ESPN College Football

Which college football programs develop the best, pro-ready quarterbacks?

That's Brock Huard's question here. To answer it, he enlisted the help of former Oregon coach Mike Bellotti, ESPN Recruiting's Tom Luginbill and a former NFL passer Jesse Palmer.

This isn't about productive college offenses, it's about producing NFL quarterbacks. Writes Huard, "This search for 'QB U' is more about projection than it is about collegiate production. Mike Gundy, Gus Malzahn, Dana Holgorsen and Chip Kelly may be at the front of the line when it comes to innovation and quarterback execution at the collegiate level, but the top five schools that follow incubate a passer in a very demanding way on and off the field, at the line of scrimmage and have a recent track record of success that differentiates them from the pack."

Three Pac-12 teams make Huard's top-five.

USC is No. 1, of course. Here's what Huard had to say about the Trojans:

Surrounded by top-flight skill and talent, the country's No. 2 media market, ideal weather conditions to train year-round, an $85 million football facility, a staff littered with NFL know-how and experience, and an offensive-system that centers on the QB position, USC sits atop our list.

Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart, Matt Cassel and Mark Sanchez have made healthy paychecks in the NFL, and Matt Barkley would have been added to that list had he decided to turn pro this offseason.

Lane Kiffin may have burned bridges in Oakland and Knoxville, but his résumé of college quarterbacks developed over the last 10 seasons is second to none, and don't minimize what he did in his one year with Jonathan Crompton (Washington Redskins) at Tennessee.

Kiffin would be the John Calipari of college football if he had to live within the one-and-done parameters. His recruiting message, like Calipari's, is very clear: If you want to compete for national titles while never losing sight of the ultimate goal of the NFL, then USC is the place for you.

Alabama was No. 2 and Stanford was No. 3. Here are his comments on the Cardinal:

The resources for a young passer are manifold on the Farm: NFL pedigree and experience on staff (Shaw's nine years and offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton's seven), cutting-edge training and conditioning facilities, ideal weather and climate, and a strong supporting cast that includes one of the best crop of young offensive linemen in the country.

Andrew Luck, of course, was a game-changer as well. He set the bar so incredibly high for managing formations, shifts, audibles, line-of-scrimmage mechanics and everything else he tackled at the position that Jim Harbaugh told me two years ago in a production meeting that Luck challenged him schematically "to do more, because of what he was able to absorb and handle."

The Cardinal have changed expectations for their program with back-to-back BCS bowl game appearances, and Shaw & Co. are doing less recruiting and more selecting of the top-tier, well-rounded student-athletes (including three four-star QB recruits in the last five classes, with another blue-chip already signed for 2013).

Missouri is No. 4 and Washington is No. 5. Here are his comments on the Huskies:

Steve Sarkisian can coach quarterbacks -- just ask Sanchez, Jake Locker and now Keith Price. Alongside Carroll and Kiffin at USC, Sarkisian molded Heisman Trophy winners and consecutive first-round picks. At Washington, Locker became the eighth pick in the NFL draft a year ago, and Price shattered every significant team passing record in 2011, including throwing 33 touchdowns in his first year as a starter.

The success helped the Huskies land two Elite 11 QBs (Jeff Lindquist and Cyler Miles) in their latest recruiting class, a feat that led Pete Carroll to call Sarkisian on signing day to ask how he landed such a haul.

The Huskies have a ways to go up front to compete for more than Rose Bowls any time soon; however, when it comes to enticing the best young QB prospects in the land, UW's tape and development speak for themselves.

Ivan Maisel and Beano Cook discuss the start of spring football, Matt Barkley as a preseason Heisman favorite and Mike Gundy's new contract with Oklahoma State.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- The offenses fizzled early, exploded late and the two marquee playmakers in the this game, Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck and Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon, shined on the brightest stage. It was so good, 60 minutes couldn’t contain it. Here’s how it all went down, with Oklahoma State winning 41-38 over Stanford in overtime in the desert:

How the game was won: In the first overtime, after Stanford kicker Jordan Williamson missed a 43-yard field goal attempt (he previously missed a 35-yard attempt for the win as time expired in regulation), Brandon Weeden connected with Colton Chelf on a 24-yard pass down to the Stanford 1-yard line. Weeden took a knee to center the ball, setting up a 22-yard field goal that Quinn Sharp nailed.

Second guessing: Trailing 28-21, an interesting decision by OSU coach Mike Gundy to kick a 19-yard field goal rather than going for it on fourth-and-goal at the Stanford 1-yard line. Not saying it was the wrong call, but clearly it was the conservative one. Hey, they won.

