ESPN College Football

Notre Dame kicks off the first of three games this year against the Pac-12 with Saturday’s showdown against No. 22 Arizona State in Arlington, Texas. What should you be looking for? Glad you asked. Notre Dame reporter Matt Fortuna and Pac-12 reporter Kevin Gemmell talk it over.

Matt Fortuna: Arizona State is a newcomer to the Pac-12 portion of Notre Dame's schedule this year, Kevin. The Sun Devils have looked great against USC, not so great against Stanford and, well, fortuitous in their win over Wisconsin. They put up 62 points last week against what was believed to be a good Trojans defense, getting Lane Kiffin fired in the process. So I guess we'll start there, given Notre Dame's defensive struggles so far this season: What makes Todd Graham's unit so explosive offensively, and what do the Irish need to really keep an eye on Saturday to keep the points down?

Kevin Gemmell: Tempo, tempo, tempo. Offensive coordinator Mike Norvell, who Graham trusts to run the show offensively, uses “tempo” as a verb, not an adjective. As in, he wants to tempo teams into submission.

They want to have as many possessions as possible. And they get that with a fast-paced attack that stretches and then compacts a defense. Quarterback Taylor Kelly is off to another outstanding start, and a huge reason for that is the addition of wide receiver Jaelen Strong, a junior college transfer who already has 31 catches for 433 yards. He gives Kelly that sideline threat the Sun Devils were lacking last season, and Kelly has been fantastic at spotting him on the outside shoulder and letting him make plays. Strong has been targeted 51 times, so it’s only a 60-percent completion rate when they look to him. But when he does catch it, it’s usually for a substantial gain; he averages 14 yards per reception.

They use running backs Marion Grice (12 touchdowns already!) and D.J. Foster in creative ways in the screen game and like to splt Foster out into the slot. Tight end Chris Coyle has also emerged as one of the top players at his position in the country.

How about the Irish? Things don’t seem to be going as swimmingly as they did last year. Only 25.4 points per game. ASU is going to blitz early and often. What does Notre Dame have to do to get its offense moving in the right direction?

Matt Fortuna: It will get overlooked because Notre Dame lost Saturday, but the Irish were finally able to establish a ground game, tallying 220 rushing yards against the Sooners. They had eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark as a team just once before, in the opener against Temple. Junior George Atkinson III, who was the No. 1 back entering the season, finally played like it, lowering his shoulder and looking more like a downhill runner. He finished with a career-high 148 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries.

Aside from not turning it over on their first two possessions and falling behind 14-0, it is very important for the Irish to continue to establish the ground threat early, as they often can become predictable in second- and third-and-long with a non-mobile quarterback under center in Tommy Rees, though Brian Kelly did insert Andrew Hendrix in for some zone-read, change-of-pace packages against the Sooners. Receivers must run better routes, too. TJ Jones and DaVaris Daniels have been big playmakers, but they both had route-running miscues Saturday that were costly. Kelly has said that ordinary things need to be done better. The Irish also regularly play three true freshmen wideouts (Corey Robinson, James Onwualu, Will Fuller).

I'm interested in ASU's defense, particularly Will Sutton. Before the season, everyone had pegged this as a matchup of the two best interior defensive linemen in the country, between Sutton and Notre Dame's Louis Nix. It's been hard to gauge Nix's performance so far, as the Irish have faced some mobile quarterbacks and quick-strike offenses that have utilized the short passing game early to essentially take the line out of the game. What challenges do Sutton and the rest of the Sun Devils' defense present?

Kevin Gemmell: They like to blitz a lot. Todd Graham fashions his defense as a “hybrid attacking defense,” meaning at times they’ll substitute speed for bulk to create pressure from anywhere on the field.

Sutton hadn’t made much of an impact the first few games for a couple of reasons: One, they were facing mostly run-based power teams like Wisconsin and Stanford; two, he’s been seeing a lot of double and triple teams. Makes sense. His first step is so quick that it precedes his reputation. But he finally broke out against the Trojans with two tackles for a loss and a sack. I think, as the season pushes on, we’re going to see more pressure from the front seven based on the teams they’ll face.

That said, you have to look out for safety Alden Darby, who is coming off a fantastic performance against the Trojans. He had two picks (one returned for a touchdown) and has 19 tackles on the year. Hybrid linebacker Carl Bradford is explosive and Chris Young has really emerged, leading the team with 29 tackles.

The front seven is a little undersized, but it’s quick and if your protections aren’t set, someone will get missed with as much as the Sun Devils like to blitz.

Now that the Sun Devils are back in the top 25, it’s a huge game for them to keep some of that momentum going on a national stage. The Pac-12 is already coming off of the nonconference season with a 29-4 record.

Notre Dame, however, seems to be scrambling to salvage its national reputation. And with three games against the Pac-12, which many believe is the deepest conference in college football, it seems the Irish could restore some of that lost credibility. How do you see them matching up with the now Lane-less Trojans or Stanford in the season finale?

Matt Fortuna: Based on everything we have seen from both Notre Dame and Stanford so far, that matchup might not be a very pretty one for the Irish. Fortunately for them, it is not until the regular-season finale, meaning they have plenty of time to fix their issues in the six games before then.

The bigger question pertains to what kind of team the Irish will be heading into that matchup in Palo Alto, a status that will largely be dictated by their performances in both the ASU and USC games. The Irish need to get it together, fast, and Rees has to avoid a repeat performance of this past Saturday (three first-half interceptions) and get the offense going again. In theory, that should be enough to beat a USC team that looks to be reeling after the firing of its coach, though that kind of midseason move can have different lingering effects, good or bad. It's not like the Trojans aren't talented, and it's not like they won't be up for another night game at Notre Dame Stadium.

Still, I say the Irish win that one, especially coming off a bye. And especially with the threat of falling under .500, as a loss to ASU would make them 3-3 on the season. Notre Dame might be the better team, but the Irish have shown me little over the last four weeks that suggests that they are capable of keeping up with the Sun Devils' offense.

So that's an early 1-2 prediction for Notre Dame against the Pac-12 this season. What say you, Kevin?

Kevin Gemmell: I’m an ASU lean right now simply because of how explosive that offense can be. And if the Sun Devils can fix a couple of assignment issues on defense, I think they have the firepower to be a top-20, maybe even top-15 team. But they have to show they can do it away from home. A neutral field setting provides a nice opportunity. It’s close enough for their fans to travel, but it’s not a true road game.

As of today, we’re in lock-step when it comes to the Stanford matchup. The Cardinal offense is looking better and better each week. I thought back in April that Tyler Gaffney was going to be a game-changer for Stanford, and so far he’s shown that he is. That season finale could also have huge BCS implications, and I don’t see the Cardinal tossing one away at home in a game that could potentially lock them into a fourth straight BCS game.

