ESPN College Football

Max Browne (Sammamish, Wash./Skyline), one of the nation's top quarterback recruits, will announce his commitment Wednesday at 7 p.m. PT, according to ESPN Recruiting, which reports, "Browne has narrowed his choices to Alabama, Oklahoma, USC and Washington, although with recent visits to see the Sooners and Trojans, most think it will come down to those two programs."

So USC or Oklahoma for the 6-foot-5, 205 pounder?

Browne leaving for the Sooners would be a blow for the hometown Huskies, who are struggling to build the proverbial "wall" around their home state. During the 2011-12 recruiting season, most of the elite, local prospects crossed state lines to play football. The state featured five elite recruits: Offensive linemen Zach Banner and Josh Garnett, running back KeiVarae Russell, receiver Cedric Dozier and QB Jeff Lindquist. Only Lindquist signed with the Huskies.

Of course, the Huskies did much better in 2011 when they signed TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins, WR Kasen Williams, DT Danny Shelton -- three players who, by the way, lived up to their recruiting hype as true freshmen.

Still, in order to return to the nation's elite, Washington must win most of the recruiting battles for in-state prospects most years. That's part of the reason coach Steve Sarkisian was willing to pay top dollar to lure ace recruiter Tosh Lupoi away from California.

While some prospects go in search of a warmer, sunnier climate, and there's little coaches can do to charm them out of that thinking, part of getting the Huskies back into the nation's top 25 is making elite recruits want to stay home. For every Jake Locker who decides to play for the Huskies, there are too many guys like Jonathan Stewart (Oregon), Stephen Schilling (Michigan), Taylor Mays (USC), David DeCastro (Stanford), Deandre Coleman (California) and Jake Heaps (BYU).

As for Browne, the situation at Washington would seem ideal for him. Keith Price would be a senior his redshirt freshman year, giving him a year to acclimate himself before fighting for the job in 2014.

From ESPN Recruiting: "Browne completed 70 percent of his passes for 4,034 yards and 45 touchdowns as a junior. He plans to enroll early at his school of choice and has a good shot to be recognized as the top quarterback in the class of 2013."

It will be a big loss for the Huskies if he opts to cross state lines.

The 2011 season is over. That means report cards are due.

Up next: Washington

Offense: The Huskies ranked seventh in the Pac-12 with 410 yards per game and fourth with 33.4 points per game. The surprising news is those numbers were both substantially better than 2010 — 363 ypg and 22 ppg — with first-year starter Keith Price, a sophomore, than they were with senior Jake Locker, who was picked eighth overall in the 2011 NFL draft. While RB Chris Polk had another strong season, earning first-team All-Pac-12 honors, the Huskies were not great running the football — 154.31 ypg — and they surrendered 2.62 sacks per game, which is a likely reason Price was banged up most of the year. And Price was the biggest positive story of the season, ranking seventh in the nation in passing efficiency, completing 67 percent of his passes with 33 TDs and 11 interceptions.

Grade: B.

Defense: The Huskies defense struggled mightily — see the Alamo Bowl disaster against Baylor — which is why coordinator Nick Holt was fired at the end of the season. The Huskies ranked 106th in the nation in total defense (453.3 ypg) and 108th in scoring defense (35.9 ppg). They ranked last in the conference in third-down conversion defense, with foes converting 49.1 percent of the time. They were surprisingly mediocre in passing efficiency defense, ranking sixth in the conference, and rushing defense, ranking 6th (142.6 ypg). But the bottom line is the overall numbers, which were bad. Second-team All-Pac-12 LB Cort Dennison was the only Husky to earn All-Conference honors on defense, which showed a number of players regressed from their promise of 2010.

Grade: F.

Overall: Last year, the Huskies started slowly and finished strong. This year, it was the opposite: They were 5-1 when they went to Stanford on Oct. 22. That 65-21 beatdown started a run where they won just two of their final seven games. The Huskies were consistently outclassed when they played ranked foes, losing to Nebraska, Stanford, Oregon and USC, by at least 13 points, and they lost a late-season game at woeful Oregon State by 17 points. There has been a lot of positive momentum this offseason due to coaching hires, particularly defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox and ace recruiter Tosh Lupoi. But the 2011 season slowed down some of the positive momentum created by coach Steve Sarkisian's previously impressive rebuilding project.

Grade: C

It is Friday. Can we get some emergency college football tomorrow? How about a USC-Alabama scrimmage? Anyone? Anyone?

No. Drat.

Follow me on Twitter.

To the notes!

Shawn from Albany, Ore., writes: You recently stated, "USC just became the strong front-runner in the Pac-12."... Why? You can't tell me you really think that just because Thomas is bolting for the NFL, that its going to make the Ducks any less competitive in the PAC-12 next year... Apparently you didn't pay much attention when True Freshman Bryan Bennett played this last year... Yes it will be his first year as our starter, but if you recall, Thomas took us to the National Championship game his FIRST year as starter... And if you ask me, Bennett's not only faster than Thomas, but has a better arm... That kid can sling a pigskin! Anyway... I'd be careful about stating anything that has to do with USC being somehow more dominant than us based simply on the fact we'll no longer have Thomas at the helm... It's time for a new era of Oregon Football... The Bennett Era!

Ted Miller: Well, I had USC as a slight front-runner in the Pac-12 in any event based largely on the fact that Oregon must play at USC on Nov. 3 and not vice versa. The Ducks' loss of Thomas just makes the Trojans front-runner status clearer.

With or without Thomas, Oregon is the clear front-runner in the North Division. I will be shocked if the Ducks don't play in the 2012 Pac-12 championship game. And I'd be more than a little surprised if they have more than two losses when they do so.

And yet the loss of Thomas does change things, whether Oregon fans want to admit it or not. Thomas is a given. You know what you will get from him. And, more important, so does Chip Kelly. When a coach really knows his quarterback, particularly a Dr. Strange offensive savant like Chip Kelly, it helps him engineer the offense to suit him in every detail. Kelly knows what Thomas likes and dislikes. He knows how he will react to just about every situation. He won't know that about Bryan Bennett.

Heck, we don't even know that Bennett will be the starter, though I feel strongly he will be. It seems some are intrigued by redshirt freshman Marcus Mariota.

Bennett played well coming off the bench when Thomas got hurt against Arizona State. And he did a good job in his start at Colorado. But, well, the Buffs' defense wasn't exactly LSU.

How will Bennett -- or whoever starts -- react to adversity? Or prosperity even? Will he be durable? Will he protect the football? Will he be able to make consistent reads? Will he get overwhelmed by the spotlight? Can he digest the entire offense? Will be be able to counterpunch on his own when defensive coordinators start to get a feel for him?

How will be react to 94,000 fans at the Coliseum on Nov. 3?

These are questions Thomas already answered. Sure, he wasn't the perfect quarterback. But he was 23-3 as a starter, including 1-1 in BCS bowl games. If he started in the Coliseum on Nov. 3, he'd be smirking and eyeballing Matt Barkley thinking, "I'm better than him."