Stanford player of the game: As good as Luck was, running back Stepfan Taylor was fantastic, carrying 35 times for 177 yards and two touchdowns. He made holes when they weren’t there and exploded through the ones that were.

Oklahoma State player of the game: Blackmon was everything the Cardinal thought he would be -- and a whole lot more. The wide receiver caught eight balls for 186 yards and three touchdowns. He was clearly the most athletic player on the field.

What it means: For two teams feeling more than a little disrespected for being left out of the national championship game, both showed why they there were among the nation’s elite this season. Oklahoma State was the benefactor of a couple of missed field goals, but fought their way back all game and proved to be the more clutch team in overtime. For the Cardinal, it’s a disappointing end to the Luck era -- one of the most successful stretches in school history.

Even before the biggest sorta-secret in Tucson -- receiver Juron Criner's appendectomy on Monday -- was officially acknowledged Thursday after it was officially denied for two days, Arizona's chances didn't see terribly good at Oklahoma State.

That proved true as the Cowboys thoroughly dominated every aspect of a 37-14 victory.

First reaction: Oklahoma State might be very good. It looked like a top-10 team. Brandon Weeden and Justin Blackmon look like the nation's best pass-catch combination (and, yes, I considered Oklahoma and USC). Outstanding offensive line, too. And the Cowboys' defense impressed me.

So there's that.

(And I can't help but flash back to 2008, when Oregon was the more physical team pushing the Cowboys around in the Holiday Bowl. Coach Mike Gundy said after the game that his team needed to get more physical. Well, welcome to 2011, and a Cowboys team that can still throw over you but also can run over you and play good defense).

As for Arizona, the performance fit in with the less optimistic preseason appraisals: Questionable front seven on defense and a painfully young, rebuilt offensive line that figures to struggle, particularly with run blocking. And, yes, injuries in the secondary have reduced a unit of strength to one that's only middling.

The Wildcats looked like a rebuilding team. Problem is, their next two opponents are as good if not better than the Cowboys: Stanford and Oregon. Game five -- at USC -- is no patsy either. Based on Thursday night, most would project a 1-4 start, which would mean a nine-game losing streak against FBS foes. That won't make anyone happy in Tucson.

I do not think Mike Stoops should be on the "hot seat," even if that happens. But this season might very well test his leadership. He will be challenged to keep his locker room together during a tough first month of the season.

And if he does, and the Wildcats can get healthy, there is hope at midseason, when the schedule gets decidedly more manageable. If Stoops leads these Wildcats to another bowl game, it might turn out to be his best coaching performance yet.

Some links from the game.

• The good, bad and ugly from the Wildcats' defeat.
• Game blog: Arizona has no running game, and that's an issue.
• Arizona failed to compete.
• The script was too familiar.
• The report card isn't good.
• The near-future doesn't look pleasant.

Eighth in a series looking at potential dream and nightmare scenarios for all Pac-12 teams.

Understand: These are not predictions. They are extreme scenarios and pieces of fiction. You can read last season's versions here.

We're going in reverse order of my post-spring power rankings (which might not be identical to my preseason power rankings).

Up next: Arizona

It was an epic hit, one that won't be soon forgotten in Tucson. Or by Oklahoma State's receiver Justin Blackmon.

The Cowboys took the opening kickoff and immediately drove to the Arizona 33. Quarterback Brandon Weeden was 4-for-4 on the drive, with three passes going to his All-American receiver. On second and 2, Weeden found Blackmon racing across the middle.

Shhhhhmackkk!

Blackmon not only was decleated by Wildcats 220-pound safety Marquis Flowers, but his helmet flew 15 yards and then rolled to the feet of Oklahoma State coach coach Mike Gundy. Gundy had excused Blackmon's showboating in the Cowboys 36-10 win over Arizona in the Alamo Bowl by saying Blackmon "was having a little fun, and proving his ankle was back to normal."

Gundy doesn't immediately see the helmet because he's watching Trevin Wade sprint 81 yards the other way for a Wildcats touchdown. As Wade arrives in the endzone, Arizona safety Robert Golden hands the helmet to Gundy, "Hey, on the plus-side, his ankle looks great!"

Nick Foles passes for 425 yards and three touchdowns in a 45-28 win, the debut of the "Air-Zona" attack. Six different receivers catch at least five passes, with Juron Criner leading the way with nine receptions for 120 yards.

The best news: Five new starters on the offensive line playing their first road game yield just one sack. And in the fourth quarter, they prove capable run blockers as Keola Antolin finishes with 98 yards on the ground.

"It was a clean hit; it gave me goose bumps," Arizona coach Mike Stoops says. "Hey, are those Ferragamo loafers? Those are sharp!"