As for USC, well, who knows? Haven’t heard any USC players come out and condemn the firing of Lane Kiffin. Maybe this move reinvigorates them? The Trojans certainly have talent. But as of today (as always, I reserve the right to change my mind), I’d go with Notre Dame at home.

This week’s mailbag is just like last week’s. Only better!

Pete in Austin, Texas writes: Do you see any way the Beavers could get into the top 25 before they play Stanford?

Kevin Gemmell: The Beavers are slowly starting to rebuild their brand. But losing to an FCS team is a stigma that isn’t easily washed away. Stuff like that sticks with voters, and many will continue to punish the Beavers in the rankings long after it’s probably warranted. A slow start against Hawaii and a miracle win over San Diego State didn’t help the cause.

Let me ask you, Pete, even if Oregon State is 6-1 when the Stanford game rolls around, do you think they’d be worthy of a top 25 spot based on their six wins? Because I’m not sure that I do.

Oregon State’s first seven games were already seen as games they should win -- so dropping one of them is a dent in their perception. Dropping one to an FCS team (an FCS team that is now 2-2, by the way, following back-to-back road losses at Toledo and at Sam Houston State) is a gash in the side of the hull.

I give a ton of credit to Mike Riley for holding this thing together amid all of the defensive injuries. He’s got Sean Mannion playing like a first-round draft pick and he’s convinced his team that the Week 1 snafu was more aberration than actuality.

But top 25? They may pick up a few votes at 6-1, but I don’t see enough to get them back in the rankings. Beat Stanford, and then we’ll talk.

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Richard in Fort Hood, Texas writes: Marion Grice of ASU seems to get no national attention why is that? He leads the nation in total touchdowns rushing/receiving combined. He had 4 against Stanford and 4 against USC. Is he the most underrated player in the conference? Also DJ Foster also seems to be lost in the conversation around the PAC12 but he’s just as deadly.

Gemmell: I wouldn’t say Grice is underrated in the conference. People in these parts know who he is and what he’s capable of.

Nationally? That’s a different story. It’s a bit like how folks treated De'Anthony Thomas the last couple of years. Is he a running back? Is he a receiver?

Yes.

Grice is a hybrid. A hybrid that has an outstanding nose for the end zone. But he only averages 3.9 yards per rush. And he only has 256 yards. But then again, he’s also got eight rushing touchdowns and four receiving touchdowns.

If “hybrid” was a defined role, I think we’d hear a lot more about Grice nationally. But when you look at the top running backs, does he fit? Maybe, but he doesn’t have the same measurables as some of the other backs in the league. Same for receiving numbers. His lack of national hype is a product of the system Arizona State runs and the role he plays within that system.

Some national recognition would be nice. But the folks in the Pac-12 know what they are up against when going against Grice. And league-wide respect goes a lot further than glancing national recognition.

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Clemson fans everywhere write: Idiot, dummy, grumble, gumble, fool, nitwit, nincompoop – how could you rank Georgia ahead of Clemson -- grumble, grumble. Ted Miller is a genius. Grumble, grumble, pinhead, ninny, imbecile, dork.

Gemmell: I threw in nincompoop on my own, but that’s the gist of multiple notes.

Everyone has their own system of ranking. Personally, I don’t give as much weight to Week 1 games as some others might (the exception being losses to FCS teams, see above). Teams have had extra time to prepare for that game and it’s not always the strongest measuring stick. Just to localize it a little bit from a Pac-12 perspective, Washington’s Week 1 win over Boise State isn’t quite as signature today as it was three weeks ago now that Broncos are 3-2. (Oh yeah, for everyone who ripped me for not having Boise in my Week 1 top 25, all I'm hearing are crickets …).

I remember last year when I took heat for being one of the first to put Clemson back in the top 10 and not punishing them as much for the Florida State loss as some others did. Where were you guys then? Huh!? Huh!?

To me, Clemson’s three-point win at home in the season opener doesn’t carry as much weight as what Georgia has done since then. It lost to Clemson, a top 10 team, on the road and I rightfully dropped the Bulldogs (I think 10 spots). But since then Georgia has beaten two top 10 teams in South Carolina and LSU. It's 3-1 with three of four games against top 10 teams. That’s bought them enough credibility, for now, to overtake Clemson, which has done nothing but paste South Carolina State and Wake Forest and dispose of a so-so NC State team.

Right now, in my mind, Georgia has the more impressive resume. But that doesn't mean things will stay the same a month from now. If Clemson is still undefeated after its two week stretch against Florida State and Maryland, it will have an argument for moving up. Especially because Georgia’s schedule ramps down with Tennessee, Missouri and Vanderbilt -- all games Georgia should win. If all things are equal on Halloween -- an undefeated Clemson team and a one-loss Georgia team -- that would mean Clemson has added two top 25 wins and is still undefeated. And then you’ll see them -- at least on my ballot -- ahead of Georgia.

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Brett in Price, Utah writes: I came across this article from 2010 written by Pat Forde. As a Utah fan, it is a shame to see USC fall this far. Although, I am not sure what exactly they were thinking with when they hired Kiffin. Another interesting fact, Kyle Whittingham is the only coach to have survived the PAC 12 South since its inception. No real questions, just observations. Thanks for the blog! I love reading it. Go Utes!!

Gemmell: Thanks Brett. I recall reading that piece too with great interest. I was still at the San Diego paper at the time, but had made a few trips up to UCLA and USC for some offseason features, etc. And I remember thinking Pat was either going to eat a lot of crow in a few years or look pretty darn smart. Right now, he’s looking pretty darn smart.

Good observation on Whittingham. Crazy to think that we’re only in the third season of “Pac-12” and there are no holdover coaches from that division from the Pac-10 days. Coaching continuity is huge. And I think Utah has already made significant strides this season. In another couple of years, they’ll be ready to make a push into the tier of South contenders.

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Oscar in Irwindale, Calif. writes: Hey Kevin! I know it’s just rumors and the details are sketchy but what’s the deal with the whole leaving Lane Kiffin at the airport deal! I just hope it’s not true and USC has more class then that! Just saying.

Gemmell: Not true. His car was at the airport, per Chris Huston at Heismanpundit.com I know Chris. I consider him a friend and I trust his reporting.

Right now it's open-season schadenfreude for anyone and everyone that Kiffin directly or indirectly offended, tweaked and irked. And they aren’t shy about coming out of the woodwork to make an already uncomfortable situation look even worse.

As for the timing? Meh. Makes no difference in my mind if it was at 3 a.m. or 7 a.m. Gone is gone.