It's perfectly reasonable to have high expectations for Bennett. My hunch is he'll play well, perhaps even match or exceed Thomas' numbers. He, particularly, looks like a better runner.

Still, when you remove a starter who was 23-3, you insert unknowns. There's no way around that.

To Chip Kelly this: Bennett is a hypothetical. And we don't do hypotheticals.

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Ken from Portland writes: Ted First off, I think Mike Leach is going to be a fantastic coach in Pullman. I think he is just what the Cougs need, and I don't really look forward to playing them in the future. My question though is this: Pullman does not have all that different of weather than the Midwest. Every analyst and their mom, it seems like, always points to the "weather" as the reason a pass heavy offense wouldn't work in the Big10 (and Big 10 fan's #1 excuse for losing to teams from the South, "well hey buddy, come try that offense in Ohio in November!") But everyone loves the Leach hire in Pullman? Would they be saying the same thing if he were hired at say, Indiana?

Ted Miller: Pullman's weather has never stopped the Cougars from being pass-heavy before, why would it be different for Leach's offense? The Cougars, with a long tradition of elite quarterbacks who fling the ball all over the place, ranked ninth in the nation in passing last season. If you look at this list of top passing offenses, you'll see plenty of teams that play in the snow and cold.

There are two reasons the Big Ten hasn't become more pass-heavy through the years. The first does involve geography: It seems like there are more big-time athletes -- offensive playmakers -- in the Southeast, Southwest and West Coast than in the Midwest. Recruiting lists tend to bear that out.

But, just as important: A deeply ingrained Midwest football culture. Michigan and Ohio State, the two flagships of the Big Ten, have long traditions of playing great defense and running the ball. You could say the same for their "new" flagships, Penn State and Nebraska. And that was Barry Alvarez's blueprint for building Wisconsin into a Big Ten power.

By the way, it's also notable that when Wisconsin signed up quarterback Russell Wilson, a highly capable passer transferring from N.C. State, it became a very good passing team, which helped it become an even better running team.

That deeply ingrained culture was a big reason Rich Rodriguez failed at Michigan. Many Michigan insiders -- most specifically former coach Lloyd Carr -- couldn't stand Rodriguez's spread offense, and that motivated them to undermine him at every turn.

Think about the Northwest: Rain, not cold, is the most difficult condition for passing the football. But Northwest teams have strong traditions of throwing the football. The culture of West Coast football wins out over the weather.

I'm not sure if anyone can build a consistent winner at Indiana. But if Mike Leach were hired at Michigan State -- or Penn State or Michigan -- and fans and administrators were 100 percent supportive, he'd build a highly successful passing offense. For better or worse, the Big Ten continues to play old-school, run-first offense mostly by choice.

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Will from Novato, Calif., writes: I just saw the video you posted on Tosh's departure from Cal. You nailed it on the head. You will probably be lambasted on our fan boards, but oh well. You state it correctly when you say that it is a business. It's deeply painful for Cal fans. We haven't gone to the Rose Bowl for what now seems like forever and a day. What's more, these past few seasons have, well, been less than hopeful. Whatever hope we had when Tedford first came on the scene has started to dissipate, and fast. With Chip Kelly and Oregon on the rise; with USC seemingly always having our number, and with Stanfurd suddenly looking rock solid, the hope is diminishing. EXCEPT, we had Tosh. With Tosh, we felt that we were finally going to get the kind of recruiting studs that would help propel us forward. With a front four of Moala, Jalil, Armstead and McCarthy, I don't think opposing OL's would know what to do. So hope emerged...and then was squashed. You've followed the sport longer than I, but yes, all of the rancor that's out there is perhaps explained though this. Anyway, thought compelled to shoot you this comment. Thanks for laying things out with a unbiased view. I'm sure you get enough hate mail from angry fans, perhaps a "good job" email would be nice evey so often.

Bret from Washington D.C., writes: If Cal's recruiting class falls apart due to Lupoi's departure, how much blame does Jeff Tedford shoulder? Shouldn't the recruits want to play for him, not the D-Line coach? After all he is the head coach and is responsible for the health of his program. I wonder how Cal fans will treat him if we turn in another sporadic 7-5 season and a disgraceful bowl performance on National TV. I was a freshman for the 1-10 Holmoe season, and sat through every blow out. But I have to admit I'm starting to turn on Tedford, who can't seem to take the team to the next level

Ted Miller: Cal fans, meet Chicken Little.

Chicken Little: The sky is falling.

Cal fan: I know. Tosh just left for Washington. WAAAAAAA!

Chicken Little: Are you going to eat that seed?

Cal fan: Only if it's a Prozac. We're DOOOOOOOOMED.

Chicken Little: I think you might be overreacting.

First off, as of today, Cal is still ranked No. 1 in the Pac-12 in recruiting, and the only recruit who decommitted after Lupoi left said his decision had nothing to do with Lupoi. We might want to hold off on the mass harakiri until, you know, signing day on Feb. 1.

Further, Tedford has long felt the intense celebration of Lupoi as a recruiter was overblown. That might explain that ridiculously low -- by industry standards -- $164,000 salary. Now that will be tested. If the Bears finish strong and maintain a top-20 class, you'd have to give credit to Tedford and his staff. Of course, next year will probably be a bigger measure of the Lupoi Effect.

As for the big picture with Cal, as we've previously stated, this is a big season for Tedford. Scattered pockets of impatience the past few years have solidified. He's officially on the hot seat. And losing two coaches to Washington, including one who fans celebrate -- rightly or wrongly -- such as Lupoi, doesn't help the mood around the program.

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Erick from Seattle writes: I recall hearing a few months ago that the UW game at LSU was going to be a night game in Death Valley. Any truth to this? I can't find anything online about the game time being announced.

Ted Miller: While it's still a "TBA," my guess is it will be a night game. Night games in Tiger Stadium are fun for two reasons: 1. Incredible, intense atmosphere; 2. That incredible, intense atmosphere is brought on by perhaps the nation's best tailgate.

Yes, there's a good deal of lubrication, but the food at an LSU tailgate rates as good as any in the nation.

Here's one for any LSU fans reading this: The last game I covered in Tiger Stadium was the Cecil "The Diesel" Collins vs. Dameyune Craig showdown. Great game.

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Champ from California writes: Your hatred and prejudice of Stanford is not hidden in your writing. Typical jealous sportswriter... hates people with the courage to have brains.

Ted Miller: I just included this because, with this note, I have now received hate mail from all 12 Pac-12 teams.

Of course, Champ, if you are referring to this, then I might be taking credit for something from my colleague, Kevin Gemmell.

The Pac-10 and Big 12 nearly got married last year, but only Colorado ended up eloping with the now-Pac-12.

You know: The conference that can count!

