ESPN College Football

Sports Illustrated's Stewart Mandel rated the coaching hires across the country this week, and he's clearly split on how the Pac-12 did.

He likes Mike Leach to Washington State — a lot — and Rich Rodriguez to Arizona. He's not so impressed with Todd Graham to Arizona State and Jim Mora to UCLA.

Here are his Pac-12 grades and takes.

Washington State (Mike Leach, former Texas Tech head coach): A+

AD Bill Moos looked past the controversy surrounding Leach's bizarre 2009 ouster in Lubbock and focused more on his 84-43 record and 10 straight bowl trips. The quirky offensive mind is a perfect fit in remote Pullman and already has the quarterbacks (rising senior Jeff Tuel and sophomore Connor Halliday) he needs to lead the dormant Cougars to their first postseason berth in nine years.

Arizona (Rich Rodriguez, former Michigan head coach): A-

AD Greg Byrne knew exactly who he wanted, pouncing early (Nov. 21) in naming Mike Stoops' replacement. While Rodriguez's three-year tenure in Ann Arbor did not end well, the pressure is much lower in tradition-starved Tucson. He's reunited the majority of his staff from West Virginia, where he led the Mountaineers to two BCS bowls. Arizona is still waiting on its first.

UCLA (Jim L. Mora, former Seattle Seahawks head coach): D

After striking out with Chris Petersen, Al Golden and Sumlin, AD Dan Guerrero turned to an unemployed NFL lifer. Mora has assembled a nice staff and will likely make initial waves in recruiting, but history does not bode well for NFL-bred coaches. UCLA hopes Mora will become its Pete Carroll, but odds are much higher he emulates Bill Callahan, Charlie Weis, Chan Gailey, Mike Sherman ...

Arizona State (Todd Graham, Pittsburgh head coach): D

Forget the unseemly way he exited Pitt. Why exactly Graham is a hot commodity to begin with? It's certainly not due to his one 6-6 Big East season. He had three 10-win seasons at Tulsa, but much of the credit belongs to respected offensive coordinators Gus Malzahn and Chad Morris. His one season without either, he went 5-7. But perhaps his fourth dream job in six years will be the one.

These divergent grades shouldn't be surprising. Just about everyone — yes, there is always some contrarian wackiness — believes Washington State and Arizona made great hires. And both Mora and Graham have baggage.

A lot of rating a coaching hire is about process: Did the AD get his or her first choice? Washington State and Arizona appeared to do just that and UCLA and Arizona State didn't. The lesson, taught over and over and over again, is that ADs always need to have a solid list of coaching candidates and Plan Bs in their desk drawer, and they need to move proactively and aggressively from the moment they decide to fire their coach — even taking steps in advance of the pending termination.

And, most important, the fewer people involved in the process, the better. The best search committees are made up of one person — see ADs Greg Byrne at Arizona and Bill Moos at Washington State.

Mandel also looks at "Ten impact coordinators/assistants," and two from the Pac-12 make the list, as well as a former conference head coach and QB.

Jeff Casteel, Arizona (defense): Defense was the bane of Rodriguez's existence at Michigan. It was critical he reunite with his highly effective former West Virginia coordinator.

Mike Stoops, Oklahoma (defense): Bob's brother returns to Norman, where he produced some of the nation's most dominant units from 1999-2003. The Sooners needed him.

Tosh Lupoi, Washington (defensive line): Steve Sarkisian sent shock waves through the Pac-12 by luring away Cal's ace recruiter, considered the best on the West Coast.

Jonathan Smith, Boise State (quarterbacks): Petersen tabbed the former Oregon State standout and Montana offensive coordinator to help mold Kellen Moore's successor.

In football, like in life, you're usually either moving downhill or uphill. There's very little in between.

Notre Dame middle linebacker Manti Te'o is definitely a downhill mover. Or so says USC freshman fullback Soma Vainuku, in charge of emulating Te'o in Trojans' scout-team drills this week, and Trojans head coach Lane Kiffin -- and just about everyone else who talks about Te'o for any amount of time, for that matter.

They always bring it up. Te'o, they say, plays football fast, diagnoses plays quickly, and, above all, plays downhill.

So, what exactly does that mean on the field, and what does that mean for USC's game against the talented Te'o and Notre Dame in two days' time?

It means he's going to bring a lot of Trojans down. The junior from Hawaii is averaging just short of 10 tackles per game this season, tied for 21st in the country, and 8.5 tackles for loss, tied for 25th in the country. Both numbers are better than anyone USC has faced this season and, currently, better than anyone it will face in the second half of the year.

He also leads the Irish in sacks with four after posting just one sack a year ago. His overall tackles numbers are slightly off his pace from a year ago, but all the other figures represent significant improvements from his first year in coordinator Bob Diaco's 3-4 system -- or at least it appears so.

"I don't think it's that much different," Kiffin said this week. "I just think it's his second year in the system, even though he's started before. Now he's playing extremely fast. He's off-the-charts physical, downhill, aggressive, and he plays every snap like its third-and-one.

"He's a great player. I wish he was here."

Well, yeah -- he almost was. Everyone expected Te'o to sign with USC until the morning of signing day back in 2009, when he spoke with former Trojans coach Pete Carroll at length on the way to making his announcement that he was attending Notre Dame.

It was the surprise of the year at the time, and the decision's followed Teo throughout his first two-plus years in college. In the past he has admitted to feeling a different combination of excitement and nervousness in the week leading up to Notre Dame's annual game against the Trojans. But he says that feeling is no longer.

(Read full post)

Some quick notes to get you through the hours until Saturday. Many thanks to ESPN Stats & Information.