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Brady in Seattle writes: Admit it Kevin. You've been hoping for a long time for Kiffin to get fired just so you could refer to it as "Operation changing Lanes". Well played, my friend. Kudos.

Gemmell: Thanks Brady. It’s funny you brought that up. My wife -- a high school English teacher and the hardest editor I’ve ever had -- sent me an email Monday morning indicating that since I used “Lanes,” plural, that would indicate that another person named Lane would have to be the new coach.

It’s a fair criticism from my significantly better half. The only Lane I could come up with was Lane Meyer? (I want my $2).

Five things we learned during the five games in Week 5.

1. Changing impressions? Maybe rumors of Oregon State’s demise have been greatly exaggerated ... maybe. Since losing the opener to Eastern Washington, the Beavers have run off four in a row. Granted, the combined record of the four teams they beat is 6-9 (five of those six wins coming from the two Pac-12 teams). Many expected the Beavers to start 7-0, or 6-1 at worst. While no one expected that the “1” would be from an FCS team, Oregon State is still on pace. And with Sean Mannion and Brandin Cooks continuing to scorch stat sheets, you have to imagine they’ll stay competitive offensively. On the flip side of Saturday's game in Corvallis, the 2-0 start was nice for the Buffs, but they reverted against the Beavers. Going out of state for the first time -- and playing for the first time in three weeks -- the Buffs managed just 300 yards of total offense in the 44-17 loss.

2. Making impressions: People wanted to see what Washington looked like once the Huskies got into league play. Same for Arizona -- which hadn’t been tested after blowing through a vanilla nonconference schedule. The Huskies weren’t always clean, missing on a few opportunities especially in the first half of their 31-13 win over the Wildcats. But Bishop Sankey earned his 161 yards on a school-record 40 carries. Keith Price was good enough (14-of-25, 165 yards, two touchdowns, one interception). The Huskies are 4-0 for the first time since 2001. For what it’s worth, Arizona’s defense put up a gritty effort, keeping them in the game.

3. Impressive: Oregon, Stanford, Mannion and Arizona State’s offense. In a sloppy mess, the Ducks were still able to score 50-plus points for the fourth consecutive game. That’s a record for a program that doesn’t have many offensive records left to break. Stanford put on a dominating display on both sides of the ball. The offense looks explosive -- much more explosive than it did last season -- and deep threats are opening things up on the ground ... or is it the ground game opening up the deep threats? More importantly, the Cardinal put together a 60-minute game, which is what David Shaw had been preaching all week. Mannion’s monster season continues with six more touchdowns -- an Oregon State record. He now has 21 passing touchdowns on the year -- and that’s his career high for a single season. He leads the country in passing touchdowns, attempts, completions and yards. And the Sun Devils, who rolled up 612 yards of offense, received a dominating performance by quarterback Taylor Kelly, who accounted for more than 400 yards of total offense.

4. Unimpressive: Weather, obviously, had a lot to do with some of the offensive struggles for Arizona, Cal and Colorado. But there were also drops, fumbles, picks and flat-out bad reads and passes. Cal's offense was grounded with just 325 total yards and five turnovers. USC’s defense also falls into the unimpressive category. Give the credit where it’s due for ASU. Kelly was fantastic with some of his back-shoulder throws and Marion Grice just keeps finding the end zone. That said, the Trojans, who had been getting it done on defense, looked tired and beaten in the fourth quarter. And now they are 0-2 in conference play for the first time since 2001.

5. Northern impressions: With the Oregon State and Washington victories, the Pac-12 North moves to 5-0 against the South. In previous weeks, Oregon State beat Utah in overtime, Washington State beat USC and Stanford beat ASU. The average score of those five games is 36-23. Next week brings us only one North-South matchup when Oregon makes a trip to Colorado. Arizona, Oregon State and USC are on byes and UCLA and Utah play the only South matchup. Stanford hosts Washington, WSU is at Cal, and ASU takes on Notre Dame.

Here's a quick look at Week 5 in the conference. All games are on Saturday and times are ET.

Colorado (2-0, 0-0) at Oregon State (3-1, 1-0) 3 p.m. Pac-12 Network: This is the first meeting of these teams as Pac-12 members. The Buffaloes lead the series 3-2, including a 28-21 win in 1988, the team's last meeting. There should be plenty of passing in this game. Buffs QB Connor Wood has passed for 370.5 yards per game, which ranks fourth in the nation, while Oregon State's Sean Mannion has passed for 401.0 yards per game, which ranks second in the nation. Mannion also leads the nation with 15 touchdown passes. His top target is Brandin Cooks, who leads the nation with 10.8 catches per game and has caught seven of Mannion's TD throws. Meanwhile, Woods has Paul Richardson, who leads the nation with 208.5 yards receiving per game. The last time these teams played, Colorado rallied from a 21-16 fourth quarter deficit to pull out a 28-21 win. Buffs RB Eric Bienemy carried the ball 20 times for 211 yards and three TDs, including a 66-yard TD run in the fourth quarter to put Colorado on top. Oregon State QB Eric Wilhelm was 27-of-38 for 353 yards and 2 TDs.

Arizona (3-0, 0-0) at No. 16 Washington (3-0, 0-0) 7 p.m. FOX: Washington leads the series 18-10-1 but the Wildcats rolled the Huskies 52-17 last year in Tucson. Unlike the above game, this one might be about rushing. Arizona ranks fifth in the nation with 322.3 yards rushing per game, while Washington ranks ninth with 303.7 yards rushing per game. RB Ka'Deem Carey leads Arizona with 149.5 yards rushing per game, while the Huskies counter with Bishop Sankey, who averages 148.7 yards per game. Arizona leads the Pac-12 in scoring defense (8.7 ppg). Washington is third in the Pac- 12 in scoring defense (10.0 ppg). The Wildcats have given up just 26 points through three games. The last time they gave up 26 or fewer points through the first three games of the season was in 1996. The Wildcats are 2-9 over their last 11 league road games, with five of those nine losses coming against ranked opponents. The Huskies are 3-0 for the first time since 2001, and have scored 34 or more points in three straight games for the first time since 2002. UW senior QB Keith Price tossed three TD passes to add to his Husky career record total of 61 (t20th all-time in Pac-12). Price has completed 77 percent of his passes this season with seven TDs and just one INT.