But the Pac-12, which has, yes, 12 teams, and the Big 12, which has 10 teams (though it's often hard to keep up with which ones), play each other in three bowl games this holiday season.

Joy to the world.

So it seemed like a good time for the Pac-12 and Big 12 bloggers -- Ted Miller and David Ubben -- to say howdy and discuss all the coming fun.

Ted Miller: Ah, David, the bowl season. Pure bliss. Unless you’re the Pac-12, which is expected to get a whipping from your conference over the holidays. We have three Pac-12-Big 12 bowl games with the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl between Stanford and Oklahoma State, the Valero Alamo with Baylor and Washington, and the Bridgepoint Education Holiday matching California and Texas. And the Big 12 is favored in all three!

Poor ole West Coast teams. What are we to do? It’s almost like the Big 12 is the SEC or something. Speaking of which, how are things with your Cowboys? Are they over not getting a shot at LSU for the national title? Are they excited about getting a shot at Andrew Luck and Stanford? We might as well start with that outstanding matchup in Glendale.

David Ubben: You know, I was actually a little surprised. I stuck around Stillwater for the BCS bowl selection show announcement, and the players took the news pretty well. They found out an hour before, but there wasn't a ton of down-in-the-dumpiness from the Pokes. When you've never been to this point before, it's a bit difficult to develop a sense of entitlement. If Oklahoma had OSU's record and was passed over by Alabama and sent to the Fiesta Bowl for the 17th time in the past six years, you might have had a different reaction.

But Oklahoma State's first trip to the BCS and first Big 12 title aren't being overlooked. These players are looking forward to this game. There's no doubt about that.

I know the Big 12 seems like the SEC, but I have a confession, Ted. I wasn't supposed to tell anybody, but I can't hold it in anymore. When the Big 12 began back in 1996 ... wow, I'm really going to do this ... then-SEC commissioner Roy Kramer graciously allowed the league to keep two of his teams. The league made a similar arrangement with the Big Eight a century ago, and the Southwest Conference around the same time. Missouri and Texas A&M are really wolves in sheep's clothing: SEC teams just pretending to be in other leagues. So, that might explain the Big 12's recent dominance.

These should all be fun games, though. I ranked two of the matchups among the top three in my bowl rankings.

As for the big one, they say you learn more by losing than by winning. Stanford got its first BCS win. How do you think that experience plays into this year's game? I hate to ruin the surprise, but Oklahoma State's a bit better than the Virginia Tech team Stanford beat last season. OSU's loss to Iowa State this season is bad, but it's nothing like the Hokies' loss to James Madison last season.

Ted Miller: Not only is Oklahoma State better than Virginia Tech, it's still questionable whether this Stanford team is better than last year's. Since we're going all crazy and whispering about the SEC, there was a feeling out West that by the end of the 2010 season the Cardinal might not only be the best team in the Pac-12 but also in the nation. They were big and physical and quarterback Luck actually had a solid receiving corps with which to work. After a loss to Oregon in the fifth game, they didn't lose again until playing, er, Oregon in this year's 10th game. If we could go back in time and have the Cardinal play Auburn, I think Stanford would have won the national title.

But that's 2010. The difference this year is the season-ending knee injury to middle linebacker Shayne Skov, who was an All-American candidate, a slight step back on the offensive line and a lack of top-flight receivers. But if Oklahoma State fans are looking for something to worry about it is this: Stanford's running game.

The Pokes are bad against the run, and they haven't faced a team that is as physical and creative in the running game as Stanford. As much as folks talk about Luck's passing, it's his run checks that often ruin a defense's evening.

The Fiesta Bowl matchup looks like a great one, perhaps the best of the bowl season. But I’m excited to see Mr. Excitement Robert Griffin III in the Alamo Bowl against Washington. Of course, I’m not sure that the Huskies, their fans and embattled Huskies defensive coordinator Nick Holt are as thrilled. First, tell us about what Washington should be most worried about with Griffin. Then tell us about Baylor in general. Such as: Can the Bears stop anyone?

David Ubben: Nope. Not really.

Oklahoma State's defense unfairly gets a bad rap. Baylor's bad rap is earned. This is the same team that won five consecutive games late in the season -- but became the first team ever to win four consecutive in a single season while giving up 30 points in each.

Which, if you ask me, says plenty about both the defense and the power of RG3. They've got a lot of athletes on the defense, but when four of your top five tacklers are defensive backs, well, you need a guy like RG3 to go 9-3.

The man is a nightmare. Top to bottom, he's the most accurate passer in a quarterback-driven league. Then, you add in his athleticism, which he doesn't even really need to be extremely productive. It sets him apart, though, and forces defenses to account for it, and it buys him time in the pocket. How many guys break a 20-plus yard run before hitting a receiver for a game-winning 39-yard score to beat a team like Oklahoma for the first time?

How do you think Washington will try to slow him down? What has to happen for them to have some success?

Ted Miller: This game matches the 99th (Washington) and 109th (Baylor) scoring defenses. It has a 78-point over-under, the biggest of any bowl game. The offenses are going to score plenty, at least that's the conventional wisdom.

How does Washington stop RGIII? His name is Chris Polk. He's a running back. Baylor gives up 199 yards rushing per game. Polk right, left and up the middle is a good way to contain Griffin. The Huskies' best hope is to reduce Griffin's touches with ball control. It also needs to convert touchdowns, not field goals, in the redzone. The Huskies are pretty good at that, scoring 36 TDs in 45 visits to the red zone.

The Huskies also have a pretty good quarterback in Keith Price, who set a school record with 29 touchdown passes this year. He and a solid crew of receivers have prevented teams from ganging up against Polk. But Polk is the guy who burns the clock.

Should be a fun game. As should, by the way, the Holiday Bowl. David, Cal fans are still mad at Texas coach Mack Brown and his politicking the Longhorns into the Rose Bowl in 2004. Every team wants to win its bowl game, but the Old Blues really want to beat Brown.

Of course, neither team is what it was in 2004. Cal has an excuse. It's not a college football superpower. Sure you've been asked this before, but give me the CliffsNotes version of why the Longhorns have fallen so hard since playing for the national title in 2009.

David Ubben: Cal fans are still mad? Really? I'd suggest they get over themselves. What's anybody on that Cal team ever done anyway? It's not like the best player in the NFL missed out on a chance to play in the Rose Bowl. Now, if that were the case, we might have a problem. But honestly, I don't think Tim Tebow cares all that much about the Rose Bowl.

As for Texas' struggles?

The easy answer is quarterback play. Texas relied on Colt McCoy and Jordan Shipley more than anyone realized. When they were gone, Texas couldn't run the ball, and quarterback Garrett Gilbert never made it happen. Two seasons later, the Longhorns still don't have a quarterback.

The other big answer last season was turnover margin. Gilbert threw 17 interceptions and the Longhorns were minus-12 in turnovers, which ranked 115th nationally.