• Arizona is 3-0 for the first time since 2001 and is looking for its first 4-0 start since 1998 when it won its first five games. At No. 14, this is Arizona's highest ranking since 1999.
• California is 6-2 in Pac-10 openers under Jeff Tedford (since 2002). After winning six straight (2003-08), the Bears lost last year’s conference opener 42-3 at Oregon.
• Cal has won five of the past seven meetings with the Wildcats. However, Arizona has won the past two meetings in Tucson.
• Last week at Wisconsin, Arizona State had 261 kick return yards (including a 97-yarder and 95-yarder), more than either their rushing total or passing total in the game. For the season, ASU has almost as many kick return yards (443) as rush yards (467). The Sun Devils are second nationally in kick return average (behind Indiana).
• Though Arizona State leads the overall series 16-14, Oregon has won five straight meetings and scored 42.4 points per game over those five meetings. The five-game win streak is Oregon’s longest ever against Arizona State.
• Oregon has scored 114 unanswered points (finished Week 2 against Tennessee with 45 straight plus a 69-0 win last week) and has managed 189 points in 180 minutes of football this season. Of the three games in which a team has scored more than 65 points this season, Oregon has two.
• The Ducks haven’t allowed a point in their last 104 minutes and 21 seconds (almost seven straight quarters). They’ve allowed only one touchdown all season, something that only Alabama can also claim.
• Oregon State leads the all-time series with Boise State 4-2, but the series is tied 2-2 since Boise State moved to FBS (then I-A) in 1996. Since then, the home team has won all four meetings.
• The Beavers have won each of their past three games against AP top-3 teams, beating USC in 2008, California in 2007 and USC in 2006.
• Boise State is 5-1 vs BCS AQ-conference teams over the past four seasons, starting with their 2006 win vs Oregon State. Prior to that, they were 2-16
• Boise State’s 63-2 home record since the start of the 2000 season is best in FBS.
• James Rodgers needs 61 all-purpose yards to set the Oregon State career record, passing Ken Simonton. Rodgers leads FBS with 226.5 yards per game this season and is second among active players in career yards to Tulsa’s Damaris Johnson (209 yards behind).
• Oregon State has yet to turn the ball over. The Beavers had the second-fewest turnovers in the nation last season (11).
• Notre Dame has dominated the series with Stanford, holding a 17-7 series edge. Stanford, however, snapped a seven-game losing streak against the Fighting Irish with last year’s 45-38 comeback victory in Charlie Weis’ last game as the Fighting Irish’s head coach.
• Notre Dame has dominated Stanford at home, winning 10 of the 12 matchups in South Bend. The Cardinal’s two wins at Notre Dame were very memorable, however. In 1990, unranked Stanford edged the top-ranked Irish 36-31. Two years later, in the first season of Bill Walsh’s second stint as coach, the 18^th-ranked Cardinal scored 33 unanswered points to turn a 16-0 halftime deficit into a shocking 33-16 win over No. 6 Notre Dame. It was the Irish’s only loss that season and Stanford’s last win in South Bend.
• Notre Dame has lost its past 10 games against opponents ranked in the AP Top 25, including four straight at home. The Irish’s last win over a ranked team came Sept. 9, 2006 against No. 19 Penn State (41-17) at South Bend. The Notre Dame defense has been torched in those games, allowing 35-plus points in five of those matchups and 40-plus points in three of them.
• Stanford is looking for its first 4-0 start since 1986. That season, the Cardinal finished 8-4 and lost the Gator Bowl (27-21 to Clemson).
• This is Stanford’s highest AP ranking three games into the season since 1972, when the Cardinal were ranked 15^th.
• UCLA and Texas are meeting for the first time since 1998 and have split four meetings. The last time Texas faced a Pac-10 team outside of a bowl game was 2000, when they lost at Stanford.
• UCLA’s last visit to Austin was a 66-3 win in 1997 that became the beginning of the end for Texas head coach John Mackovic. Mack Brown was hired to take his place a few months later.
• Texas plays Oklahoma in the Red River Shootout on Oct. 2. Since 2000, Texas has lost the game before the Shootout only once. That happened in 2007, when they lost to Kansas State.
• Texas leads FBS in rush defense this year, allowing 44.0 rush yards per game (almost 10 full yards ahead of second-place Boise State). UCLA is rushing for more than 200 yards per game.
• UCLA is playing a ranked team for the third straight week (L vs 25 Stanford, W vs 23 Houston). Later in the season it also plays three straight games against (currently) ranked teams – at No. 5 Oregon, vs. No. 14 Arizona, vs. No. 24 Oregon State.
• USC head coach Lane Kiffin is trying to become the first USC coach since Jess Hill in 1951 to begin his Trojan career 4-0. Hill’s Trojans started 7-0, before finishing 7-3.
• USC is looking to start 4-0 for the first time since 2007. Prior to the last two seasons (3-1 starts), the Trojans started at least 4-0 in every season from 2004-07.
• USC has won the past seven meetings with Washington State, averaging 44.4 points per game. The Trojans’ average win margin in those seven games is 32.6 points.
• The Trojans have committed 31 penalties through three games (third most in FBS) and have racked up 321 penalty yards, most in FBS.
• Washington State true freshman Marquess Wilson has posted two 100-yard plus receiving games, only the second true freshman to do that for the Cougars. He ranks fourth in the Pac-10 with 93.7 yards receiving per game.

Stanford has not officially announced that Randy Hart is its new defensive line coach, but Hart already appears to be contributing in a big way.

Start with recruiting.

Hart, Washington's longtime defensive line coach, worked for Charlie Weis at Notre Dame in 2009. He helped recruit Blake Lueders, a 6-foot-5, 250-pound defensive end prospect from Zionsville, Ind.

Guess where Lueders wants to go now?

This from the South Bend Tribune story:

Tom Lemming, CBS recruiting analyst, called the loss a "major blow" for the Irish.

"He just had (Stanford coaches) Brian Polian and Randy Hart in his house (Sunday)," Lemming said. "Along with Jim Harbaugh they were coming (Sunday)."

Polian and Hart were on Notre Dame's staff under Charlie Weis this past season. Polian, the special team's coordinator, had just completed his fifth season with the Irish when Weis was fired. Hart had been the defensive line coach for the Irish this past season only.

"Obviously, they weren't doing Notre Dame any favors," Lemming said.