No. 5 Stanford (3-0, 1-0) vs. Washington State (3-1, 1-0) 10 p.m. ESPN (CenturyLink Field, Seattle): Stanford leads the series 37-25-1, including a 24-17 victory last year. At 61 percent, Stanford is one of three Pac-12 teams with a third-down conversion rate better than 60 percent (UCLA at 68.3 percent, Washington at 65.9 percent). All three Pac-12 teams are among the top five nationally in third-down conversion. Stanford has won 11 straight dating back to last season, which is currently the second longest streak in FBS (Ohio State is at 15). Stanford is returning to CenturyLink Field, where it suffered its lone conference defeat last year, to Washington. Cardinal junior WR Ty Montgomery is third in the Pac-12 in all-purpose yardage (165.7 ypg) and averages 20.7 yards per touch. In the win over Idaho, Washington State junior QB Connor Halliday recorded his sixth career 4-touchdown game, tying Ryan Leaf for most all- time in school history. With 346 yards passing, he also posted his third straight 300-yard performance, and eighth career 300-yard performance. Sophomore WR Gabe Marks posted career-highs with 11 receptions and 146 yards in the win over Idaho. His 31 receptions this season are currently tied for fifth among all FBS players. The Cougar defense is allowing just 221.7 yards per game over the last three games. The Cougars have won three in a row for the first time since the 2006 season and are looking to make it four straight for the first time since the winning the final game of the 2004 season and the first three contests of the 2005 season. In last season's surprisingly close game, Stanford sacked Cougars QB Jeff Tuel a record 10 times.

USC (3-1, 0-1) at Arizona State (2-1, 0-1) 10:30 p.m. ESPN2: USC leads the all-time series against Arizona State, 19-10. The Trojans are 12-1 in the series since 2000, with ASU’s lone victory coming in 2011, a 43-22 win to end an 11-game losing streak. Prior to this millennium, ASU was 9-7 all-time against USC. The Trojans beat the Sun Devils in Los Angeles last year in a 38-17 rout in the Coliseum. Arizona State RB Marion Grice is ranked No. 1 in the nation in scoring (16) and No. 5 in rushing TDs (6). Over the past six games, he has scored 14 TDs (11 rushing, three receiving), scoring once every 7.8 touches in that span. Sun Devils QB Taylor Kelly set a new career high with 367 passing yards against Stanford, and is sixth in the nation at 339.7 passing ypg. USC OLB Morgan Breslin leads the Pac-12 in sacks (1.3 per game) and tackles for loss (1.8 per game) -- Breslin missed the opener against Hawaii due to injury. USC has four players on its roster from Arizona (OLB Devon Kennard of Desert Vista HS, C- OG Cyrus Hobbi of Saguaro HS, SNP Peter McBride of Chaparral HS and S John Auran of Brophy College Prep), while the Sun Devils feature 39 Californians.

California (1-2, 0-0) at No. 2 Oregon (3-0, 0-0) 10:30 p.m. Pac-12 Network: California leads the series 39-34-2, but the Ducks prevailed 59-17 win last year. In that game, Ducks QB Marcus Mariota completed 27 of 34 passes for 377 yards with six touchdowns and no interceptions, which was a 230.79 passing efficiency rating. Cal is facing its second-consecutive top-five opponent -- two weeks ago the Bears played Ohio State -- and third ranked foe this season. Cal freshman QB Jared Goff tops the FBS with 435.3 yards passing per game. The Ducks are 13th in the FBS in pass efficiency defense, so the Goff versus the Ducks secondary is an interesting matchup. Oregon leads the Pac-12 and is second in the FBS in scoring, averaging 61.3 ppg. It has scored 50 or more points in a game three straight times, and in 10 of the last 16 games. The Ducks have scored in less than two minutes in 23 of 28 scoring possessions. 12 different players have found the end zone for the Ducks.

Your guilty conscience may force you to vote Democratic, but deep down inside you secretly long for a cold-hearted Republican to lower taxes, brutalize criminals and rule you like a king!

• Arizona's passing game is trending up.
• Marion Grice knows how to find the end zone.
• A couple of Cal notes heading into the bye week.
• Colorado running back Terrence Crowder was arrested over the weekend.
• Some Oregon stats to ponder during the bye week.
• The Beavers still want to get their rushing attack going.
• Some notes from Stanford's visit to Army.
• Jim Mora addresses the possibility of a post-Nebraska hangover.
• Utah State is looking for a signature win over USC.
• The House of Reilly will be divided for the Holy War.
• The Huskies will be working on their red zone efficiency this week.
• Quotes from Mike Leach's Monday news conference.
• Athlon offers up some amazing Week 3 Pac-12 stats.

The Pac-12 conference has announced its players of the week. Offensive honors go to Oregon State quarterback Sean Mannion, with the defensive honors going to UCLA linebacker Anthony Barr. Mannion’s teammate, kicker Trevor Romaine, was named special teams player of the week.

Here are the details, per the Pac-12’s release:

Mannion, a junior from Pleasanton, Calif., completed 27 of 44 passes for a career-high 443 yards in a 51-48 overtime win over Utah. His five touchdown passes tied a school record while his yard total is the fourth most in team history and the highest total for a Beaver since 2003. Mannion currently co-leads the nation in touchdown passes (12) and ranks second in the country in total yards (1,237) and total offense per game (404 ypg).

Barr, a senior from San Pedro, Calif., led the Bruins’ defense in a come-from-behind 41-21 win over No. 23-ranked Nebraska on the road. He collected a career-high 11 tackles, including two for a loss, as the Bruins held the Cornhuskers scoreless for the final 37 minutes of the contest. Barr forced three fumbles on the day, with the third one ending Nebraska’s best chance to score in the second half on the 12 yard-line. The Barr-led Bruins held the then ninth-ranked rushing team in the nation to 128 yards on 42 attempts.

Romaine, a junior place-kicker from Corona, Calif., made all three of his field goal attempts in Oregon State’s overtime win over Utah in the first Conference game of the season for both squads. His three kicks sailed through the uprights from 20, 36, and 49 yards, the latter being a career-high. The Beaver’s kicker has made five of six attempts on the season and now ranks ninth in team history with 184 career points.

Also nominated for offensive player of the week honors were quarterbacks B.J. Denker of Arizona, Jared Goff of California, Marcus Mariota of Oregon, Brett Hundley of UCLA, Cody Kessler of USC, Travis Wilson of Utah and Connor Halliday of Washington State; and running backs Marion Grice of Arizona State, Tyler Gaffney of Stanford and Bishop Sankey of Washington. Also nominated for defensive player of the week honors were safeties Demetrius Wright of USC and Deone Bucannon of Washington State; linebacker Jourdan Grandon of Arizona, cornerback Osahon Irabor of Arizona State, defensive end Josh Shirley of Washington and Taylor Hart of Oregon’s defensive line. Also nominated for special teams player of the week honors were kickers Zane Gonzales of Arizona State, Vincenzo D'Amato of California and Andy Phillips of Utah; and punters Drew Riggleman of Arizona, Sean Covington of UCLA and Kris Albarado of USC.