They were still only 90th this year, and without solid quarterback play in a Big 12 dominated by passers, they scored five, 13 and 17 points in three of their five losses. Texas keeps people from moving the ball and runs the ball better this year, but without a solid passing game and a defense that changes games, it's tough to rack up wins in the Big 12.

It's been awhile since Cal was in the mix for the BCS, even as USC has fallen. Oregon answered the call and rose, but what has prevented Cal from winning the Pac-10 and Super Pac-10 since the Trojans' swoon?

Ted Miller: You mention quarterback play. Cal fans ... any thoughts? You mention Aaron Rodgers. Cal fans? Oh, well, that's not very nice during this festive time of the year.

Cal has become a solid defensive team, but it's lost its offensive mojo, and that can be traced to a drop in quarterback play since Rodgers departed. The latest Bears quarterback, Zach Maynard, started fairly well, stumbled, but then seemed to catch on late in the season. It's reasonable to believe the team that gets better quarterback play -- mistake-free quarterback play -- is going to win this game.

Nice to cover a conference where quarterback play matters, eh David?

Speaking of quarterback play and winning, let's wind it up. Our specific predictions aren't coming on these games until after Christmas. But we can handicap the Big 12-Pac-12 side of things. We have a three-game series this bowl seasons.

I say the Pac-12, underdogs in all three games, goes 1-2. What say you?

David Ubben: And to think, before the season, all I heard was the Pac-12 had surpassed the Big 12 in quarterback play. Did somebody petition the NCAA for another year of eligibility for Jake Locker and/or clone Matt Barkley? You West Coast folk are geniuses; I figured you'd find a way. We can't all be Stanford alums ...

Clearing out all the tumbleweeds here in middle America, I'll go out on a limb for the Big 12 in this one. Every matchup is a good one, and I don't think Cal has seen a defense like Texas' and Washington hasn't seen an offense like Baylor's. People forget that, yeah, RG3 is outstanding, but the Bears also have the league's leading receiver and leading rusher.

Stanford-OSU is a toss-up, but I'll go with a perfect sweep for the Big 12. The Cowboys haven't played poorly on the big stage yet, so I'll give them the benefit of the doubt in this one, and they clean up for the Big 12 against what was almost its new conference this fall.

Oh, what could have been. Ubben and Miller on the same blog? Divided ultimately by a little thing we call the Rockies.

ESPN analyst Brock Huard points out that college football is about to lose a lot -- a stunning group, really -- of quarterback talent.

In fact, the Pac-12 is hot on that list: Arizona's Nick Foles, Stanford's Andrew Luck and USC's Matt Barkley are shortly off to the NFL (though Barkley, a true junior, could return if he wanted, as could Luck, a redshirt junior, but Luck has already said this is his last year).

But the reality of college football is that one group of stars will shortly be replaced by a new group.

So Huard takes a look at the next wave. On his list, he includes Washington sophomore Keith Price, who is tied for the Pac-12 lead with 23 TD passes and is rated third in passing efficiency in the conference.

Writes Huard:

Filling the shoes of top-10 NFL draft pick Jake Locker seemed like a formidable task at the beginning of the season, until the guy teammates call "Teeth" (because all he ever does is smile) decided to throw 23 touchdown passes in his first eight games and play at a level of efficiency Locker never realized while at UW.

Price sounds like Avery Johnson when you talk to him but plays like Charlie Ward when you watch him (the latter comparison being one that Huskies coach Steve Sarkisian has used often in describing his star sophomore).

In general, the Pac-12 seems like it will still be fairly stocked at QB in 2012, if not as star-studded. Besides Price, Arizona State's Brock Osweiler, Oregon's Darron Thomas, Oregon State's Sean Mannion, Utah's Jordan Wynn and Washington State's Jeff Tuel will be back.

Arizona will be in good hands with Matt Scott, who looks like he will successfully redshirt this year, or Tom Savage, a former starter at Rutgers. California and UCLA will have plenty of experience at the position, just a bit much of the wrong kind.

Colorado, Stanford and USC will be breaking in green starters.

STANFORD, Calif. -- Washington can beat Stanford.

Only the No. 25 Huskies will have to be at their absolute best, and No. 8 Stanford will have to slip at least slightly below its optimum level. And, by the way, that exact scenario plays out many times a year in college football.

Last year in Seattle, Stanford played well, the Huskies did not, and the result was a 41-0 stomping that wasn't as close as the final score indicates. But that loss seems to have served as a critical moment for the Huskies.

They've gone 8-2 since, while playing a more physical brand of football on both sides of the ball. That meant relying on running back Chris Polk more than the passing game during a 4-0 run to conclude the 2010 season, including an impressive Holiday Bowl win over Nebraska.

Then Keith Price arrived this fall -- literally and figuratively. The sophomore has given the Huskies passing game a significant upgrade -- see 21 touchdown passes, more than Jake Locker threw all of last year -- and that has translated to an offense that has scored 30 or more points in every game this season.

Price has Polk, a solid offensive line, a deep crew of receivers and a dangerous tight end. These guys can move the ball on just about anyone.

Defense? Well, giving up 401 yards and 28.5 points per game is nothing to celebrate, but the Huskies rank 17th in the nation in run defense, giving up just 97 yards per game.

And stopping the run is the first thing a team must do against Stanford. Yes, Andrew Luck is the best quarterback in college football. But he's unstoppable when the Cardinal running game is gaining yards in four, five and 10-yard chunks.

The Huskies have the size on their interior D-line to at least force Stanford to the perimeter. Alameda Ta'amu, Semisi Tokolahi and Danny Shelton all tip the scales at more than 330 pounds. While Stanford guard David DeCastro is one of the best, mauling run blockers, center Sam Schwartzstein and guard David Yankey are first-year starters. This will be their biggest test thus far.

The Huskies need to create second- and third-and-long situations and then hope they can mute Luck and perhaps force a mistake or two. Sacking Luck almost never happens -- just twice this year -- but perhaps the UW pass rush can get just enough pressure to disrupt his timing.

On the other side of the ball, Price and his strong supporting cast of skill guys won't be able to do much if the offensive line gets whipped. The Cardinal leads the Pac-12 with 23 sacks and ranks No. 2 in the nation in run defense (59.5 yards per game).

Stanford is not only riding a 14-game winning streak -- longest in FBS -- it's on the cusp of being historically dominant.

It has won each of its past nine games by at least 25 points, becoming the first FBS team to do so since Boise State in 2002. In the poll era (since 1936), no team has won 10 consecutive games by at least 25 points. To put that in perspective, there have been 370 winning streaks of at least 10 games since 1936, and nobody has won 10 straight by 25+ points.

During that nine-game streak, Stanford’s scoring margin is +34.2 PPG. Overall in their 14-game win streak, Stanford’s scoring margin is +27.9 PPG.

So there are a lot of reasons not to believe the Huskies can win.

But there is never certainty in college football.