More on Lueders' decision here.

Hart has plenty of Pac-10 experience, just read his Washington bio here.

Lots of extraordinary games to choose from, as well as many ways to ascribe greatness: the size of the stage, the competitiveness of the game and the overall strangeness.

And we made the executive decision not to make this a list of USC upset losses -- other than the biggest one of those.

10. Oregon 56, Arizona State 55 (2 OT), 2000: Many of you are drawing a blank, but the ones who saw this one are jumping out of their chairs and going, "Oh man. That one was nuts." Both teams scored 21 points in the fourth quarter. The teams combined for 1,228 yards, 663 of those for the Sun Devils. Ducks quarterback Joey Harrington threw six -- SIX! -- touchdown passes, including three in the fourth quarter, the last of which tied the score with 27 seconds left after the Sun Devils gave away a critical fumble. Arizona State freshman QB Jeff Krohn threw five TD passes, by the way. ASU lost the game when coach Bruce Snyder decided to fake the extra point and go for the two-point conversion in the second overtime. It failed, leaving fans in Tempe stunned.

9. Washington State 30, USC 27 (OT), 2002: Any of you Cougars fans able to muster the memory of kicker Drew Dunning's slide on his knees at Martin Stadium? Dunning sent the game into overtime with a 35-yard field goal and then made the game-winner from the same distance in a victory that was critical to the Cougars' run to the Rose Bowl. The game featured a brilliant quarterback duel between Carson Palmer and Jason Gesser -- Gesser passed for 315 yards, Palmer for 381 -- and a dominant performance from Cougars defensive tackle Rien Long, who went on to win the Outland Trophy. Between this game and the 2006 Rose Bowl, USC lost just once.

8. Oregon 44, Arizona 41 (2 OT), 2009: If Arizona had won this game, we now know the Wildcats would have played in their first Rose Bowl. The Wildcats led 24-14 early in the fourth quarter, but then the game went crazy. With red-clad Arizona fans encircling the field, Ducks quarterback Jeremiah Masoli tied the game in regulation with six seconds left with a touchdown pass to Ed Dickson. Masoli then won it in the second overtime with a 1-yard run. Masoli ran for three TDs and passed for three more.

7. Stanford 24, USC 23, 2007: Greatest upset in Pac-10 history? Maybe. Stanford was a 41-point underdog playing its backup quarterback at No. 2 USC, which had won 35 in a row at home. But Trojans quarterback John David Booty, who foolishly played -- and was allowed to play -- with an injured throwing hand, threw four interceptions, while Stanford's Tavita Pritchard led a clutch, game-winning drive, throwing a 10-yard touchdown pass to Mark Bradford on fourth-and-goal with 49 seconds remaining.

6. Oregon 37, Oregon State 33, 2009: It was the Civil War for the Roses, with the Ducks earning a berth in the Rose Bowl after slipping a game crew of Beavers. While the return of Ducks running back LeGarrette Blount was significant -- he scored a critical touchdown -- the game belonged to redshirt freshman running back LaMichael James, who scored three touchdowns and rushed for 166 yards, and quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, who ran over Beavers safety Lance Mitchell to convert a fourth-and-3 play from the Beavers' 33 with 3:41 left as Oregon ran out the final six minutes with its final drive.

5. California 31, Oregon 24, 2007: Sixth-ranked California, featuring a stellar performance from receiver DeSean Jackson, outlasted No. 11 Oregon in a game between two teams that each would at one point rise to No. 2 during the season, though both ultimately crumbled. The game turned on a strange play as the Ducks were on the cusp of tying the score. With 22 seconds to go, Dennis Dixon found Cameron Colvin near the goal line, but Colvin fumbled trying to reach the ball into the end zone when he was hit by Marcus Ezeff. The loose ball went through the end zone and was ruled a touchback and possession for Cal.

4. Washington 33, Oregon State 30, 2000: It was the greatest game no one saw because of the late, West Coast kickoff at Husky Stadium. And at the time its magnitude wasn't clear. The critical play of the back-and-forth affair happened when Washington defensive tackle Larry Tripplett caught Ken Simonton for a three-yard loss on second-and-1 from the Huskies 26-yard line with 42 seconds left. The Beavers panicked and mistakenly spiked the ball -- they had a time out left -- and then Ryan Cesca missed a 46-yard field goal to tie. It was the Beavers only loss of the season; they crushed Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl. They would have played Oklahoma for the national title if they had prevailed. And the win helped the Huskies win the Rose Bowl tiebreaker.

3. USC 23, California 17, 2004: No. 7 California had a first-and-goal on top-ranked USC's 9-yard line with under two minutes left. At that point, Cal quarterback Aaron Rodgers had completed 29 of 31 for 267 yards and a touchdown. But the Bears couldn't punch it in, with USC registering a sack and forcing three incompletions. It was the closest call of the season for the best team of the USC dynasty.

2. USC 34, Notre Dame 31, 2005: The infamous "Bush Push" game. No. 9 Notre Dame was about to knock off top-ranked rival USC and make Irish coach Charlie Weis a national sensation, but Matt Leinart led a drive for the ages in the waning moments as the Trojans prevailed, scoring the winning points when Leinart got a little extra help from Bush on his second effort on a quarterback sneak.

1. Texas 41, USC 38, 2006 Rose Bowl: Perhaps the great game in college football history, particularly considering that the stakes were a national title for two unbeaten teams and the field was packed with talent and future high draft choices. Vince Young almost single-handedly willed his team to the victory -- he ran for 200 yards and passed for 267 more -- and denied the Trojans a third consecutive national title. USC walked away with a laundry list of "what ifs," but the ultimate result was a 34-game winning streak coming to an end.

Change is coming to Stanford's coaching staff, and the name at the top is still getting tossed around in the rumor mill.

First, it appears coach Jim Harbaugh will lose at least five assistant coaches this offseason.