So who deserves a helmet sticker for a job well done?

Tyler Gaffney, RB, Stanford: He carried the ball 20 times for 132 yards and a score and caught a 23-yard TD pass in the Cardinal's 34-20 win over Army.

Anthony Barr, OLB, UCLA: He led the Bruins with a team-high 11 tackles with 1.5 coming for a loss in the 41-21 win at Nebraska. He also forced three -- three! -- fumbles. The Bruins shut out the Cornhuskers in the second half.

Brett Hundley, QB, UCLA: Hundley overcame a slow start to complete 16 of 24 passes for 294 yards with three TDs in the win at Nebraska. He also rushed 19 times for 61 yards.

USC: We could have gone with new starting QB Cody Kessler (15-of-17, 237 yards, 2 TDs, no INTs). Or RB Justin Davis, who rushed for 103 yards on 11 carries. Or the defense, which was again dominant. Or even Lane Kiffin, who got his team to play well after a horrid week. But let's just give the Trojans credit for getting off the canvas.

Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon: He completed 23 of 33 passes for a career-high 456 yards with four touchdown passes and no interceptions in the blowout win over Tennessee. He also rushed for 27 yards and a TD.

Bishop Sankey, RB, Washington: He rushed 35 times for 208 yards in the Huskies' 34-24 win at Illinois.

Dom Williams, WR, Washington State: Williams caught just three passes, but those included TDs of 43 and 55 yards in the Cougars' 48-10 win over Southern Utah. He finished with three catches for 101 yards.

Sean Mannion, QB, Oregon State: In the Beavers' nutty 51-48 victory, Mannion completed 27 of 44 passes for 443 yards with five touchdowns and, most important in this nail-biter, no interceptions.

Marion Grice, RB, Arizona State: Grice rushed for only 84 yards in Arizona State's nutty 32-30 win over Wisconsin, but he scored four TDs. And he caught five passes for 50 yards. He was the Sun Devils' most consistent weapon in a huge win.

Marion Grice rushed for 84 yards and four touchdowns to lead Arizona State to a 32-30 upset of No. 20 Wisconsin.

The Week 1 bye, as it turned out, was a good thing for the Arizona State Sun Devils. Position battles were solidified, dings and bruises were nurtured, and newcomers were deeply acclimated to the scheme and way of life at ASU.

But now they are ready to start hitting someone in a different uniform. After spending last weekend watching games, the Sun Devils are anxious to play one of their own. They get their first shot tonight by hosting Sacramento State.

“I’ve never had the first week off,” said ASU coach Todd Graham. “I wasn’t too fired up about it, but it’s probably been an advantage for us because we have so many newcomers in the two-deep to get them ready to play. As a coach, I’ve enjoyed the more time to prepare, but our guys are really, really ready to start playing. You only get 29 opportunities to practice, but it seems like it’s been a lot longer than that. They are itching and ready to go.”

The last time the Sun Devils were on the field, they were thrashing Navy in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl. Since then, ASU has experienced a significant hype bump, fueled by the return of defensive tackle Will Sutton and lofty expectations for key returners like quarterback Taylor Kelly, running backs Marion Grice and D.J. Foster and hybrid linebacker Carl Bradford, among others.

In fact, Graham had his players doing extra conditioning in practice this week to remind them that it’s game week -- and the intensity needs to rise.

“We set a standard, but that was a minimum standard,” Graham said. “Now we are taking the standard higher. That goes for our best players. Our deal is total accountability. That is what these guys want. They want to be held accountable. Every single up-down represents a mental error, critical error or a turnover. That is why we are doing that.”

Sacramento State lost its opener, 24-0, last week to San Jose State. But the Hornets are no strangers to the Pac-12. Last season, they topped Colorado and the year before, they beat Oregon State. And after what happened with the Beavers last week, Graham knows not to take anything for granted.

“Just like any team, they have got good skill players,” Graham said. “They are well-coached on offense, in the kicking game. The key for us is not turning the ball over and not beating ourselves in the kicking game.

"... I have been on that side a lot coming from mid-major programs. I know how we prepared. It is their entire season. It can make their entire season. I haven’t sat there and told our players you better get prepared or you will get beat. I tell them that the key is that they have no excuse. We can’t make any excuses. This is a game we should win.”

Last Saturday, Graham and his staff spent the day channel surfing. They watched the Sacramento State game, USC, UCLA, Washington and Wisconsin -- teams they will see in the future. Some sooner than others.

“I didn’t go fishing,” Graham joked.

The Sun Devils will be looking for an efficient performance tonight on both sides of the ball. And if things go well, perhaps they'll get the opportunity to rest some starters before kicking off one of the most brutal four-game stretches in college football. Next week they host No. 21 Wisconsin before traveling to No. 5 Stanford, home to No. 25 USC and then traveling to Dallas for a neutral-site game against No. 14 Notre Dame.

“In the next five weeks, something is going to happen,” Graham said. “We could be 5-0 or we could be 2-3, 1-4. These are all things that could happen. The most important thing if we are 2-3, we have got to make sure we are 2-0 in conference.”

Arizona State has to wait an extra week before taking the field, and its players are itching to get out there and start proving that all of the preseason hype surrounding the team is justified. Running back D.J. Foster, who shares the backfield with running back Marion Grice, chatted with the Pac-12 blog about his hopes for 2013 and what it’s like being a tandem with Grice.

You had your first offseason in a college training program. What’s better about D.J. Foster heading into this year?

D.J. Foster: My body has matured a lot. I put on a lot of weight -- healthy weight -- that I needed to be a Division I running back. I’m in a lot better shape and I feel like a more durable back.

What do you still need to improve on before the first game?

DF: Body-wise, I can always improve everything. My quickness, my speed, my strength. That’s always an ongoing process. As a football player, my pass blocking. That’s another challenge I’m trying to step up this year and be more reliable this year and get better at that.

What’s the biggest thing you learned as a freshman that you can apply this season?

DF: It’s a long season. There are a lot of ups and downs. As a freshman, I’m not sure you really understand that. There are so many ups and downs in a 13- or 14-game season. You need to be mature and learn how to maintain your body.

Expectations are a lot higher for you guys this year. Do you feel like the team is prepared for the mental grind it’s going to face?

DF: I think we are. I think that the offseason training we put in, our mindset is good. We feel like we are the strongest team out there. We have put in the work. We know our potential and we know what we can accomplish. It’s all about keeping that mindset and keeping it throughout the whole year.

Is it tough not playing in Week 1?

DF: It is and it isn’t. It has its pros and cons. You get a little extra rest and watch the first games. But you’re eager and you have to time to wait. We’ve been practicing against ourselves and right now we’re pretty hungry to play another opponent.

