarterback will also be a challenge. Wide receiver Paul Richardson caught 39 balls last season, and running back Tony Jones showed a flare for catching the ball out of the backfield. He'll likely step in as the new workhorse back for the departed Rodney Stewart.
• Where to start (defense)? Last in this. Last in that. Last in almost every team statistic the Pac-12 has to offer. But there are some intriguing youngsters on the roster. Cornerback Greg Henderson was all-conference honorable mention as a freshman with a team-high nine passes broken up. Jered Bell also returns from injury after blowing out a knee last preseason. If healthy, he's expected to be a big contributor in the secondary. Linebacker Jon Majorreturns as the team's leading tackler, and if Doug Rippy is fully recovered from his knee injury, he'll look to build on what was a pretty good season last year before getting hurt.

UCLA

Spring practice starts: April 3

Spring game: May 5

What to watch:

• QB up for grabs: Like the majority of the conference, UCLA enters spring with a quarterback competition. New offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone said he doesn't care how much experience (or lack thereof) a player has -- if he can play, he wins the job. So don't be surprised if Brett Hundley passes Kevin Prince and Richard Brehautas the new man leading the Bruins. Fans have been clamoring for a change. Hundley might be it.
• Attitude adjustment: One of the first things new head coach Jim Mora did was slam the team for its tradition of going "over the wall," a time-honored senior ditch day, saying if they want to jump the wall, they should just keep on going. How's that for sending a message? UCLA has earned a reputation for being soft and underachieving despite good talent. Attitude and toughness is needed -- and so far, Mora appears to be hammering that point home.
• Speaking of toughness ... The defense has to get tougher. No two ways about it. It was weak against the run last season, allowing more than 190 yards per game on the ground; couldn't get to the quarterback; and couldn't get off the field almost 50 percent of the time on third down. It's time for potential all-conference players such as defensive end Datone Jones to start living up to the hype and the defense as a whole to stop getting pushed up and down the field. At 6-5, 275 pounds, Jones has the physical makeup to be a major force in the conference and catapult himself into the elite class of collegiate defensive players.

USC

Spring practice starts: March 6

Spring game: April 14

What to watch:

• Ignore the hype: Few teams ended last season hotter than USC and returning quarterback Matt Barkley. The Heisman talk has already started, the way-too-early rankings already have the Trojans as national championship contenders, and the public perception is that the offense is unstoppable. Nice to hear, but hype is a double-edged sword. Head coach Lane Kiffin has a knack for deflecting hype. This season will be his toughest test to date.
• Insurance? The Trojans are loaded on both sides of the ball with returning players. But after the starting 22, things start to get dicey. Developing depth and keeping the starters healthy is a top priority -- particularly on the offensive and defensive lines and at running back, where experience is thin outside of the starters. The entire back seven returns on defense -- headlined by hard-hitting safety T.J. McDonald. Stopping the pass has been a major priority for Kiffin, and if this group stays healthy it should see the pass-efficiency numbers improve even more.
• Other options: Along those same lines, wide receivers Robert Woods and Marqise Lee make up the most feared receiving duo in the conference -- maybe the country. But who are the Nos. 3 and 4 receivers behind them? George Farmer? Victor Blackwell? De'Von Flournoy? Don't overlook the tight end duo of Xavier Grimble and Randall Telfer, which should rival Stanford's Zach Ertz and Levine Toilolo as the best tight end tandem in the conference.

UTAH

Spring practice starts: March 20

Spring game: April 21

What to watch:

• Youthful approach: Head coach Kyle Whittingham turned some heads by naming former Utah quarterback Brian Johnson as his offensive coordinator. Johnson, who recently turned 25, said he's not looking to make wholesale changes to the offense, though he wants to put his stamp on it and continue to build around running back John White IV, who had a breakout season in his first year of major college football. Having quarterback Jordan Wynn back healthy should also help as the team transitions to Johnson running the offense.
• Fixing the line: Who is going to protect Wynn (if he does indeed win back the starting job) and make holes for White? That's a major concern heading into spring as the Utes have to replace a pair of all-conference linemen in Tony Bergstrom and John Cullen. The Utes should be set at the interior but have to adjust to a new position coach, with Tim Davis leaving for Florida after just one season and Dan Finn -- a former Utah graduate assistant who was brought on to help Davis -- taking over the whole line following a one-year stint at San Diego State.
• Work the experience: The defensive line should be one of the best in the conference, especially with the return of Star Lotulelei, who won the Morris Trophy last season as the conference's best defensive lineman. With the Kruger brothers returning to the line -- Joe at defensive end and Dave at tackle -- Derrick Shelby is the lone starter who has to be replaced. There's also some pretty good depth in the secondary that was tops in the conference last season in pass-efficiency defense.