ESPN.com's KC Joyner likes Washington quarterback Keith Price. And he wants more people to share the high esteem he holds for the Huskies' signal-caller, who ranks second in the nation with 21 touchdown passes and 110th in the nation in name recognition.

We just made up that latter factoid, but Joyner writes that Price "has proven through the season's first six games to be the most underrated player in college football."

Price has the fifth-highest passer rating in the nation, ranking behind Russell Wilson, Robert Griffin III, Kellen Moore and Andrew Luck. Also, according to CFBstats.com, Price has the third-highest passer rating against FBS teams, which vaults him ahead of Moore and Luck to trail only Wilson and Griffin. In other words, Price is the nation's most efficient passer through six games to not be considered a Heisman contender.

He's also tossed 21 touchdown passes, tied for second in the nation, and his 21-to-4 TD-to-INT ratio is identical to Moore's.

Why is Price mostly unknown nationally? Writes Joyner: "Simply put, it's a tough year to be a relatively unknown QB trying to make a name for yourself in the Pac-12."

Of course, he could make a name for himself Saturday at Stanford.

If Price can put together good games against Stanford and the rest of the Huskies' Pac-12 foes, and fans begin to latch onto his terrific back story (he went to live with his grandmother in high school so he could escape the violence he encountered in L.A.'s south side, and his nickname is "Teeth" because he's upbeat and smiling all the time), then perhaps he'll start getting the acclaim and honors he deserves.

The story also includes some cool charts and graphs that show just how good Price has been, as well as an evaluation from NFL draft guru Mel Kiper. Worth checking out.

Football folks often talk about a team being "physical." Or playing "physically." Yet those are general terms that don't tell us much, other than suggesting a team can run the ball and stop the run because it's solid up front.

You, of course, want specifics. What does it really mean?

"What's your deal?" That's what it means.

Harken back to the scene of beleaguered former USC coach Pete Carroll -- Carroll beleaguered! -- sharing an unhappy handshake in 2009 with former Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh, who had just aggressively run up the score on the Trojans in a 55-21 win. That was physical football writ loud and large and in your face with no apologies. The Cardinal rushed for 325 yards -- 178 yards and three touchdowns from Toby Gerhart -- and scored four fourth-quarter touchdowns. And on the third one, Harbaugh had opted to go for two.

"What's your deal?" Carroll asked Harbaugh.

His deal, Pete, was physical football, which is about a team mercilessly imposing its will at the expense of its opponent. New Stanford coach David Shaw was the Cardinal's offensive coordinator that day when USC's homecoming was ruined by its worst home loss since 1966, a beatdown that required only 144 passing yards from Andrew Luck.

Stanford is always called "physical" these days, and Shaw immediately cited the 2009 USC bludgeoning as his favorite example of that well-deserved reputation.

"It was 55 to whatever and we probably ran the same play 12 or 13 times in a row," he said. "And about 25-30 times in the game."

That play was Gerhart up the middle.

Washington also knows about Stanford playing physical football. The 25th-ranked Huskies visit No. 8 Stanford on Saturday with a 41-0 beatdown delivered in Seattle last year still fresh in their collective noggins. Stanford, which led 28-0 with 8 1/2 minutes left in the second quarter, outgained Washington 470 yards to 107, the lowest total for the Huskies under coach Steve Sarkisian.

"They just out-physicaled us," Washington linebacker Cort Dennison said. "Just beat us down. Plain and simple."

Harbaugh shared that take, gleefully gloating to his players afterward in the locker room, according to Bud Withers of the Seattle Times:

"Dominating!" Harbaugh hooted at his players. "We kicked their ass every which way! One hell of a job on both sides of the line! Dominant, dominant!"

Then Harbaugh referenced Pete Carroll, Lane Kiffin, Steve Sarkisian and the UW head coach's defensive coordinator, Nick Holt, and said, "What are you guys, 5-1, 6-1 against that group [in his four-year tenure]? That's the highest-paid coaching staff around!"

No one wants to hear that sort of talk from an opponent. But what could the Huskies say in return?

"You want to bring it to them, but they're bringing it to us," Dennison said. "It was hard."

Thing about that game, though, is the Huskies haven't been the same since. Sure, they got ripped the next week at Oregon, with some obscure quarterback named Keith Price recording his first career start for an injured Jake Locker. But they are 9-1 since the Oregon game, and clearly playing more physical football.

How did Stanford build a physical football team?

"It's really pretty simple," Shaw said. "You have really, really physical practices and the cream rises to the top. The guys who are physical and tough by nature, they stand out. And the guys that aren't, they start to wilt."

How did Washington take the same course?

"I think you have to practice it and you have to coach to it," Sarkisian said. "It has to be talked to and you have to give living examples of it. And you have to play the game that way, and I think you need to call the game that way. We've tried to dedicate ourselves to that."

And the Stanford game was a turning point, in large part because Sarkisian decided it would be, even if that didn't go over well with some of his players at the time. That included a fairly embarrassing film session showing guys getting pushed around. That included more hitting -- and yelling -- in practices.

"The coaches after that week definitely tested our will as a team," Dennison said. "But we didn't ever want to see that happen again. It was pretty embarrassing. We took it to heart."

It appears that is true. Stanford ranks third in the Pac-12 in rushing offense (181.7 yards per game). Washington ranks fourth (173.7 ypg). Stanford ranks first -- and second in the nation -- in run defense (59.5 ypg). Washington ranks third -- 17th in the nation -- (97 ypg).

Of course, being physical doesn't mean you don't throw the ball; these teams have combined for 40 touchdown passes -- it just means balance creates efficiency: Stanford is No. 1 and Washington No. 2 in the conference in passing efficiency.

Further, Washington isn't there yet. It's improved on both lines but it's not yet grading roads like the Stanford does. It starts in recruiting with an emphasis on linemen. Sarkisian surely looks enviously at the Cardinal's line, which includes guard David DeCastro, who is not only the nation's best run-blocker, but also a product of Bellevue (Wash.) High School, which is a short drive from Husky Stadium.

It just so happens that the two most talked about recruits in the state of Washington this year are a pair of offensive linemen: Joshua Garnett and Zach Banner. Both have offers from just about everyone, and Sarkisian needs to sign at least one. If he gets both, well, that would be quite a deal.

But that's the future. The present is the Huskies trying to win a "hello, world" game at Stanford, and the Cardinal trying to record a quality win that boosts its national-title contender Q-rating among those ranking teams in the national polls.

Both coaches will talk about turnovers and mistakes and execution and all of that. But the first question for the Huskies is if they can match Stanford's physical play.

Said Sarkisian: "They've done a nice job of that and they've dedicated themselves to being a physical football team. I think we have as well. We'll find out how far away we are on Saturday."

In 2008, USC and offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian were wrapping up a 12-1 season and another -- yawn -- Rose Bowl victory while Washington was swirling down the toilet bowl of an 0-12 season. Sarkisian and head coach Pete Carroll were in the midst of signing another top-rated recruiting class, and they cherry-picked everybody's top-rated quarterback [cue angelic chorus] Matt Barkley.