Running backs coach Willie Taggart was hired to be Western Kentucky's new head coach, and he took defensive backs coach Clayton White and assistant strength coach Terry Obee with him. Co-defensive coordinator Andy Buh has been hired to coordinate the defense at Nevada.

Finally, Florida hired D.J. Durkin, Stanford's special teams and defensive ends coach. Harbaugh already has hired Brian Polian, late of Charlie Weis' staff at Notre Dame, as special teams coach.

It will be interesting to see if Harbaugh tries to retain his father, Jack, who served as the Cardinal's running backs coach in the Brut Sun Bowl.

Beyond all this, Harbaugh's own name is in the news, most particularly as a candidate for the Buffalo Bills job. And count on there being other rumors -- college and NFL. Recall that a number of reports had Harbaugh practically out-the-door to Kansas in mid-December.

Sure, Harbaugh recently signed a three-year contract extension, but that won't stop the rumors, particularly when the NFL jobs start to open up.

The good news emerging from this is that Stanford knows it has a good coach. The bad news is the constant distraction.

His physiognomy would have sufficiently indicated that he was a shrewd and capable fellow, and in truth he had often sat up all night over a bristling bundle of accounts, and heard the cock crow without a yawn. But Raphael and Titian and Rubens were a new kind of arithmetic, and they inspired our friend, for the first time in his life, with a vague self-mistrust.

• Arizona and Nebraska are unfamiliar foes, but the coaching staffs know each other well. For Arizona fans, there should be some déjà vu.
• Arizona State is hunting for JC offensive linemen, and it got one here.
• Ray Ratto asks the existential question: Just who is California and who will show up in the Poinsettia Bowl against a tough Utah squad? Fact is Cal got everything it could -- in a bad way -- out of its four defeats by a combined count of 145-30.
• Ohio State has a long time to prepare for Oregon's spread-option attack.
• Sure, it's not the Rose Bowl, but Oregon State's Las Vegas Bowl matchup with BYU is intriguing on many levels.
• Stanford's Toby Gerhart will have his hands full with the Oklahoma defense, particularly if quarterback Andrew Luck can't play.
• UCLA is a big fan of Navy -- the Midshipmen need to beat rival Army for the Bruins to get a berth in the EagleBank Bowl on Dec. 29. The Bruins can practice while they await their fate, but quarterback Kevin Prince remains questionable.
• More on the strange Charlie Weis-Pete Carroll Internet accusation saga. Will USC find redemption in Northern California?
• Some snarky USC fans and reporters thought the Trojans would be better off without Nick Holt. So, at the end of the season, which team is playing better defense: USC or Washington? Jim Moore doesn't think Jake Locker will return for his senior season.
• This Washington State quarterback recruit looks good.
• Jon Wilner looks at the winners and losers of the bowl season before it begins -- Jon left one out: The collective "whew" that went out from BCS conference teams when Boise State and TCU were matched in the Fiesta Bowl.

Be scared. You can’t help that. But don’t be afraid. Ain’t nothing in the woods going to hurt you unless you corner it, or it smells that you are afraid. A bear or a deer, too, has got to be scared of a coward the same as a brave man has got to be.

• Arizona has improved dramatically in six years under Mike Stoops. Quarterback Nick Foles is nursing an injury on his non-throwing hand.
• The Pac-10 is looking at video of an alleged punch thrown by Arizona State linebacker Vontaze Burfict after the ASU-Arizona game. The Sun Devils got a visit from a top prospect.
• California enjoyed its bye week. Bears bowl scenarios.
• Oregon is loose and confident. A report from practice.
• Oregon State already has its game face on. The Civil War is a tale of two towns. And John Canzano favors Jacquizz Rodgers over LaMichael James.
• Stanford and California fans should root for Oregon.
• UCLA quarterback Kevin Prince separated his shoulder vs. USC. Maybe UCLA will go bowling in Mobile, Ala? Three words: Royal Red Shrimp. Mmmmm.
• USC coach Pete Carroll expresses sympathy for deposed Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis. Junior receiver Damian Williams is thinking about the NFL.
• A report from Washington practice. Tailgating at Husky Stadium takes a hit.
• A peak at the future for Washington State.

What did we learn from Week 13 of Pac-10 action?

1. Toby Gerhart's Heisman Trophy candidacy is legit: Playing against 11 BCS conference teams, including seven that are or have been ranked this season, Toby Gerhart ended up ranked No. 1 in the nation in rushing touchdowns (26) and No. 2 in rushing (144.7 yards per game). His worst game? 82 yards on 17 carries on Sept. 12 at Wake Forest. Unlike other candidates, he always produced big against rivals and ranked teams. In his season-finale against Notre Dame, he hoisted the Cardinal upon his shoulders and rushed for 205 yards and accounted for four touchdowns -- three rushing, one passing -- in a comeback 45-38 victory. It's fair to ask: How can rational minds not judge him to be this season's most outstanding player?

2. Carroll vs. Neuheisel makes USC-UCLA more interesting: USC and UCLA don't like each other. Never have, never will. It appears, however, that Pete Carroll and Rick Neuheisel -- who seemed to get along fine when Neuheisel was first hired to coach the Bruins before the 2008 season -- will make the dislike deeper and more entertaining in coming years. Some folks will think Carroll unnecessarily piled on with that late 48-yard touchdown pass that made the final count 28-7 Saturday. Others will point out that Neuheisel called a useless and annoying time out, which justified the Trojans tacking on an in-your-face TD. The end result is there will be lots to talk about annually, both before and after these coaches and teams tangle. That's cool with me.

3. Washington State has a lot of ground to make up: The Cougars were a much worse team last year, but they still won the Apple Cup with a spirited comeback. This year, the Huskies utterly dominated in a 30-0 win, the first Apple Cup shutout in 45 years. Washington State struggled to find a healthy quarterback during the game, so the offensive futility was understandable, if hard to stomach for fans who are tired not only of losing but doing so badly. New Huskies coach Steve Sarkisian may land a top-25 recruiting class. It appears his program is trending up. Paul Wulff will need to counter, first this winter in recruiting, then next fall. Washington State has fallen way behind in the Pac-10, which may be even tougher and deeper in 2010. Can it get up?