It's never too early to look ahead, and even if it is, it's not against the law or anything.

And so we have our way-too-early 2012 power rankings.

By the way, schedule does not factor into these. This is a projected pecking order based on where a team stands right now -- Jan. 10, 2012.

And, by the way No. 2, if you don't like where your team is in the way-too-early power rankings, then I'd suggest whining about it until you get to play better.

By the way No. 3, Nos. 1 & 2 were easy. The rest is pretty darn murky, not in small part due to four new coaches.

1. USC: The Trojans welcome back 19 starters from a top-five team, including quarterback Matt Barkley. They beat Oregon in Autzen Stadium on Nov. 19. USC might be the preseason No. 2. Or No. 3.

2. Oregon: The Ducks have a strong mix of talent coming back from a team that won the Rose Bowl, but it's not just about 16 returning starters. If you want a reason to favor the Ducks over the Trojans, it's depth. Oregon welcomes back most of its two-deep. By the way, old Ducks fans probably grin about the idea of their team having better depth than USC.

3. Utah: The Utes welcome back 18 starters, though replacing both offensive tackles will be a huge task this spring. The defense has a chance to be beastly. The key? Utah proved it can win eight games with poor-to-middling quarterback play. But does a healthy Jordan Wynn -- back to late 2009, early 2010 form -- mean 10 wins?

4. Stanford: Many will count out the Cardinal, post-Andrew Luck. The Pac-12 blog will not. The over-under with this team is eight wins. Two gigantic holes on the offensive line and at both safeties are major issues, as is quarterback.

5. Washington: The Huskies welcome back seven starters on both sides of the ball, including up-and-coming quarterback Keith Price. The question is how quickly the defense can improve under Justin Wilcox.

6. California: While Cal only welcomes back 11 starters, there's plenty of intriguing talent on the roster, particularly on defense. Will quarterback Zach Maynard take a step forward? And what about his receivers after Keenan Allen? The pressure is on Jeff Tedford to win inside a renovated Memorial Stadium in 2012. If things come together, he just might do that.

7. Arizona: The Wildcats have more potential than most realize, starting with five returning starters on the offensive line and three defensive starters returning from injury, as well as an experienced quarterback in Matt Scott, who looks like a nice fit for Rich Rodriguez's spread-option offense.

8. Washington State: With 18 starters back, I'll go ahead and type it: New coach Mike Leach will lead the Cougars to a bowl game. And, hopefully, someone tips their cap to former coach Paul Wulff for collecting some solid talent, including two quarterbacks, Jeff Tuel and Connor Halliday, who appear capable of flinging the rock as Leach likes to, as well as a potential All-American receiver in Marquess Wilson.

9. Oregon State: The Beavers could be a surprise team if all the young players who were inconsistent in 2011 grow up in 2012, starting with true freshman quarterback Sean Mannion. With 17 starters back, experience won't be an issue. But those returning players went 3-9, so it's difficult to project a top-half finish. At least, not at this point.

10. UCLA: New coach Jim Mora doesn't start with an empty cupboard -- 16 starters are back. But the overall talent is dubious and, even more challenging, Mora needs to rebuild a culture. Further, taking the Bruins back to a pro-style offense, if that's the ultimate plan, might be a struggle in Year 1. First question: Is Kevin Prince the quarterback, or does Mora go with talented redshirt freshman Brett Hundley?

11. Arizona State: The Sun Devils tumbled in these rankings when quarterback Brock Osweiler, curiously, opted to enter the NFL draft. With just 10 starters back, a quarterback with no real game experience -- whoever wins the job -- and a challenging locker room, new coach Todd Graham might find the going rough in Year 1.

12. Colorado: The Buffs welcome back 13 starters from a team that went 3-10 and ranked last in both scoring offense and scoring defense. The rebuilding job on offense, in particular, will be significant with the loss of quarterback Tyler Hansen, running back Rodney Stewart and receiver Toney Clemons. The rebuilding job in Boulder won't happen overnight-- or over two seasons -- for second-year coach Jon Embree.

Taking stock of the 11th week of games in the Pac-12.

Team of the week: Oregon took care of business at Stanford with a 53-30 win and has re-emerged as a national title contender. It defeated a top-five team on the road for the first time in school history and won its 19th consecutive conference game.

Best game: The only Pac-12 game that was undecided in the fourth quarter was Washington State's 37-27 upset win over Arizona State. The Sun Devils twice drove inside the Cougars 10-yard line in the fourth quarter and ended up with no points on either possession, turning the ball over on downs once and missing a chip shot field goal the second time.