You never want to look past your opponent (FCS Sacramento State), but at the same time, after that game you have four straight against Wisconsin, Stanford, USC and Notre Dame with no break in between. That might be the toughest four-game stretch in college football this year. Have you guys started thinking about that all, even a little bit?

DF: We think about it every day. We can’t look past Sac. State, but we know those first five games are going to be a grind. That’s what we’ve been working toward for Day 1. We’re putting in the extra work conditioning. We call it “echo” when we go into the next drill without taking a break. We’ve been preparing ourselves because we know it’s going to be a grind.

What’s the best part of being a tandem along with Marion Grice?

DF: It’s great. I love watching him run. We have two different styles and we really play off of each other. I know what kind of player he is and I’m working hard to reach my potential. I’m honored to be in the backfield with him and be called one of the best duos in the nation.

And yet running backs by nature want the ball. They want to be 25- or 30-carries a game guys. How do you suppress that urge to want the ball every down?

DF: It’s a team sport at the end of the day. The way our offense is, I’m blessed to be able to move around in the slot and get receiving yards as well. It’s a great offense to be a part of. As long as the ball is moving and we’re excelling, there are no problems with how many times I touch the ball.

Now that you and Taylor Kelly, and Chris Coyle and the offensive line have all had a year in this system under coach Mike Norvell, what can we expect from you guys in Year 2?

DF: Everything, but better. I see a lot more consistency and maturity. We made a lot of mistakes last year. One thing we’ve been preaching is turnovers. That’s something we have to eliminate if we want to go as far as we want to go. Less mistakes.

Finish this sentence for me: In 2013, Arizona State will be …

DF: In 2013, Arizona State will be Rose Bowl champions.

Our countdown of the Pac-12’s top 25 preseason players in 2013 concludes.

A lot of good players, as it happens every year, won’t make the preseason list. It is in their hands to make the postseason list.

You can review our 2012 postseason top 25 here.

1. Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon

2012 numbers: In his redshirt freshman year, Mariota was the league’s most efficient passer and second nationally per ESPN’s QBR rating. He completed 68.5 percent of his throws for 32 touchdowns and 2,677 yards with only six interceptions. He also rushed for 752 yards and five touchdowns, averaging 57.8 yards on the ground. And yes, we didn’t forget, he caught one ball for two yards and a touchdown. That was the beginning of the end for the dynamic Bryan Bennett-to-Marcus Mariota connection.

2012 postseason ranking: No. 1

Making the case for Mariota: He ended 2012 as our No. 1, and we see no reason to penalize him for getting better in the off season. Yes, he should be even better in 2013. With an outstanding line and cast of players around him like De'Anthony Thomas, Colt Lyerla, Josh Huff and a surging Byron Marshall, expect Mariota to build off his incredible numbers that made him an All-American honorable mention last season. Look for the postseason accolades to increase as well -- maybe even the bronze guy with the stiff arm. It's fun to wonder what his numbers might have looked like last year had he not sat out of the second half of a few games because Oregon couldn't help but put up 40-plus points in the first half. And given Oregon's early schedule in 2013 -- it's possible we could see Mark Helfrich treat his quarterback the same way Chip Kelly did last year. Still, as long as he’s running Oregon’s offense with fantastic precision, he’ll put up the kind of dual-threat numbers that Heisman voters love. The fact that Oregon starts the year ranked in the top five and will be a national championship contender helps. In this quarterback-driven league, Mariota stands at the top of his position and the top of our preseason list.

2. Will Sutton, DT, Arizona State
3. Marqise Lee, WR, USC
4. Anthony Barr, OLB, UCLA
5. Brett Hundley, QB, UCLA
6. Ka'Deem Carey, RB, Arizona
7. Trent Murphy, OLB, Stanford
8. Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, CB, Oregon
9. David Yankey, OG, Stanford
10. Scott Crichton, DE, Oregon State
11. Ed Reynolds, S, Stanford
12. Taylor Kelly, QB, Arizona State
13. Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE, Washington
14. De'Anthony Thomas, RB, Oregon
15. Bishop Sankey, RB, Washington
16. Shayne Skov, LB, Stanford
17. Kevin Hogan, QB, Stanford
18. Xavier Su'a-Filo, OL, UCLA
19. Morgan Breslin, OLB, USC
20. Colt Lyerla, TE, Oregon
21. Carl Bradford, LB, Arizona State
22. Brandin Cooks, WR, Oregon State
23. Hroniss Grasu, C, Oregon
24. Marion Grice, RB, Arizona State
25. Ben Gardner, DE, Stanford

Our countdown of the Pac-12’s top 25 preseason players in 2013 continues.

A lot of good players, as it happens every year, won’t make the preseason list. It is in their hands to make the postseason list.

You can review our 2012 postseason top 25 here.

2. Will Sutton, DT, Arizona State

2012 numbers: Sutton had 63 tackles, 13 sacks and 23.5 tackles for a loss in 12 games (he missed a game due to injury). He also broke up five passes and forced three fumbles.

2012 postseason ranking: No. 3

Making the case for Sutton: You'd probably have to go all the way back to Washington State's Rien Long (2002) to find a Pac-12/10 interior defensive lineman who put up numbers as good as Sutton did in 2012. The consensus All-American, Pac-12 Pat Tillman Defensive Player of the Year and Morris Trophy winner was perhaps the most disruptive defensive tackle in the nation. His 1.92 tackles for loss ranked second nationally, and he was third nationally with 1.08 sacks per game -- tied with a guy named Jadeveon Clowney, who plays defensive end/outside linebacker for South Carolina. His sacks and tackles for a loss accounted for 232 total lost yards. Twelve of his sacks were solo jobs -- matched only by UCLA's Anthony Barr. Twenty-two of his tackles for a loss were solo -- matched by no one. He concluded the season by being named defensive MVP of the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl with 3.5 tackles for a loss and two sacks. And then he shocked many by opting to return for his senior season. The word most used to describe Sutton in 2012 was "unblockable." It will be interesting to see if he can be even more so this fall.

3. Marqise Lee, WR, USC
4. Anthony Barr, OLB, UCLA
5. Brett Hundley, QB, UCLA
6. Ka'Deem Carey, RB, Arizona
7. Trent Murphy, OLB, Stanford
8. Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, CB, Oregon
9. David Yankey, OG, Stanford
10. Scott Crichton, DE, Oregon State
11. Ed Reynolds, S, Stanford
12. Taylor Kelly, QB, Arizona State
13. Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE, Washington
14. De'Anthony Thomas, RB, Oregon
15. Bishop Sankey, RB, Washington
16. Shayne Skov, LB, Stanford
17. Kevin Hogan, QB, Stanford
18. Xavier Su'a-Filo, OL, UCLA
19. Morgan Breslin, OLB, USC
20. Colt Lyerla, TE, Oregon
21. Carl Bradford, LB, Arizona State
22. Brandin Cooks, WR, Oregon State
23. Hroniss Grasu, C, Oregon
24. Marion Grice, RB, Arizona State
25. Ben Gardner, DE, Stanford

Our countdown of the Pac-12’s top 25 preseason players in 2013 continues.