Meanwhile, dour, defeated Tyrone Willingham up at Washington got a commitment from... wait... [shuffling recruiting web pages] ... here it is... a fellow from Saint John Bosco High School whom ESPN recruiting identified as an "athlete," not a quarterback.

Keith Price was the No. 120 athlete in the nation, in fact. Who knew there were that many athletes?

Ah, but Sarkisian had raised an old former quarterback's eyebrow at Price while scouting Barkley. When he was hired to replace Willingham, he made an inspired decision that went completely unheralded at the time.

"That was one of the key things we wanted to get done as soon as I took this job: Keep [Price] committed here," Sarkisian said.

Entering the season, Price, a 6-foot-1, 195-pound sophomore, was mostly viewed as the guy who would hand the ball to tailback Chris Polk. Be a game manager. Don't screw things up. Behave.

Instead, he presently ranks ninth in the nation in passing efficiency and is tied for the lead with 14 touchdown passes. He's completed 67 percent of his passes with just three interceptions, and the Huskies are 3-1 in large part because of his immediate success.

Barkley, while a likely NFL first-round draft pick this spring, ranks 34th in the nation in passing efficiency. Just saying.

Price's only previous significant action before this season was a start at Oregon last year when Jake Locker was hurt, and he turned in solid but unspectacular numbers: 14 of 28 for 127 yards with a TD and no interceptions in a blowout loss. Spring practice began with Price expected to be in a tight battle with Nick Montana -- yes, son of Joe -- to replace Locker. It ended with Price the clear starter.

Still, an impressive spring game and consistent playmaking in practice is one thing. What about when the lights go on and the action counts?

Question answered. Price, reputed to be cooler under pressure than a fall evening in Seattle, seems almost amused that folks are surprised.

"I knew how good I could play," Price said. "I knew my potential."

That's not just Price's personal confidence. That is a common theme among the Huskies players and coaches. While fans and media are agog with "Can you believe how good Keith Price is?" the Huskies coaches and players say they saw this coming.

"He's been doing this for us every day in practice," Sarkisian said. "Did I think he was going to be leading the country in touchdown passes after four games? Probably not. But I did think he'd play well."

Polk said this before the Huskies visited Nebraska on Sept. 17: "I'm not surprised at all. He's one hell of a player and he's not reached his full potential."

Price and Polk will face a big test at Utah on Saturday. The Utes are tough in Rice-Eccles Stadium, which old Pac-10 fans are about to learn is one of the loudest venues in the conference. They play sound, rugged defense. The Utes are fourth in the conference in rushing defense, No. 1 in pass efficiency defense and have forced 12 turnovers, four more than any other conference team.

But what Utah coach Kyle Whittingham, who also recruited Price, sees on film is a quarterback who can make a defense look bad even when it is sound.

"He makes so many non-rhythmic plays for them," Whittingham said. "When the play breaks down, when the pocket breaks down, he's able to escape and find a throwing window and makes something happen."

That has been Price's best skill thus far: His creativity. While he's a good athlete, he's more of a pure passer than a runner. He uses his athletic ability to extend plays, not to scramble for yards. He's hit a number of throws downfield when on the run outside the pocket.

Sarkisian calls this Price's "stinger." Sometimes coaches want to tamp it down because it's outside-the-playbook thinking. But not Sarkisian, even if it sometimes leads to an unhappy ending.

"Many of the good plays that he makes for us [involve] extending plays and buying time in the pocket," Sarkisian said. "He's going to make mistakes doing that stuff, but I just don't want to take that stinger from him. We're going to coach him. We're going to coach him on ball security -- the fumble there on the sack on the two-minute drill right before the end of the half [against California]. Those aren't great plays from him, but he'll learn. I definitely don't want to take that stinger from him because it's a unique asset to our offense right now."

That "stinger" has been around for a while. Price has played quarterback since he was eight years old. He never played any other position. While he doesn't have the polish or the "wow" arm strength Barkley has, it's already clear he has playmaking instincts and outstanding vision.

Further, he doesn't seem to cloud his thinking with the analysis of minutia. The best advice he's received about playing quarterback? "Just keep playing, no matter what the score is. Just keep playing and keep leading. That's the best advice. Forget about the score and just play."

It's also worth noting that Price has been putting up these numbers while not 100 percent physically. He engineered the win against Cal on two sprained knees.

"I still have a long way to go," he said. "Hopefully, my knees get better, back to 100 percent, so I can really showcase what I'm about."

So 14 touchdown passes in four games isn't even Price's best. Seems like a reason to stay tuned.

» Power Rankings: ACC | Big 12 | Big East | Big Ten | Pac-12 | SEC

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

See last week's power rankings here.

1. Oregon: The Ducks move back to the top while Stanford was off because they were slightly more dominant at Arizona than the Cardinal, and the power rankings often rely on the transitive property.

2. Stanford: Cardinal probably shouldn't despair a fall from the top, seeing that we have them projected as finishing with a supper date with the Granddaddy.

3. Arizona State: After beating USC, the Sun Devils have two quality wins -- Missouri and the Trojans -- which is a better resume than any other conference team. And most of the top 25.

4. Washington: Wow, Keith Price! He's got 14 TD pass, and no one in the nation has more. Jake Locker threw 17 all of last year. And the defense made a stand in the fourth quarter against California.

5. USC: There was a lot of talk among USC writers of the Trojans getting outcoached at ASU. Whether that's true or not, the Sun Devils certainly were more effective counterpunchers.

6. Utah: Utes emerge from their bye weekend and now prepare for their first Pac-12 home game. Want respect? Beat Washington at home on Saturday and set up a HUGE South Division showdown with Arizona State.

7. California: The Bears' loss at Washington didn't feel like some of the "what the heck?" losses in past years. Cal fought to the end, but the Huskies just looked like a better team. The first step for the Bears might be getting back to playing to their potential each weekend, unlike past talented teams that often underachieved. The problem is this is about where Cal falls in terms of talent.

8. UCLA: Winning is winning is winning, and it's way better than losing. Further, at 2-2, the Bruins are certainly in the mix for bowl eligibility. But the performance at Oregon State didn't exactly suggest this team is headed for a transformation. What sort of chance do the Bruins stand at Stanford?

9. Washington State: The Cougars play at Colorado and at UCLA the next two weekends. After those games, it's almost certain we will know the measure of this team -- and whether coach Paul Wulff will retain his job.

10. Arizona: It sucks down here, eh Wildcats? There's no shame in losing to top-10 teams, but getting stomped three times is no fun. Sure, after next weekend's visit to USC, the schedule eases up a whole bunch. But a road win against the Trojans would serve as a pitcher of ice water for a fanbase that is parched and prone on the desert floor. It could transform the season.