Biggest play: On a fourth and 7 from the Stanford 41-yard line, with Oregon up 15-9 in the second quarter, Ducks QB Darron Thomas dumped a pass to true freshman De'Anthony Thomas, who scooted through the flailing Cardinal secondary 41 yards for a touchdown. That was the moment when you saw how Oregon's speed advantage was going to tax -- big time -- the Cardinal defense.

Offensive standout (s): Washington State's redshirt freshman QB Connor Halliday came off the bench and threw for 494 yards and four TDs in the win over Arizona State. He completed 27 of 36 passes with no interceptions. His yardage total was the best in conference history for a freshman and just 37 yards shy of Alex Brink's school record of 531 yards set against Oregon State in 2005.

Colorado RB Rodney Stewart, playing with a sprained ankle, rushed 24 times for 181 yards and three touchdowns, caught two passes for 23 yards, and threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to QB Tyler Hansen in the Buffs 48-29 win over Arizona, the program's first Pac-12 victory.

Defensive standout (s): USC DE Nick Perry had 2.5 sacks in the 40-17 win over Washington, and Utah CB Conroy Black grabbed two interceptions in the 31-6 win over UCLA -- the second of which he returned 67 yards for a touchdown.

Special teams standout (s): Arizona State's Jamal Miles returned the opening kickoff at Washington State 95 yards for a touchdown, while USC's Marqise Lee returned a kickoff 88 yards for a TD against Washington.

Smiley face: Oregon's effort at Stanford was brilliant in just about every way: Outstanding plans on both sides of the ball executed about as well as plans can be executed.

Frowny face: Does anyone want to win the South Division? UCLA gift wrapped a huge opportunity for Arizona State to re-take control, but the Sun Devils flopped in the chill of Pullman. And now Sun Devils coach Dennis Erickson's job might be in jeopardy.

Thought of the week: The North should secede from the Pac-12 union. At least this year. South teams have been dreadful, other than USC, which isn't eligible to win the title due to NCAA sanctions. Arizona State and UCLA, the two frontrunners, are a combined 2-8 on the road this year. Yeesh.

Questions for the week: What might a USC upset at Oregon mean? For one, it wouldn't upset the Pac-12 apple cart, other than eliminating the Ducks from the national championship hunt. Oregon would still go to the Rose Bowl if it won out -- Civil War with Oregon State and Pac-12 championship game -- and Stanford would still be favored for an at-large berth in the Fiesta Bowl. But it would give Trojans coach Lane Kiffin a landmark win and Trojans fans plenty to cackle about. And it certainly would provide the program momentum as it heads forward with scholarship reductions.

Who gets a helmet sticker for a job well done?

Oregon's defense: It doesn't seem like a great night when you hold an offense to 30 points, but when that's Stanford and Andrew Luck, it's something. The Ducks forced five turnovers during their 53-30 victory from a team that entered the game with seven.

Rodney Stewart, Colorado: The Buffaloes running back rushed for 181 yards and three TDs on 24 carries as Colorado rolled over Arizona 48-29.

John White, Utah: The Utes running back rushed 33 times for 167 yards with two touchdowns in the 31-6 win over UCLA.

Curtis McNeal, USC: The Trojans running back rushed for 148 yards on 18 carries with a TD in USC's 40-17 win over Washington.

Isi Sofele, California: The California running back rushed for a career-high 190 yards and one touchdown in the Bears 23-6 win over Oregon State.

Connor Halliday, Washington State: The Cougars freshman QB came off the bench and threw for 494 yards and four TDs in the 37-27 upset win over Arizona State. He completed 27 of 36 passes with no interceptions.

Colorado senior running back Rodney Stewart, playing in his last game on Folsom Field, made sure the Buffaloes wouldn't go winless in their first year of Pac-12 play.

Stewart rushed for 181 yards and three touchdowns on 24 carries as the Buffs rolled over Arizona 48-29.

Colorado outrushed the Wildcats 273 yards to 60.

Arizona quarterback Nick Foles threw for 352 yards but also tossed three interceptions.

The Buffs improved to 2-9 on the season and 1-6 in conference play, while the Wildcats fall to 2-8 and 1-7 as they battle to avoid the South Division basement.

Colorado is at UCLA next weekend. Arizona visits archrival Arizona State, the Wildcats' final conference game. They conclude their season on Nov. 26 against Louisiana-Lafayette.

Here's a quick look at Week 11 in the Pac-12.

All times are ET.

Arizona (2-7, 1-6) at Colorado (1-9, 0-6) 2:30 p.m. FCS: Is Colorado going to win a Pac-12 game? This might be its best chance, considering its final two games are on the road, where the Buffaloes never win. The Buffs lead the series 12-1, but the Wildcats won the last game 24-21 in 1986. Arizona quarterback Nick Foles needs 84 yards of total offense to break Willie Tuitama's school record of 8,727 set from 2005-08. Last week against USC, Buffs running back Rodney Stewart set a new school record for all-purpose yards (4,466), passing his offensive coordinator, Eric Bieniemy.