4. Arizona finally got lucky: Arizona, you looked terrible in the second half as Arizona State made its comeback from a 14-point deficit. But you've been through a lot this year, including that dispiriting double-overtime loss to Oregon that ended your Rose Bowl dreams. While Stanford and Oregon State fans likely would remind you that not all your luck has been bad this year, that muffed punt that saved the day against the Sun Devils might have been a kindly gesture from the college football gods. "Here," they said. "Here's a gift for 'ya. Sorry about those deflections."

5. Dennis Erickson needs to win in 2010: Boy, did we see some tough coach walks after games Saturday? Kansas' Mark Mangino, Notre Dame's Charlie Weis, UCLA's Rick Neuheisel, Georgia Tech's Paul Johnson. I always look at the coach's face and gait -- the extraordinary effort it takes to simultaneously walk to mid-field and maintain as close to a neutral expression as possible. You can feel how hard each step toward their grinning counterpart must be. I wanted to crawl through the TV and offer a pat on the back to Erickson as much as anyone. He just looked so... pained. But empty seats at Sun Devil Stadium and a second consecutive losing season won't cut it in Tempe for long. With what Erickson has coming back in 2010, there are reasons to believe the program will be on the uptick. But he needs to recruit his butt off this winter and produce a winning season or his seat will get plenty hot in the desert.

Toby Gerhart: Strike a pose?

In perhaps the most impressive Heisman Trophy statement of the season, Toby Gerhart rushed for 205 yards on 29 caries, scoring three rushing touchdowns and passing 18 yards for another in Stanford's thrilling 45-38 comeback win over Notre Dame.

Gerhart -- oh, he also caught a pass for 33 yards -- was simply a beast, repeatedly punishing the Notre Dame defense. He never went down on first contact, and it's certain that more than a handful of Fighting Irish defenders are going to be worse for wear Sunday morning.


This was Notre Dame's fourth consecutive defeat, so the program already was hurting. The Irish finish the season 6-6, with all six loses coming by seven or fewer points. Coach Charlie Weis is almost certainly going to be looking for work this winter.

But this one was about Gerhart and Stanford, which finishes the season 8-4 and will be heading to its first bowl game since 2001. The Cardinal, by the way, went 1-11 in 2006, the season before coach Jim Harbaugh arrived.

Notre Dame took a 14-10 lead in the first quarter and didn't trail until Gerhart's final TD run with a minute left -- a run in which the Irish appeared to let him score in order to get the ball back.

The Irish drove to the Stanford 24, but couldn't punch in a tying TD.

For much of the game, the offenses dominated the opposing defenses. Notre Dame countered Gerhart with Jimmy Clausen and Golden Tate, a pass-catch combination that had the Cardinal secondary on its heels. Clausen completed 23 of 30 passes for 340 yards with five touchdowns and no interceptions. Tate hauled in 10 passes for 201 yards and three touchdowns.

But the Cardinal defense got the game's critical stop with six minutes left. On a third-and-2 from the Irish 35, running back Robert Hughes was stopped for no gain.

Stanford took over. Or Gerhart took over. He rushed seven times for 54 yards on the 10-play, 72-yard game-winning drive, treating the Irish defenders like they were pinball bumpers.

At this point, it's impossible to imagine that Gerhart won't be invited to New York for the Heisman Trophy ceremony. This performance, however, may have made this a two-man contest with Texas quarterback Colt McCoy, though a couple of fellows playing in the SEC championship game on Dec. 5 might make their own counter-statement.

Gerhart has rushed for 1,736 yards this season -- 144.67 yards per game. His 26 rushing touchdowns lead the nation and are a new Pac-10 record.

Moreover, in an age when speed kills, Gerhart reminds us that sometimes power ain't much fun to stop either. Not that Gerhart is slow. He hates it when folks doubt his speed, and we don't want to get on his bad side.

He's a hard man. Some defenders might swear he's made of bronze.

The offenses are in control as Notre Dame leads Stanford 24-20 at halftime.

The big names -- Andrew Luck, Toby Gerhart, Golden Tate, Jimmy Clausen -- have all made their plays, as expected.

The biggest surprise might be this: Stanford owns the rushing advantage by only 1 yard -- 81-80.

Gerhart scored his 24th touchdown on the season -- which ties the Pac-10 record -- and has 73 yards on 14 carries.

Clausen is 11-of-16 for 151 yards, with most of the damage going to Tate, who has six receptions for 108 yards with two touchdowns.

Tate and Michael Floyd are giving Stanford's struggling pass defense more trouble than Gerhart is giving the struggling Notre Dame run defense.

The theory is that Gerhart starts to wear a defense down. We'll see.

Just about every game Notre Dame has played this season has been decided in the waning moments.

This one might, too.

Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh was greeted this week with questions about his coaching philosophy, the architectural plan he used to reconstruct the Cardinal football program and a couple of Rorschach ink blots intended to evoke the deep Harbaughian essence.

"That's one of those deep, probing questions," he responded to an inquiry about his coaching influences. "I'm just a coach trying to win a game."

It's not surprising reporters tried to tap into the Mind of Harbaugh this week. His Cardinal are playing host to Notre Dame on Saturday, and you may have heard that lots of intrigue surround the Fighting Irish and coach Charlie Weis at present.

As in: Most believe Notre Dame will be shortly looking for a new coach.

Some feel that Harbaugh might be a candidate, though Harbaugh has pooh-poohed such talk as only he can, telling the San Jose Mercury News this week, "I love Stanford, I'm only talking Stanford, and I will be at Stanford. God willing."

It's also not the best moment for Harbaugh during this mostly charmed season. A week ago, Stanford was the nation's hottest team after dispatching Oregon and USC on consecutive weekends. Then it lost the Big Game to resurgent California, taking a thorough statistical beating even though it only lost 34-28.