11. Colorado: When Buffaloes fans looked at the 2011 schedule -- and after going, "Really? Really? Come on! 13 games, no bye? At Ohio State? Really?" -- they penciled in a victory over Washington State at home on Saturday. As a new coach, Jon Embree has a reservoir of good will from his fans. That reservoir will show a slight fissure if the Cougars swagger out of Boulder with a W.

12. Oregon State: A trip to Arizona State doesn't feel like it's exactly what the doctor ordered for the struggling Beavers. The worry I had watching the UCLA game was that, as a guy with an opinion on everything -- even on stuff I know nothing about -- I really don't have any suggestions to Mike Riley and company. Other than keep sawing wood and hope some young players start to grow up.

Stanford and Oregon were a combined 24-2 last year and both are presently ranked in the nation's top-10. They are the top of the Pac-12 North. The number of people who don't think one or the other will win the division is 17, and six of them are Norwegian, folks who as you well know are notoriously contrarian when it comes to college football analysis.

Looking up at the Ducks and Cardinal are four other the North teams, but the two top candidates for the three-hole will be in Seattle on Saturday scrapping it out for the right to become a "maybe" contender that could make the Norwegians look like giants of prognostication: California and Washington, neither of whom enjoy hearing about how great Stanford ("Blech," say the Bears) and Oregon ("Pfffftt," say the Huskies) are.

These two combined for 12-13 record last fall, with the Huskies managing to win seven games only because they pried No. 5 away from Cal on what suddenly -- wham! -- became the final play of the Bears season.

That dramatic finish -- a fourth-down, 1-yard TD plunge from Huskies running back Chris Polk as time expired on a 16-13 victory -- was the cornerstone of what is supposed to be a transformative season for Washington.

It was not greeted so warmly in Berkeley, where the Bears found themselves saddled with their first losing record in nine years under coach Jeff Tedford. Bears fans, suffice it to say, grumbled a bit, and the Bears themselves weren't exactly clicking their heels over the program's slide, either.

Tedford, however, is only willing to obliquely note that Cal might come to Seattle with an added chip on its collective shoulder.

"It was motivation through the whole offseason and the summer time, but this is a different team and they're a different team," Tedford said before adding. "It was odd how that game ended. It was somewhere we've never been before."

As if last year's game isn't enough of a poke in the eye, Cal adherents also might recall that the last time the Bears were inside Husky Stadium, they got bombed 42-1o, perhaps Jake Locker's career-best game.

These teams will come at each other with similarities: New starting QBs who have mostly exceeded expectations. And differences: Cal's defense ranks among the conference leaders; Washington's among the conference laggards.

As for Cal's Zach Maynard, this will be his SECOND -- not first, SECOND -- major road test. He mostly passed his first during an overtime win at Colorado, but Husky Stadium is notoriously tough on visiting foes, though it doesn't appear the house will be full.

"I think Zach is on track to become a very good player," Tedford said. "He has a lot of ability. He probably can use his legs better than any quarterback we've had here, so that is an added dimension to our offense."

While Maynard has been solid, sophomore Keith Price has been stellar for the Huskies. He leads the conference with 11 TD passes and ranks fourth in passing efficiency, ahead of some notables such as Arizona's Nick Foles and USC's Matt Barkley.

"He's playing phenomenal football for us right now," coach Steve Sarkisian said. "He's been lights out."

But Price will be playing against a tough Cal defense that has 11 sacks and ranks second in the conference in pass-efficiency defense.

Maynard will face a defense that ranks last in the conference in scoring (36.7 ppg) and 11th in total defense (452.0). Still, a review of the Huskies depth chart -- defensive tackle Alameda Ta'amu, defensive end Hau'oli Jamora, middle linebacker Cort Dennison, cornerback Desmond Trufant -- suggests this crew should be playing better.

Which is why much of the muttering in Seattle this week has been about well-compensated coordinator Nick Holt.

"I trust Nick Holt," Sarkisian said. "I believe in Nick Holt. I believe in our defensive staff. They are tremendous coaches. I've seen them coach for years. And we will get better."

How? Simple. Freaking stop dithering and go hit somebody.

"We're playing with some hesitation," Sarkisian said. "We're not letting loose and letting go. We're a little bit afraid to make a mistake."

The winner Saturday immediately announces itself as a top-half of the division team. And that is a necessary first step toward challenging Oregon and Stanford, who have finished one-two in the conference the previous two seasons.

The Norwegians have high hopes.

Washington's pass defense was an issue in the first two games. Its run defense let it down against Nebraska in a 51-38 defeat.

Oh, and there were a couple of penalties for which the Huskies and coach Steve Sarkisian will want an explanation.

The Huskies trailed only 20-17 at the half, and that deficit was due to a bad punt interference call in which a UW touchdown was taken off the board due to contact with the Nebraska punt returner. The Cornhuskers then took advantage and drove for a go-ahead field goal.

The third quarter was a total disaster for Washington, a 17-0 Nebraska surge.

But the Huskies kept fighting and made things interesting in the fourth.

Still, the Cornhuskers outrushed the Huskies 309 yards to 146. That's the physical advantage that each team showed in splitting the first two games.

UW quarterback Keith Price made some mistakes -- two picks -- and got beat up, but he completed 21-of-37 for 274 yards with four touchdowns. Former quarterback Jake Locker passed for 127 yards against the Cornhuskers last season in two games, with two picks and one touchdown.

Chris Polk was Chris Polk. He rushed for 130 yards on 22 carries.

The Huskies are going to be mad about the officiating. But they will also regret not showing up in the second half until the fourth quarter.

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

• While some have said that LSU losing QB Jordan Jefferson to suspension isn't a huge deal, that's not completely true. For one, there's mobility. Jefferson ran for 32 first downs last season, 14 of which came after he improvised from the original play. LSU will not have this element to its offense against Oregon, as Jarrett Lee’s career-high in rushing is one yard.
• Lee also has struggled to throw the ball downfield over the past two seasons, completing just 5 of 26 throws of 15+ yards.
• Oregon ran for only 75 yards in the BCS Championship Game. It was only the second time in the past two seasons the Ducks were held under 100 yards rushing. The other was in the Ducks' season opening loss to Boise State in 2009.
• Since 2009, Ducks running back LaMichael James has 36 runs of 20-plus yards, tops in the FBS.
• LSU's defense is talented, but it hasn't been infallible stopping a spread rushing attack. Auburn racked up 440 rushing yards on LSU last year.
• Oregon led FBS in 2010 with 45 touchdown drives that lasted two minutes or less. The Ducks also led FBS with 23 touchdown drives of three plays or fewer.
• Oregon scored 27 offensive touchdowns from 25 yards or longer last season, which tied Auburn for the most in the nation. The Ducks scored at least two or more of these touchdowns in nine games last season, also tied for the most in FBS.
• Washington and Eastern Washington and Washington State and Idaho State are meeting for the first time.
• USC is 72-27-3 (.721) all-time versus the Big Ten. It has won 11 in a row against the conference and 32 out of 40.
• 70 players on USC's 112-man roster have never taken a snap for the Trojans.
• UCLA has won five of six season openers. It's 3-2 all-time against Houston, including last year's 31-13 victory.
• This is Oregon State and Sacramento State's second meeting. The Beavers won 40-7 in 2003.
• Stanford is 49-14-1 against San Jose State, including a 42-17 win in 2009.
• Fresno State leads its series with California 2-0, including a 17-3 victory in 2000.
• Washington hasn't won a season opener since 2007 -- Jake Locker's debut at Syracuse. Eastern Washington is the defending FCS champion and is preseason No. 1 in FCS.
• Washington State hasn't been 1-0 since 2005.