Washington (6-3, 4-2) at USC (7-2, 4-2) 3:45 p.m. FX: USC leads the series 49-28-4, but Washington has won the last two, including a 32-31 win last year. Huskies quarterback Keith Price needs four touchdown passes to eclipse the school record of 28 thrown by Cody Pickett in 2002. USC has blocked six kicks this year. Trojans quarterback Matt Barkley threw a school record six touchdown passes in the win over Colorado, and he leads the conference with 28 touchdown passes.

Oregon State (2-7, 2-4) at California (5-4, 2-4) 6:30 p.m. CSNBA: California leads the series 33-30-0, but Oregon State won last year 35-7. After posting their first losing season under coach Jeff Tedford, the Bears need one win to become bowl eligible. The Beavers are already assured a second consecutive losing season. Oregon State's redshirt freshman quarterback Sean Mannion has thrown for 200 or more yards in eight consecutive games, most for the program since Derek Anderson went 13 in a row in 2003. Cal receiver Keenan Allen took nine games to reach 1,000 yards receiving, the fastest of any receiver in school history. Cal is ranked 19th in the nation in total defense.

UCLA (5-4, 4-2) at Utah (5-4, 2-4) 6:30 p.m. KJZZ: The winner becomes bowl eligible. UCLA leads the series 8-1 but Utah won the last meeting, 44-6 in 2007. The Utes have been to a bowl game the last eight seasons, and they are 7-1 in those games. Utes running back John White is the 11th player in school history to eclipse 1,000 yards rushing. He had his fifth 100-yard rushing game against Arizona. The Utes are 5-0 when he rushes for 100 yards. The Bruins are ranked 11th in the Pac-12 in rushing defense (186.4 yards per game).

No. 4 Stanford (9-0, 7-0) at No. 7 Oregon (8-1, 6-0) 8 p.m. ABC: It looked like the Pac-12 game of the year in the preseason and it turned out to be exactly that. Stanford leads the series 44-29-1, but Oregon won 52-31 last year. Oregon running back LaMichael James leads the nation in rushing with 151.57 yards per game. Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck ranks fifth in passing efficiency. Both were Heisman Trophy finalists last year. The Ducks have won 18 consecutive conference games. Stanford has won 17 games in a row, the nation's longest winning streak. This is the Cardinal's first 9-0 start since 1951. Stanford leads the nation in red zone efficiency. It's perfect at 52 of 52. The Ducks lead the Pac-12 with 29 sacks, or 3.22 per game. Stanford has yielded the fewest sacks in the conference, just four, which is tied for fewest in the nation.

Arizona State (6-3, 4-2) at Washington State (3-6, 1-5) 10:30 p.m. Versus: Arizona State leads the series 23-12-2, and the Sun Devils won 42-0 last year. After a 3-1 start, the Cougars have lost five in a row. Sun Devils running back Cameron Marshall leads the Pac-12 with 13 touchdowns. Sun Devils defensive tackle Bo Moos is the son of Washington State AD Bill Moos. Cougars wideout Marquess Wilson needs 26 yards to eclipse 1,000 yards receiving this year, which will make him just the second wideout in school history to post consecutive 1,000-yard seasons (Jason Hill, 2004-05). Cougs kicker Andrew Furney is one of 20 semifinalists for the Lou Groza Award.

Went 5-1 last week -- Cal! Man! What. Is. UP? -- and the season record is now 48-16.

And, yes, the Washington-Arizona prediction looks a lot like the final score.

Friday

USC 44, Colorado 24: If Colorado, indeed, gets RB Rodney Stewart and WR Paul Richardson back, the Buffaloes will pose a far stiffer challenge than their 1-8 record suggests. Don't be surprised if USC is a little flat after all the emotions of last weekend against Stanford. Trojans had better not be too flat.

Saturday

Washington 41, Oregon 38: Got to pick an upset every once in a while, right? At some point, Washington is going to beat Oregon again. Maybe it's this weekend, which would mess up the Pac-12's big show at Stanford on Nov. 12.

Stanford 44, Oregon State 20: Not unlike USC, it wouldn't be surprising if the Cardinal start slowly and allow the Beavers to hang around. But having a leader like Andrew Luck likely prevents a slow start from enduring too long.

California 28, Washington State 24: I'd really prefer to not pick games involving California, but my bosses said I had to (insert whine). If this game were in Pullman, I'd pick the Cougars, but the Bears play better at "home," even if that's AT&T Park.

Arizona 33, Utah 24: Nick Foles and the Wildcats playing at home is the difference here. The Utes have a good defense but won't be able to keep up on offense.