A lot of good players, as it happens every year, won’t make the preseason list. It is in their hands to make the postseason list.

You can review our 2012 postseason top 25 here.

3. Marqise Lee, WR, USC

2012 numbers: Lee caught 118 balls and hauled in 14 touchdowns to go with his 1,721 yards in 2012. He also returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown and carried 13 times for 106 yards.

2012 postseason ranking: No. 3

Making the case for Lee: One of the most dynamic players in the country, Lee returns as the 2012 Biletnikoff winner, and likely the 2013 favorite. The big difference this season is that he won’t have Matt Barkley throwing to him. In fact, we’re still not sure who his steady quarterback is going to be. Either way, many are projecting his numbers to maybe take a hit from last season. But that shouldn’t dampen what Lee is capable of. As quarterback hopeful Cody Kessler described it, throwing to Lee is like throwing to a 10-yard net in any direction. And if Nelson Agholor emerges as a threatening No. 2, just as Lee did playing alongside Robert Woods, it should help Lee escape some double coverage. Yet even when he’s double-teamed, Lee should be considered the premier wide receiver in the conference and country.

4. Anthony Barr, OLB, UCLA
5. Brett Hundley, QB, UCLA
6. Ka'Deem Carey, RB, Arizona
7. Trent Murphy, OLB, Stanford
8. Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, CB, Oregon
9. David Yankey, OG, Stanford
10. Scott Crichton, DE, Oregon State
11. Ed Reynolds, S, Stanford
12. Taylor Kelly, QB, Arizona State
13. Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE, Washington
14. De'Anthony Thomas, RB, Oregon
15. Bishop Sankey, RB, Washington
16. Shayne Skov, LB, Stanford
17. Kevin Hogan, QB, Stanford
18. Xavier Su'a-Filo, OL, UCLA
19. Morgan Breslin, OLB, USC
20. Colt Lyerla, TE, Oregon
21. Carl Bradford, LB, Arizona State
22. Brandin Cooks, WR, Oregon State
23. Hroniss Grasu, C, Oregon
24. Marion Grice, RB, Arizona State
25. Ben Gardner, DE, Stanford

Our countdown of the Pac-12’s top 25 preseason players in 2013 continues.

A lot of good players, as it happens every season, won’t make the preseason list. It is in their hands to make the postseason list.

You can review our 2012 postseason top 25 here.

4. Anthony Barr, OLB, UCLA

2012 numbers: Barr led the Pac-12 in total sacks with 13.5 -- that number also ranked second in the nation -- and was second in the conference in total tackles for a loss with 21.5. He was tied for third with four forced fumbles. He finished the season with 83 total tackles, five pass breakups and a blocked kick.

2012 postseason ranking: No. 11.

Making the case for Barr: Barr could be the first Pac-12 player picked in the 2014 NFL draft. Just about every draft projection has him as a top-10 pick. That's not what our top 25 is about, but it's worth noting. Barr converted from F-back -- a running back, H-back hybrid position -- last year. He's got a tremendous amount of upside, and coach Jim Mora is expecting to get a little of that in 2013. If Barr, first-team All-Pac-12 in 2012 and a consensus preseason All-American, improves his numbers from last fall, he should be in the running for several major awards, including national Defensive Player of the Year. Barr, at 6-foot-4, 248 pounds, is 13 pounds heavier than last year, and he should be far more seasoned playing outside linebacker in the Bruins' scheme, which was new to the entire unit last fall. It's notable that Barr produced not only plenty of memorable plays -- chief of which was his clean-hit sack of USC QB Matt Barkley that ended Barkley's season -- but he also was remarkably consistent. He recorded a sack in 11 of UCLA's 14 games.

5. Brett Hundley, QB, UCLA
6. Ka'Deem Carey, RB, Arizona
7. Trent Murphy, OLB, Stanford
8. Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, CB, Oregon
9. David Yankey, OG, Stanford
10. Scott Crichton, DE, Oregon State
11. Ed Reynolds, S, Stanford
12. Taylor Kelly, QB, Arizona State
13. Austin Seferian Jenkins, TE, Washington
14. De'Anthony Thomas, RB, Oregon
15. Bishop Sankey, RB, Washington
16. Shayne Skov, LB, Stanford
17. Kevin Hogan, QB, Stanford
18. Xavier Su'a-Filo, OL, UCLA
19. Morgan Breslin, OLB, USC
20. Colt Lyerla, TE, Oregon
21. Carl Bradford, LB, Arizona State
22. Brandin Cooks, WR, Oregon State
23. Hroniss Grasu, C, Oregon
24. Marion Grice, RB, Arizona State
25. Ben Gardner, DE, Stanford

Howdy. Next week, we'll have games. That is a good thing.

Follow the Pac-12 blog on Twitter. That way no one will look at you when the term "benighted souls" is used in your presence.

To the notes.

Andrew from Agoura Hills, Calif., writes: In general, I think you guys do an awesome job with the player rankings before and after each season. It's one of the most entertaining pieces you do every year. So far, the only glaring issue I have with the list is ranking Kevin Hogan at No. 17. It very specifically states that the rankings are a reflection of where a player starts the season, not where you think they are going to be ranked by the end of the season. And I simply think you are giving Hogan too much credit for his brief amount of playing time. He would have been a better choice at No. 25, or simply someone who merited strong consideration but didn't make the cut. Do you really think he's better than Ben Gardner (or Henry Anderson) or any of the other guys ranked after him? In short, I think you broke your own rules. But otherwise, love the work you guys do.

Ted Miller: Now this is how you write a note of complaint or disagreement.

Most notably, Andrew doesn't use the dimwit phrase "lose all credibility!" to make his point. He disagrees with something. He states his case.

That said, Kevin and I had a very specific discussion about Kevin Hogan and whether his fairly high ranking would appear to be a projection. It is not.

Now, obviously, Hogan's ranking isn't based on his pedestrian 2012 stats. At least, not the ones you most frequently see. Hogan's case, first of all, is based on how he transformed Stanford's season, from mostly treading water to Pac-12 and Rose Bowl champion.

And we can quantify this because ESPN Stats & Information has quantified it, in fact, seeking out the Pac-12 blog to point out its findings.

Under the heading, "How much better was Stanford after QB change?" our sabermetric friends provided three bullet points.