Welcome to the final preseason Pac-12 power rankings!

You can review the post-spring power rankings here. There is a good deal of movement. And a lot of different iterations -- including change at the very top -- were heavily considered.

This week's vote is based on one factor: If the Pac-12 had a tournament this week on a neutral field, how do you think things would finish. That means, for example, a team's schedule doesn't matter. But preseason camp momentum -- read: an absence of controversy or injuries -- does.

Going forward, the power rankings will be far more focused on that immediate present reality: How did teams handle their business that past weekend? It won't necessarily be a projection of finish.

And, for those new to the power rankings, the motto here is simple: If you don't like where you are in the power rankings, play better.

1. Oregon: Based on what we typed above, one might think the Ducks would fall behind Stanford. And our thought process in early August was exactly that -- see here -- as our top-25 poll included other factors, such as schedule, such as Stanford playing host to Oregon this season. But here's the deal: Oregon is the top bird until somebody shoots it out of the air.

2. Stanford: A lot of folks are questioning Stanford. The Pac-12 blog is, too. My question: Will Andrew Luck and the Cardinal win the national championship this season. My hunch? A strong maybe.

3. USC: If the Trojans were eligible for the postseason, the gap between them and Nos. 1 and 2 would be fairly small. As it is, the gap between USC and the top two spots is fairly gigantic.

4. Arizona State: The Pac-12 blog has been banging the Sun Devils' drum since late in the 2010 season. And if this team was getting ready to send out the depth chart it appeared to have last December -- just about everyone back -- I'd project it in the top-15. But with all the attrition -- injuries, players quitting, etc. -- it's hard to know who the Sun Devils will be.

5. Washington: The Huskies' big question was replacing quarterback Jake Locker. Ther second question was at linebacker. It seems more than a few folks are optimistic those questions will be adequately answered. There's a lot to like on this roster, particularly what looks to be a dramatically improved defense.

6. Utah: It's hard to project Utah because we've never seen them before in this environment. What we can say is the success of this season hangs on keeping quarterback Jordan Wynn's surgically repaired shoulder safe.

7. Arizona: Just when we were starting to think the Wildcats might be an underrated team, they lose their best cover corner -- Jonathan McKnight -- for the season to a knee injury. While Arizona State and Oregon State have had the worst injury luck of the offseason, the Wildcats aren't far behind.

8. UCLA: The Bruins feel like a sleeper. It almost seems as simple as this: If UCLA is merely adequate at quarterback, it will be a bowl team and a factor in the Pac-12 South.

9. California: See what we typed for UCLA, only in the North Division. Further, the Bears look like they are going to play a lot of their talented true and redshirt freshmen classes. That should at least be very interesting.

10. Colorado: Not unlike Utah, we don't really know what we're going to get with the Buffaloes. There was a big temptation to rank them higher -- this is an experienced team with more talent than many old school Pac-10 folks think. But how could we rank the Buffs ahead of Cal after what happened in Berkeley last season?

11. Oregon State: Beavers fans are erupting... no way! Yes way. On the list of injured or at least uncertain: receiver James Rodgers, tight end Joe Halahuni, cornerback Brandon Hardin, defensive tackle Dominic Glover, defensive tackle Kevin Frahm and linebacker Cameron Collins. And many more, actually. The Beavers entered preseason practices with a lot of questions -- as coach Mike Riley repeatedly said -- they will head into the first week with perhaps more than they did at the beginning of August.

12. Washington State: There was some thought of bouncing the Cougars out of the basement. They, unlike a number of teams, have stayed relatively healthy during camp, and just about every report coming out of Pullman is colored with optimism. But the same rule that applies to Oregon in a positive way applies to the Cougars in a negative one: You're here until you prove otherwise.

Our countdown of the Pac-12's top 25 players continues.

You can see the final post-2010 top 25 here. It doesn't, however, include players from Colorado or Utah.

4. Chris Polk, RB, Washington

2010 numbers: Polk ranked second in the Pac-10 with 1,415 yards rushing -- his 108.9 yards per game ranked 13th in the nation -- and he scored nine touchdowns. He also caught 22 passes for 180 yards.

2010 ranking: No. 7

Making the case for Polk: Polk, second-team All-Pac-10 in 2010, became a dominant running back over the home stretch of the 2010 season, when the Huskies won four in a row, including their first bowl victory since 2000. It was Polk, not QB Jake Locker, who ended up being the Huskies most important player. He rushed for 138 yards against UCLA, 86 at California -- including the winning fourth-and-1 plunge on the game's final play -- and 284 yards at Washington State, the second-best rushing total in school history. Then, in the Holiday Bowl against a good Nebraska defense, he rushed for 177 yards on a career-high 34 carries and was named the offensive MVP. His 260 total carries ranked second in the Pac-10 and were third-most in school history. The rising junior's second-consecutive 1,000-yard season pushed him to No. 6 on the Huskies all-time rushing list with 2,561 yards. Polk has become an all-around back. He's a good receiver, has break-away speed and is highly physical, gaining most of his yards after contact. The Huskies are breaking in a new QB -- Keith Price -- and the depth at running back is banged up. It's likely Polk will shoulder even more of the load in 2011, and he could put up numbers that earn him All-American and even Doak Walker Award consideration.

5. Vontaze Burfict, LB, Arizona State
6. Matt Barkley, QB, USC
7. Nick Foles, QB, Arizona
8. Juron Criner, WR, Arizona
9. Cliff Harris, CB, Oregon
10. Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford
11. Shayne Skov, LB, Stanford
12. T.J. McDonald, S, USC
13. Alameda Ta'amu, DT, Washington
14. Matt Kalil, OT, USC
15. Delano Howell, S, Stanford
16. Mychal Kendricks, LB, California
17. Rodney Stewart, RB, Colorado
18. Jermaine Kearse, WR, Washington
19. Chase Thomas, LB, Stanford
20. Jeff Tuel, QB, Washington State
21. Robert Woods, WR, USC
22. Johnathan Franklin, RB, UCLA
23. David Paulson, TE, Oregon
24. David DeCastro, OG, Stanford
25. Marquess Wilson, WR, Washington State