Arizona State 38, UCLA 28: The Bruins are going to fight hard -- they understand that this game could transform their season -- but the Sun Devils should assert themselves early in the fourth quarter.

Quarterback Darron Thomas and running back LaMichael James aren't going to play, but that isn't slowing down the Oregon juggernaut.

And, really, Colorado doesn't look like it has much left in its tank anyway.

The Ducks jumped ahead 29-0 after a quarter and lead 35-0 at halftime in Boulder.

The Ducks have 358 total yards. Colorado has 144. Oregon has rushed for 239 yards, averaging 11.4 per tote.

Much of that came on an 84-yard touchdown run from Kenjon Barner, who has 105 yards a two touchdowns. Backup quarterback Bryan Bennett completed 8 of 16 passes for 119 yards and two scores.

Linebacker Michael Clay returned a Tyler Hansen pass 32 yards for the Ducks' final touchdown before the break.

And there's more bad news for the already injury-riddled Buffaloes. Quarterback Tyler Hansen is injured and won't return in the second half.

That means Colorado is playing without its best receiver (Paul Richardson), best running back (Rodney Stewart) and best quarterback (Hansen).

Reasonable to assert that the Buffs' chances for a second-half comeback are remote.

Keith Price and Washington are ready for their close-up.

They'll get it next week at Stanford. After Price threw four first-half touchdown passes in a 52-24 rout of Colorado, the Huskies are 5-1 for the first time in a decade and appear headed for the national rankings.

Price completed 21 of 28 for 257 yards with no interceptions and wasn't even required to finish the third quarter. He has 21 TD passes this year, which is tied for fourth most in program history just over halfway through the season.

The Huskies also improved to 3-0 in conference play for the first time since 1997. If they can record the upset at Stanford, the Pac-12 North race will transform.

For Colorado (1-6, 0-3), the score might not have been the worst news. The Buffaloes lost RB Rodney Stewart to a knee injury in the first half. At this point, the injury is being called a sprain.

Washington has now scored 30 points or more in its first six games for the first time in school history. The 52 points were the most since 2001.

The Huskies outgained Colorado 562 yards to 269, including a 295 to 62 advantage in rushing yards. Chris Polk had 117 yards rushing on 18 carries.

For the Buffs, who lost their 21st consecutive game away from their home stadium, the schedule doesn't get any easier. They play host to Oregon next weekend.

PALO ALTO, Calif. -- Considering the score and considering the field position, there really wasn’t much need for Stanford to go for it on fourth-and-2 at the Colorado 13. The Cardinal were up by 20 coming out of the locker room and were more than in control on their opening drive of the second half. A field goal would have made it a three-possession game against a team that was hardly moving the ball.

But in David Shaw’s eyes, a field goal wasn’t enough. It wasn’t going to make the point that the Stanford head coach wanted to make. It would have been a comma. He wanted an exclamation point.

“Attitude. Attitude. Our attitude is that if it’s close, with the line that we have, with the fullbacks we have, with the tight ends we have, with the backs that we have we should pick up anything that’s less than fourth-and-3,” Shaw said. “We should pick it up. We don’t bat an eyelash. We don’t think about it. We don’t even talk about it on the headset. We just get the next call ready. That’s the kind of mentality we need to have up front in order for us to play games the way we want to play them.”

The Cardinal exerted their will -- and their attitude -- on Colorado in a 48-7 win at Stanford Stadium. No. 7 Stanford (5-0, 3-0) has won nine straight games at home while extending the nation’s longest winning streak to 13.

For all the funky formations and misdirection motions on offense; for all the exotic looks and blitz packages on defense; at its core, Stanford is very simplistic in its approach to the game: smash-mouth. Hit first, ask questions during film.

“Everything starts with being physical,” said co-defensive coordinator Jason Tarver. “We start with three things; alignment, angle departure and vision progression. We get aligned right, we go in the angle we’re supposed to, we look where we’re supposed to look and we hit whatever is on those lines.”

It's an attitude thing.

From the opening kickoff, the Cardinal were in a hole but dug themselves out. Jeremy Stewart fumbled the kickoff and Colorado recovered at the Stanford 36. Suddenly the defense found itself on the field sooner than expected.

“When there is a sudden change, we don’t see it as a momentum swing, we see it as an opportunity,” said safety Michael Thomas, who nabbed Stanford’s first interception of the season later in the game. “Opportunity is knocking and it was time for us stand up.”

And they did, yielding to their own 12 before forcing Colorado into field goal formation. Linebacker Max Bergen came plowing through the line untouched, blocked the kick, picked up the one-hopper and returned it 75 yards for the game’s opening score. The Cardinal are yet to trail a game this season.