That dispiriting loss, which knocked the Cardinal out of the national polls and down a notch in the Pac-10 standings, did allow Harbaugh to share with reporters a behind-the-scenes look at his life.

He told of getting into his car with his family after the defeat and his son turning to his young daughter and saying, "Grace, you're only as good as your last game."

Ah, the life of a college football coach. They love you one week. Not so much the next.

But Harbaugh and his Cardinal can bounce back Saturday against the sagging Irish, who are riding a three-game losing streak that likely cut the thin rope tethering Weis to employment in South Bend.

Stanford (7-4, 6-3) is done with Pac-10 play. It will end up either second or third in the conference standings -- most likely in a tie for either spot. It already has qualified for its first bowl game since 2001. A win would just make it more appealing to bowl selectors as well as a national audience.

This one should feature some offense. Notre Dame has quarterback Jimmy Clausen and receiver Golden Tate, who may feast on a Cardinal secondary that ranks eighth in the Pac-10 in pass efficiency defense.

Stanford counters with Heisman Trophy candidate Toby Gerhart, who should secure at least an invitation to New York with an impressive performance. Gerhart leads the nation with 23 rushing touchdowns and is third in rushing with 139.18 yards per game.

Notre Dame ranks 80th in the nation against the run.

While Weis' goose is likely cooked, Harbaugh knows what he needs to do to restore the momentum of his rebuilding project.

"We know we've got to rise again, rise from that adversity," Harbaugh said. "This team has risen from adversity before."

It's about rivalries and bowl positions this week.

1. Will USC rediscover its mojo? The Trojans had a bye week to think about where their season has gone. They had plenty of time to consider a 27-point loss to Oregon and a 34-point defeat at home to Stanford. Will it make them mad and refocus them for UCLA's visit? Or will they shrug their shoulders over a season not up to their standards? Or, are the Trojans just not that good? There's still a lot to play for -- USC can still win 10 games -- and beating the Bruins would certainly bolster spirits, but it's hard to say what team will show up Saturday based on what's happened over the previous month.

2. Arizona tries avoid an Oregon hangover: While it's hard to imagine Arizona not being excited about playing hated rival Arizona State, that double-overtime loss to Oregon was an emotional blow, in large part because it ended Rose Bowl dreams. It was clear that many of the Wildcats felt they blew it against the Ducks. But they can't afford to ponder what-might-have-been too long. Losing to the Sun Devils would make things even worse and would sink a once-promising season.

3. Toby Gerhart vs. Notre Dame's run defense: Gerhart and Stanford rank 13th in the nation in rushing offense. The Cardinal offensive line is extremely physical. And it's probably plenty motivated by a poor performance in the Big Game vs. California. Notre Dame ranks 80th in the nation in run defense. It's not terribly physical on its defensive line. And it may be sagging a bit as another disappointing season wears down. The potential is here for Gerhart to have a big day and loudly state his case as a leading Heisman Trophy candidate.

4. Will this be Jake Locker's penultimate game in Husky Stadium? Early in the season, Locker was widely viewed as a first-round NFL draft pick this spring. But his inconsistency in recent weeks might have tamped down those expectations. Of course, there's also his baseball contract with the Los Angeles Angels. It makes a lot of sense for Locker to return next fall and develop his game, but he might not be able to resist the allure of the next level -- in one sport or the other. Just something for Washington fans to think about as they watch Locker try to win his first Apple Cup.

5. UCLA's O-line vs. USC's D-front: UCLA's offensive line has improved this year. USC's front-seven has seemed to get worse. Both units have suffered significant injuries, but the Bruins seem to have been more resilient overcoming them. The Trojans figure to gang up on the run and try to force redshirt freshman quarterback Kevin Prince to beat them. If the Bruins can run anyway, that would bode well for the upset.

6. Szakacsy can establish himself as ASU's QB. Or not: Arizona State's offense has been mostly bad this year. The first order of business in 2010 will be figuring out who the quarterback will be. Samson Szakacsy, a sophomore, was OK in his first start last weekend at UCLA. He made some good plays. He made some bad ones. His speed is a nice thing to have behind a middling offensive line. If he could lead the Sun Devils to a win over Arizona, he could position himself as the frontrunner to win the job heading into spring practices.

7. Weis Watch vs. Big Game hangover: Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis is about to be fired. How will his players react on Saturday knowing he's shortly out the door? Will they play hard for him, or will they be flat and unfocused and thinking about their next coach? And what about Stanford? Will it bounce back from the disappointing loss in the Big Game and take out its frustrations on the struggling Fighting Irish? Or will it also be flat and unfocused? Both teams are coming off emotional lows. The winner likely is the one that feels like it's got more to prove.

8. Do the Cougs have another miracle in them? Washington State was hopeless last year -- way worse than this season -- yet it managed to post a surprising comeback overtime victory over Washington in the 2008 Apple Cup. On paper, the Huskies are much better than the Cougars again. And they are playing at home with a new coach they seem to like playing for. Ergo, Washington is a big favorite. But rivalry games sometimes turn out in surprising ways. It may take a miracle for Washington State to win, but sometimes miracles happen.

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

The hype machine hummed with no small amount of justification this week about Jimmy Clausen and Matt Barkley. The thousands of words that have poured forth about these two quarterbacks, connected and divided by so many opinions and sentiments and measures and public and private moments apprehended and misapprehended, diligently aspired to describe the compelling contrasts and similarities that braid them together in a cardinal and green rope of rivalry and friendship.

	Getty Images
	Examining the matchup between Matt Barkley and Jimmy Clausen is an exercise in comparisons and contrasts.

It was an analytical circus that almost eclipsed the football game USC and Notre Dame will play Saturday.

Start with this.

When Clausen picked Notre Dame over USC in 2006, he was "the most acclaimed California prep quarterback since John Elway."

When Barkley, a lifelong USC fan, committed to the Trojans his junior year in 2008, he was "a cross between Joe Montana and [Tom] Brady."

Both southern California products were rated the No. 1 prep quarterback in the nation when they were high school seniors, Clausen at Oaks Christian and Barkley at Mater Dei. Both were longtime students of respected quarterbacks guru Steve Clarkson.