• Josh Nunes started Stanford's first eight games. His opponent adjusted quarterback rating was 56.4. His completion percentage on third down was 46 percent. He had nine turnovers.
• Hogan started the final five games. His opponent adjusted QBR was 77.8. He completed 65 percent of his passes on third down. He had three turnovers.
• The Cardinals' offensive efficiency rating with Nunes was +3. With Hogan, it was +25.

Now I hear your counter: We are comparing Hogan to Nunes. What about other Pac-12 quarterbacks?

Hogan's QBR of 77.8 would have ranked third in the Pac-12, behind only Oregon's Marcus Mariota and Arizona's Matt Scott and ahead of USC's Matt Barkley, UCLA's Brett Hundley and Arizona State's Taylor Kelly.

And, of course, he compiled that QBR against four ranked teams and Wisconsin.

Jeff from Paulina, Ore., writes: Your ranking of De'Anthony Thomas at number 14 in the Pac-12 preseason player rankings is absolutely absurd. I would like to use more adjectives to describe it including a few vulgar ones but I think you get the message. Not only does that ranking call into the question your being qualified to be the Pac-12 blog writer, it harms the national credibility of one a one of the most dynamic and realistic Heisman contenders the conference has had in a long time. Typical east coast college football fan: "De'Anthony Thomas for Heisman? There are like 10 players in his conference better than him (or 13 as you say). Look, the ESPN Pac-12 writer even has him at 14th." Sorry to be so harsh Ted. I know you don't like that De'Anthony doesn't fit into the traditional single position role, but unless you think he will have less touches because of that (Helfrich says he wants to get DAT more touches this year including around 20 carries a game), I don't understand how that matters.

Ted Miller: Sigh.

Kevin had a go at this same question last week.

Again, Jeff is not looking at what De'Anthony actually did last year, he's thinking of a the idea of DAT and projecting forward. This list doesn't project forward.

Let me quantify this a little more. Consider this previously published chart.


Thomas and Arizona State's Grice are basically a push, though Thomas also returned a punt and kickoff -- in the Fiesta Bowl, no less -- for TDs. Grice ranked 24th on our list, Thomas 14th. And, by the way, Grice obviously had to share the ball with D.J. Foster, just as Thomas shared touches with Kenjon Barner.

Let me take this outrage on in a general way, for we have as many angry notes about ranking Washington tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins too low at No. 13.

The common denominator for just about all the "you lose all credibility!" notes is fan bias for players from their team. So Seferian-Jenkins, for Washington fans, is a only a "Finalist for the Mackey Award you idiot!" and not the No. 8 receiver in the Pac-12, a tight end who was not an elite blocker in 2012.

Thomas is one of the nation's most dynamic players. Seferian-Jenkins is a future first-round NFL draft pick. But we are evaluating what they actually did last year, not imagining them as fully realized football players.

As for Thomas' Heisman Trophy hopes, he will lose exactly zero votes because the Pac-12 blog ranked him 14th in the conference in the preseason, but thank you for imbuing us with so much power.

Evan from Novato, Calif., writes: Got a toughie for you. What game are you least looking forward to this season??!! And Why?

Ted Miller: From a preseason perspective, I'm most looking forward to Oregon's visit to Stanford on Nov. 7 for what might be the biggest Thursday night ESPN game in the history of Thursday night ESPN games.

Of course, we thought USC-Oregon was going to be epic last year, and things didn't exactly work out.

Arizona State has a fantastic four-game run against Wisconsin, Stanford, USC and Notre Dame that could announce the Sun Devils as a budding national power -- or crush all optimism in Todd Graham's second year.

I'm wondering if Oregon's visit to renovated Husky Stadium on Oct. 12 might get heated. And I love the idea of USC-UCLA again being nationally relevant.

The list is long.

Oh... wait. You said "least" looking forward to.

I am least looking forward to Oregon-Nicholls State.

Bert from Miles City, Mont., writes: Just saw your column about 6 worst FBS jobs and I have to write you to correct some fairly lazy research on your part. You mention Kentucky's poor attendance last year as one of your arguments for the job being bad, the problem is that last year's attendance was not the norm for Kentucky. Last years attendance was about a fanbase fed up with a terrible head coach, and an AD that basically told the fanbase to "make his day" when it came to a coaching change. So the fanbase made his day, and stayed away in droves to FORCE a coaching change the AD did not want to make. You see if you had done any research than to look up just last year's attendance, like simply put ncaa college football attendance into google, you would have seen official NCAA attendance stats that showed Kentucky to have a damn good football fanbase. Here is where UK ranks 2011 - 2005 in attendance: 2011-27th in nation-60,007; 2010-25th-66,070; 2009-22nd-69,594; 2008-23rd-69, 434; 2007-23rd-68,824; 2006-31st-57,330; 2005-27th-62,450. So I am not going to argue if UK is one of the 6 worst jobs, that is to subjective. You say we are, I would argue that opinion, but I will not allow lazy arguments to go unchallenged. UK for a football school of little success has a great fanbase, that shows up in droves when the coaching staff gives it a reason. One thing I think is that when you do this column again, and again put UK in your 6 worst fbs jobs you will not be able to use attendance as a reason as we will once again have top 30 or better attendance in 2013.

Ted Miller: Point taken. Kentucky fans, in the past, showed up to watch their team play.

But my research wasn't lazy. In fact, I originally was going to note your very point in the article, including, of course, that the downturn took place over the past two seasons. I'll explain why I didn't in two paragraphs.

First, the important number is not the attendance figure but percent of capacity (Commonwealth Stadium seats 67,500). As noted about 2012, "the Wildcats played in front of an average of 49,691 fans last year, which was only 73.5 percent of capacity at Commonwealth Stadium, by far the worst percentage in the SEC and seventh worst among FBS teams."

In 2011, that percentage was 88.8, better only that Vanderbilt in the SEC.

But, Bert, know why I didn't belabor that point, taking time to note it was based on fan frustration with coach Joker Phillips? Because it makes the Kentucky job look even worse. I originally was going to point that out but felt like I was being too harsh -- and that the Kentucky blurb would be too long compared to the others.

Let's avoid fairly lazy thinking here: Your counter is that Kentucky fans used to show up to watch the Wildcats until they bailed out on their team because they didn't like the team's third-year coach.

And that makes Kentucky a better job?

Forget all the numbers I used to quantify why Kentucky ranked among the six worst jobs, such as not having a winning record in conference play since 1977. Consider, instead, that Kentucky fans began turning away from the program in a coach's second year, and that they apparently didn't feel a responsibility to support the young men attending their beloved school and wearing their beloved colors.

Again: And that makes Kentucky a better job?