The Cardinal continued to mix up their looks on offense. They ran the no-huddle for the second-straight week, motioned tight ends in and out and piled on 553 yards of total offense -- their second highest total of the season (567 at Arizona).

“We want the [opposing] defense to move,” Shaw said. “We want them to move and communicate. We try to put them at a disadvantage to a certain degree … we’ve got personnel that we can do those things. We’ve got three tight ends that are NFL tight ends that are athletic and can run all kinds of routes and we can flex them out and then we can bring them back in and pound the rock. We’ve got a guy like Ryan Hewitt that was recruited as tight end but playing fullback. We can flex him out and play like a tight end. The guys we have allow us to do the thing we do.”

And they’ve got quarterback Andrew Luck -- who turned in another sensational performance on 26-of-33 passing for 370 yards and three touchdowns. The lone stain on his stat sheet was an interception off the hands of wide receiver Chris Owusu that fell right into the hands of Colorado defensive back Terrel Smith.

Luck was liberal with the football, connecting with 10 different receivers. Hewitt had touchdown catches of 1- and 10 yards and receiver Griff Whalen added four catches for 92 yards and a score.

“Luck’s the best quarterback, no doubt,” said Colorado head coach Jon Embree. “He’s got a good enough arm that he can throw the ball down the field without putting a lot of air on it. Not a lot of kids at college can do that like that. Like I said, he runs their offense to a tee.”

Stanford's running game started slowly, netting just 19 yards on eight carries in the first quarter. That was to be expected, Shaw said.

“We knew it was going to be tough sledding early on,” Shaw said. “We know a lot of games it’s going to be like that running the ball because we will put a lot of bodies in the box and we will cram it in there. We’re going to run the ball between the tackles a whole lot. And we do it early in games to establish who we are.”

It’s an attitude thing.

Eventually, those 1- and 2-yard runs gave way to bursts of 21 and 18 yards. Tyler Gaffney led all Stanford rushers with 61 yards on nine carries. He rushed for a score, as did Stepfan Taylor (13-58) and Stewart (4-12). The Cardinal finished with 161 rushing yards, averaging 4.6 per carry.

Colorado, meanwhile, struggled on the ground, as teams tend to do against Stanford. Through three quarters, it had just 38 yards on 19 carries. The Buffs (1-5, 0-2) totaled 264 yards. A huge chunk came on a 76-yard screen pass to Rodney Stewart. Safety Devon Carrington sniffed out the play and was in position, but failed to make the tackle.

“We need to make sure we put our face on guys and not lunge and dive,” Shaw said. “… there is no credit for almost making a play.”

It’s an attitude thing.

Still, Stanford’s players were dissatisfied with their effort.

“We need to pick it up on the physical end,” said Bergen.

“I think we need to improve. It wasn’t good enough,” Luck said.

“When we look at the film, we’ll see some plays we left out there,” said Thomas.

Shaw gave a devilish smile when informed none of his players were satisfied with the 41-point victory.

“They better have said that,” Shaw said. “It’s the truth. We can’t let the scoreboard dictate our feeling about how we played. If we can play better, we should know it and we should play better.”

It’s an attitude thing.

PALO ALTO, Calif. -- Observations from the first half.

Stat of the half: Colorado has minus-1 yard rushing and quarterback Tyler Hansen has been sacked three times.

Turning point: It could have been the opening kickoff, when Jeremy Stewart fumbled the short pop-up kick and gave the ball to Colorado at the Stanford 36. But the defense stiffened and Max Bergen blocked a 29-yard field goal attempt and returned it 75 yards for a touchdown.

Best player: With the exception of the one interception (a deflection off Chris Owusu’s hands) Andrew Luck has been sensational per usual. He’s buying time in the pocket and all but one or two of his passes have missed. He’s 14-of-18 for 219 yards and a touchdown.

What Stanford has to do in the second half: Tackle better. Devon Carrington sniffed out the 76-yard screen pass to Rodney Stewart, but he missed the tackle. That was all it took for the speedy running back to break away. Same thing on the 5-yard shovel-pass touchdown to Tony Jones, Stanford missed two tackles.

What Colorado needs to do: Stop committing penalties. They have five for 42 yards. With the exception of a couple of plays, the Buffs look completely disorganized and disheveled.

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

Maynard vs. Autzen: California QB Zach Maynard has played at Colorado and Washington, but a night game at Autzen Stadium on ESPN is another level of loud and intense. Further, Maynard and the Bears have been off since Sept. 24, when they scored just three second-half points and had numerous red zone failures at Washington. Against the high-powered Ducks, you have to take advantage of every opportunity. This is a big opportunity for Maynard and the Bears to convince their fans the program is back on track. Ending the Ducks 18-game home winning streak probably would do that.