Two years separated them. As personalities, they were very different. But their innate awareness of comparable talent drew them together.

"Every time I go back home during the offseason, Matt is always around," Clausen said. "We're always throwing the ball, hanging out, stuff like that."

But very different.

Clausen committed to Notre Dame from inside the College Football Hall of Fame in front of about 300 people and a TV crew from ESPN. He arrived via a stretch Hummer limousine. He talked about winning multiple national titles. He wore a suit that looked expensive but didn't fit him well. His hair was spiked and gelled.

Barkley released a statement and talked to a handful of reporters when he quietly committed to USC. There was no pomp. There was no circumstance. There was no big, white Hummer. It remains unclear if Barkley actually combs his hair, which already hints at early recession.

A Barkley quote from shortly after he committed as it appeared in the New York Times: “Jesus Christ is No. 1 to me,” said Barkley, who has a 3.9 grade point average. “That’s who I play for."

Do a search on Google images of "Jimmy Clausen" and then "Matt Barkley." Who gets the unflattering, mocking photos? And who doesn't?

So, clearly we have a good guy -- a West Coast Tebow -- and a self-absorbed brat, right?

Great news. It's more complicated that that, more nuanced. To spoil the potential cliffhanger: The folks who actually know Clausen seem to like him. And, you know, maybe he got some bad advice on how to handle his commitment and that one moment shouldn't entirely define him as a person.

"I've grown a lot," Clausen said. "When I first walked into Notre Dame, I didn't really know and expect what it was to be the quarterback at Notre Dame. I've had to deal with some things on the field, off the field."

Clausen mostly stops there and redirects from any deeper introspective insights. He's become pretty jaded -- not without justification -- with this whole "talk about himself to reporters thing," though he seems pleased to learn that USC linebacker Chris Galippo spoke highly of him.

Is Clausen cocky? The question didn't irritate Galippo so much as arouse a linebackery defense.

"No, not at all," Galippo said. "If anything, he's an extreme competitor, which we all are. Regardless of the vibe he gives people, the guy is an awesome football player. He's a guy who goes out and works his tail off. He's easily the best quarterback in the nation right now.

That may be true. Clausen leads the nation in passing efficiency. He's completed 68 percent of his throws with 12 touchdowns and just two interceptions.

Moreover, he's played through pain -- he's been nursing a turf toe for weeks -- and has led the Irish to three dramatic comeback wins.

Perhaps he should be a leading Heisman Trophy candidate? All he has to do to legitimize his candidacy is end the Fighting Irish's seven-game losing streak against the Trojans.

"I think that he's had a heck of a year," Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis said. "I mean, you look at what he's done through these first five games. There couldn't be anyone in the country playing any better than him. But now he is going against the best defense that he's seen all year long. So I think these are the type of moments where you really get judged on how well you do when you go against the really, really good guys."

Speaking of really good guys: Matt Barkley!

Playing his first career away game in front of 100,000-plus at Ohio State, Barkley became a sensation when he led a 14-play, 86-yard, fourth-quarter drive to beat the Buckeyes.

He's seems completely unflappable. His arm is special. He smiles a lot. His teammates rave about him. Coach Pete Carroll calls him an "outlier," meaning he's human but just barely.

His numbers -- three touchdowns and two interceptions -- won't blow anyone away, but that doesn't stop Carroll from gushing.

"He really has everything you're looking for," he said.

There are many potential topics to ask Barkley about -- his maturation, Notre Dame's struggling defense, his decision to turn down an invitation to join the X-Men, etc. -- but one sticks out.

So is Clausen cocky?

"I think people might get the wrong image but I actually admire that about him," Barkley said. "He's confident in how he can play and his abilities and I think it's really coming out and showing this year. It might have come out wrong in a couple of instances, what people might take from what he's said or what he's done. And that's not who I am. I'm going to take a different route. That's how he is. That's how he plays. It's working out well for him this year."

Just a hint of compare-and-contrast there, eh?

There is an itty-bitty bit of entertaining tension present, bubbling just beneath the surface. After all, it's USC-Notre Dame.

For example, when asked about Barkley, Weis praised his supporting cast: "I think the one thing he does very well is he knows who his playmakers are and he gets the ball in their hands."

Asked about how Barkley is different from Clausen as a freshman, Weis said, "I think that Jimmy wasn't around as good a supporting cast. That might be the biggest understatement I might ever say."

Meanwhile, Carroll basically said that Clausen didn't come to USC because he was afraid of competing with Mark Sanchez.

"I felt like he was concerned about who else was around and was coming and all that," Carroll said. "He was trying to take a look at situating himself in the best position where he could play early ... He had a lot of respect for Mark and thought that in all likelihood Mark might have a chance to be ahead of him, which he would have been."

Countered Clausen, "No, that wasn't a factor at all."

Hmm. Clausen became Notre Dame's starter by the second game of his true freshman year. If he'd gone to USC, it's likely he would have competed with Barkley for the starting job this past spring and preseason after waiting for Sanchez to become a top-five NFL draft pick following his junior year.

Clausen vs. Barkley would have been interesting.

But their competition will have to be settled on the field Saturday in the high grass before Touchdown Jesus. These two hyped, golden-boy, southern California quarterback recruits -- and friends! -- will have at least one opportunity to win dominance over the other head-to-head.

Barkley isn't supposed to be the brash one, but he found it difficult to duck the notion that bragging rights are at stake.

"Possibly. Maybe after the game," he said. "I don't like to think about that stuff heading into a game. But there might be. I guess there will be a little individual battle between us two as well."

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller and Brian Bennett

There's always a lot to talk about when USC and Notre Dame hook up, but Saturday's game might be even more saucy than recent tilts for one reason.

The consensus is the Fighting Irish have a fighting chance, unlike the previous two seasons, when they were throttled by a combined count of 76-3.

Fact is, five of USC's seven consecutive wins in the series have come by 31 or more points.