Hazing Hays? Utah QB Jon Hays thought he'd be facing Ouachita Baptist and Truman State this year. But when Nebraska-Omaha dropped football, he jumped at an offer from QB-deficient Utah. Now he gets No. 22 Arizona State and linebacker Vontaze Burfict, who has four of the Sun Devils' 14 sacks this year. It seems safe to assume that ASU is going to come after Hays, both with blitzes and coverages designed to confuse him. How will Hays handle the pressure of his first start against an extremely athletic defense?

Cougs run D: This is simple. Washington State must slow down UCLA's running game. Why is that notable? Well, UCLA rushed for 437 yards in a 42-28 win last year. While the Cougars are only allowing 127 yards rushing per game, they gave up 227 yards to San Diego State and 161 yards to Colorado, their only two quality opponents thus far. UCLA averages 200 yards rushing per game, but it still isn't terribly efficient throwing the ball. Washington State has a good chance to win if it holds the Bruins to their average rushing numbers.

Luck vs. Colorado secondary: Perhaps the biggest mismatch of the weekend appears to be Stanford QB Andrew Luck -- at home -- facing off with a Colorado secondary that was a big question even before injuries knocked out several top players. Luck completed 23 of 27 throws -- 85 percent -- against UCLA's beaten-up secondary last week. The biggest thing for the Buffs: Don't let receivers get behind you, see Marquess Wilson from Washington State.

Foles, Foles, Foles: Arizona has become a one note team: The passing game with QB Nick Foles, who ranks third in the nation with 375 yards per game. The defense has been bad. The running game has been bad. But Foles showed last week at USC that the Wildcats are not an easy out because of him. Oregon State has been rotten against the pass this year. If the Beavers are going to notch their first win, they will have to slow Foles down -- at least a bit -- or hope the Wildcats (Foles) make mistakes.

Fighting for Neuheisel? UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel sits on one of the hottest seats in college football. In fact, it's unlikely he will survive into 2012 if the Bruins lose at home Saturday against Washington State. You'd suspect his players know this. If the Bruins come out flat and uninspired, that would indicate they don't really care what happens to their coach. And, by the way, they'd also look like spineless patsies. But if they come out with focus and intensity, it would suggest they want Neuheisel to keep his job. It's get good or get gone time, and at this moment it's on the Bruins to show they care.

Clean sheet for Sun Devils? With Utah missing its starting QB, Arizona State has a lot going for it in Salt Lake City. But if the Sun Devils duplicate the sloppy performance they produce during their last road game -- a 17-14 defeat at an inferior Illinois team -- they will lose. The key here: Protect the football, minimize the penalties. Force the Utes and Hays to make plays to win.

James on the loose? Oregon running back LaMichael James had just 91 yards -- 3.1 per carry -- against California last year. His best performance that night, in fact, was his cavalier attitude in front of reporters who asked about his obviously hurt ankle. Then, he said he was fine. This week, he admitted it was a bad injury. James is healthy now. An ESPN audience will be watching. Many aren't including him in the Heisman Trophy discussion, which doesn't make much sense but is the reality. It would be a nice time for one of those tour de force performances we've seen from him on big stages in the past.

Balanced Buffs? Colorado's best -- only? -- chance at Stanford is playing keep-away with Luck. There is no way that can happen if the Buffaloes can't run, which has been an issue this season. Unfortunately for Colorado, Stanford ranks fourth in the nation in run defense, while the Buffs are eighth in the conference in run offense. But if Rodney Stewart gets in a groove early, it will open things up in the passing game. And if the Buffs are forced to pass 50 times? Things will get ugly.

Mannion becomes the Man? Wow, what a month for Sean Mannion. He becomes Oregon State's starter as a redshirt freshman, which seems like a good thing, only he displaced a guy who was widely thought to be pretty good -- Ryan Katz -- and Mannion is in the cockpit for an 0-4 team. It is unlikely, however, he will be presented a better opportunity to win over Beavers fans than this weekend: At home versus a terrible Arizona defense. If Mannion puts up big numbers in a victory, his life -- and coach Mike Riley's life -- will become much easier. If not, the dark clouds of winter will come early in Corvallis.

Who gets a helmet sticker for a job well done on Week 5?

Matt Barkley, USC: The USC quarterback completed 32-of-39 for a school-record 468 yards with four touchdowns and an interception in the Trojans' 48-41 victory over Arizona.

Robert Woods, USC: Woods caught 14 passes for 255 yards with two touchdowns in the win over Arizona.

Marshall Lobbestael, Washington State: The Cougars quarterback passed for 376 yards and three touchdowns in the 31-27 comeback win at Colorado, including a 63-yard game winner to Marquess Wilson.

Chris Polk, Washington: The Huskies running back rushed for 189 yards on 29 carries and moved up to second on the program's career rushing list in the 31-14 win over Utah.

Rodney Stewart, Colorado: The Buffaloes running back rushed for 132 yards on 26 carries against the Cougars.

Jamal Miles, Arizona State: The Sun Devils multi-purpose star had a 78-yard punt return for a touchdown in the 35-20 win over Oregon State. He also rushed six times for 45 yards and caught eight passes for 62 yards.

Andrew Luck, Stanford: The Cardinal quarterback completed 23-of-27 for 227 yards with three touchdowns in the 45-19 win over UCLA.

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

Wynn flinging it? Utah QB Jordan Wynn is understandably tired of talking about his surgically repaired shoulder, but many will continue to wonder about it until he looks 100 percent in an A-list performance. He's mostly improved each week, but coming off a bye week he should be well-rested and as healthy as he's been. With a high-scoring Washington offense coming to town, he might need to look like his old, efficient self for the Utes to win.

Arizona D steps up or Barkley bounces back? Trojans QB Matt Barkley turned in a poor performance at Arizona State, with two interceptions, a fumble and a number of missed throws. Arizona's defense has been a perfect backdrop so far for tour de force offensive performances. Will Barkley be the latest A-list player to make the Wildcats look bad? Or will the Wildcats step up, as their friends in Tempe did a week ago?

ASU stays focused: Speaking of Tempe, the Sun Devils are at home against 0-3 Oregon State. On paper, it would look like an easy, blowout win. But ASU isn't a team that can believe anything will be easy just yet, particularly against a program that has beaten it three straight times. The Sun Devils need to step on the gas early and keep pressing until the game is clearly in hand.

Does Lobbestael get time to throw? Washington State's strong crew of receivers has a decided advantage against Colorado's secondary, which was questionable even before it got banged up. That would seem to play right into Cougars QB Marshall Lobbestael's hands. But the Buffaloes compensate for their secondary with a fierce pass rush, see 14 sacks, which leads the Pac-12. So will Lobbestael be able to punish Colorado pressure? Or will he have a long day looking up at the lights around Folsom Field?

Luck vs. Bruins defense: While the Bruins defense played OK at Oregon State, it's still been dreadful this year, mustering just three sacks while giving up 183 yards rushing per game, which ranks 11th in the conference. If Stanford runs well bell-to-bell, this is going to be a blowout. And if Andrew Luck can stand in the pocket unmolested, this is going to be a blowout. The 2011 Bruins defense was billed as a group that would attack. It's going to have to take some aggressive chances to slow down Luck and the Cardinal.

Polk versus Utes run defense: Huskies running back Chris Polk is one of the nation's best runners. He ranks second in the Pac-12 with 127 yards rushing per game. Utah's run defense is yielding just 79 yards per game, which ranks third in the conference. While UW QB Keith Price has been brilliant thus far -- see a nation-leading 14 TD passes -- know that coach Steve Sarkisian wants to challenge the Utes with the running game. If the Utes make the Huskies one-dimensional, that will make things tough for Price on the road.

Any help for Foles? The defense isn't Arizona's only problem. The Wildcats also have one of the nation's worst running games and have surrendered 12 sacks, most in the conference. It's mostly been QB Nick Foles versus the world during the three-game losing streak. Will any other Wildcats step up? Will a defender make a play that gives Foles a short field? Will the running backs and offensive line create any sort of running threat? Will the O-line give Foles time to throw? Foles can't do it alone, particularly on the road against a quality team.

Rodgers revs up: Know what would be the best way for the Beavers to energize? A couple of big plays from receiver James Rodgers, who will be playing his second game since returning from knee surgery. Rodgers looked good against UCLA and made some plays. Here's a guess he'll be less focused on his knee and more focused on making plays than he was in his first game back. When healthy, he's one of the most dangerous players in the nation. Can he unleash his old self on the Sun Devils?

Rodney Stewart let loose: San Diego State running back Ronnie Hillman gashed the Cougars for 191 yards and four touchdowns. Can Colorado's Rodney Stewart follow his lead? The Cougars are better on defense than they have been, but these are still many of the same players who yielded 220 yards on the ground in 2010. Stewart and the Buffs running game has mostly been held in check, see a No. 11 ranking in the conference. It would be a good time for Stewart and company to reverse that early-season trend.

Bruins get physical: One of the best things UCLA can do is keep Luck off the field. That means run the ball. The Bruins have run well in the early going with 214 yards per game. Stanford has the nation's No. 1 rated running defense, but it has yet to play a good running team. Also, this is the Cardinal's first game without standout linebacker Shayne Skov. If the Bruins can run consistently, and physically challenge the Cardinal front seven, that could open things up for QB Richard Brehaut. And Stanford is yielding a 65.8 percent completion rate, third worst in the conference.