Sure, USC is ranked sixth and is again a national title contender, while No. 25 Notre Dame has struggled against middling foes like Purdue and Washington.

Wait. Didn't Washington and USC play?

Anyway, it seemed like a good time to check in with Notre Dame and Big East blogger Brian Bennett to see what's shaking with the Irish.

	Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images
	Charlie Weis is still seeking his first victory against USC.

Ted Miller: Sorry I'm late, Brian. I was just trying to finish the 7,400-word transcript of Charlie Dickens' -- make that Charlie Weis' -- news conference. As much as I want to be snide, I actually found Weis refreshingly candid and insightful. He wasn't at all like that back in 2005. Before we engage on the big battle this weekend, what's your take on how Weis has developed -- dare I say grown? -- along with his program?

Brian Bennett: Well, it was only about six weeks ago when some alumni bought a billboard calling Weis an intern. I do get the sense that he's more comfortable now in his position, and really, he should be. The offense, which is his calling card, is now completely in his hands, and he's basically leaving the defense up to Jon Tenuta. While you can debate how much of a schematic advantage Notre Dame has, there's no questioning that Weis is a terrific offensive playcaller who's been at his best in that area this season. Sometimes it seems he believes in his intellectual superiority too much, like at the end of the Michigan game. Whether he makes it through this year remains to be seen, but he seems confident that things are on the right track.

It's an interesting parallel between him and Pete Carroll, two NFL guys who have vastly different personalities. Is it just me, or does Carroll relish beating Weis to a pulp?

Ted Miller: It doesn't appear to be a warm relationship, starting with the fact that Weis is tight with Bill Belichick, who replaced Carroll when he was fired by the New England Patriots. Their personalities, of course, couldn't be more different, with most -- at least media sorts -- giving Carroll a big advantage there.

And the whole "strategic advantage" hiring boast from Weis probably plays well with Carroll when he's celebrating another blowout win in the rivalry.

It didn't seem, however, that either tossed a barb in east or west this week. Weis, obviously, has been humbled and has to act graciously, while Carroll might want Weis to keep his job so he can continue to dominate the series.

Now, if Weis were to win a couple in a row, it's not hard to imagine there might be a tweak or two from him sent special delivery to Heritage Hall. And that might reignite the tensions, which would be great fun.

Brian, I watched the Notre Dame-Washington before the USC-Cal game and many colorful adjectives were tossed around to describe Notre Dame's defense by the sportswriters on hand. Some are not fit for a family blog, but suffice it to say none were good. What's wrong with the Irish defense and how can it stop the Trojans?

BB: Oh, boy. How much time do we have? Well, to begin with, if you compare Notre Dame's defensive line to USC's front four, it's an almost comical mismatch. Weis has not done a good job recruiting those positions, and it shows each week. The linebackers are decent but not overwhelming, and they've been blitzing a lot under Tenuta's aggressive scheme, which is leaving holes on the field. The defensive backfield was supposed to be one of the strengths, but the corners have not played well at all. Tackling, all across the board, has been a major problem.

	Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
	Freshman QB Matt Barkley has thrown for 958 yards and three touchdowns this season.

The best way for them to stop USC? Say a lot of prayers at the Grotto before the game. Seriously, the best thing you can say about the Irish defense is that it has come up with plays at opportunistic times, like the goal-line stands against Washington and Kyle McCarthy's interception against Michigan State. The Irish will have to pressure Matt Barkley and not break too much after a lot of bending.

Speaking of Barkley, how will the true freshman handle this atmosphere? He's already won at Ohio State, after all. And is Joe McKnight the X factor here?

Ted Miller: Notre Dame won't be as rowdy as Ohio State, and Barkley seemed to handle himself well in The Horseshoe -- see the dramatic game-winning drive he directed -- so I don't know if playing in the shadow of "Touchdown Jesus" will bother him.

There are two issues worth noting, though. Barkley is all southern California. He's accustomed to sun and warmth -- ideal conditions for a quarterback. He's never played in the cold, though an unusual amount of rain this week around Los Angeles probably helped him become aware of challenges from the elements.

Problem with that is it appears that the weather will be fairly nice -- probably a bit chilly in the second half, but certainly not frigid. Still, if it's below freezing in the fourth quarter, or perhaps colder than expected, that could throw Barkley off his game.

Second, Barkley is a cool character, but he's also very competitive. He's buddies with Jimmy Clausen. Both are from southern California and they've known each other for a long time because they've shared a quarterback coach. Seeing Clausen across the field may make Barkley want to outshine the Heisman Trophy candidate. He might press a bit or force a throw, trying to make a big play, and that could cost the Trojans.

Of course, McKnight could solve the need for big plays in the passing game by running through and around the Irish defense. The Trojans' O-line is strong and experienced, and it looks like they have a substantial advantage vs. the ND front seven. McKnight has been playing well, so he could be the X factor.

Of course, he's also had some fumbling issues through the years. That could be a Z-factor.

Let's get down the brass tacks.

Weis and company talked this week about, perhaps for the first time since 2005, believing the Irish could win. First, do they really believe that? And, second, do you? In other words, how do you see this playing out and what's your prediction?

BB: I talked to a couple of players this week, and they really do seem confident. I think all these last-minute wins have them believing this is a storybook season, and this is an experienced bunch. Do I think they can win? Well, everything would have to go perfectly, and there would have to be plenty of leprechaun magic. I can see Notre Dame keeping it close because USC's offense doesn't look that explosive and Clausen will make sure the Irish put up some points. But in the end I think the Trojans pull away by about two touchdowns.

What is your prediction for the game?

TM: My prediction is 31-20, USC.

Clausen and the Irish will make some plays, and I think Barkley will make at least one major mistake that keeps this one close.

But, ultimately, I think the Trojans' advantage on defense is too significant. They will be able to make key stops and the ND defense won't.

Still, since the Trojans started dominating the series, I've paused over one thought before picking this game: At some point, the Fighting Irish are going to beat Carroll and USC.