The Wildcats lose in overtime to Stanford, but come back to shock No. 1 Oregon 38-37 on a 55-yard field goal from Alex Zendejas with 10 seconds remaining.

"We can't have a classic letdown game at USC," Foles says.

The Wildcats have a classic letdown game at USC, losing 33-28, as the Trojans sack Foles three times.

"I'm never happy with losing, but I thought we played with good effort," says a philosophical Stoops. "We're 3-2 having played four teams ranked in the top 15. We played our tails off in both losses and played competitive games. I like this team. It's got fight. We've emerged from a brutal stretch and I can't help but believe we're a good team."

The Wildcats make a statement the next weekend at Oregon State, ripping the Beavers 45-21. They rise to No. 17 in both polls.

"Fair to say Arizona is the best 4-2 team team in the nation?" asks ESPN's Chris Fowler. "They've beaten two top-10 teams and lost to No. 1 Stanford and No. 12 USC by a combined five points."

"Their schedule ahead softens up substantially," replies Kirk Herbstreit. "We'll get the measure of the Wildcats over the next few weeks. Only a handful of teams could have done better than 4-2 with that early schedule."

The Wildcats rock UCLA 41-28. Air-Zona overcomes the elements in a 33-28 win at Washington. In a critical showdown with Utah, the Wildcats score 30 in the second half to win 48-35. That puts the 10th-ranked Wildcats in the South Division driver's seat. If they win-out, they win the division.

But they fall at Colorado, a shocking result considering the Buffaloes' struggling secondary. Foles is picked off twice and sacked four times.

"Give credit to Colorado; they took it to us," Stoops says. "I'm not going use the 'looking ahead' excuse. But I believe in these guys. We've still got a lot to play for."

Before the Wildcats take the field at Arizona State, they learn that Washington State has upset Utah. The winner in Tempe wins the South and goes to the Pac-12 championship game.

The Wildcats gather.

Stoops begins: "We've been through a lot together this season, men. Not everything has gone our way, but we've taken the measure of ourselves and what I know is that you guys have fought all the way and that is all I can ask. Tonight, all you can ask of yourself it to fully invest all your abilities in a 100 percent effort every play. That's your mind, that's your body, and that's your emotions, your want-to. We don't like these guys. They don't like us. The stakes are big. No need to hide from that. I like that. That's why we work so hard. Look around this room, though. That's what all of this is about, this season, this game, all the work we've put in. The guys in this room. Let's go out there and sell out for each other. Make them feel us. Guys ... there are going to a lot of tears in Tempe tonight."

Late in the fourth quarter, with the score tied at 21-21 and the Wildcats on their 33, Keola Antolin takes a handoff and sees no room on the right side. He reverses course, yields five yards in the Wildcats backfield and tries to sprint to the left sideline, hoping that he can out-run the over-pursuit. Sun Devils linebacker Vontaze Burfict recovers quickly and takes a beeline for him.

Shhhhhmackkk!

That is until Foles comes from nowhere to flatten Burfict.

Antolin goes the distance. The Wildcats win the Territorial Cup back. And they win the South. They then blast Lousiana-Lafayette in the season finale while resting their starters.

In the Pac-12 title game, the Wildcats shock No. 1 Stanford and earn the program's first-ever trip to the Rose Bowl, where they beat No. 8 Nebraska, 33-28.

The Wildcats finish 11-3 and ranked sixth.

"How am I going to celebrate?" Stoops says to a reporter. "I've got this Chteau Latour I've been saving -- premier grand cru classé -- that I'm going to open tonight. Then I'm going to tour wine country and grab a bite to eat at the French Laundry. After that, maybe some shopping at Barney's. Oh! And I'll catch up on all the great things on the Pac-12 blog!"

Andrus Peat, Davonte Neal, D.J. Foster and Reggie Daniels commit to Arizona. That convinces quarterback Connor Brewer to decommit from Texas and sign with the Wildcats, whose recruiting class ranks 12th in the country.

Worst case

Looked at rationally, the 1-4 start shouldn't have been that much of a surprise: Oklahoma State, Stanford, Oregon and USC were nationally-ranked teams. The Wildcats had questions, most particularly a completely rebuilt offensive line that gets exposed during the rugged early slate.

But losing 28-24 at Oregon State quickly put the season on the brink.

"We've got to stick together," says Foles, who'd already been sacked 21 times. "We've still got a lot to play for."

After a bye week, the Wildcats out slug UCLA in a 41-35 win, but they fall at Washington and lose at home in overtime to Utah. Stoops throws a fit during the second overtime and is assessed a critical unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that sets up the Utes winning touchdown.

A column in the Arizona Daily Star questions whether Stoops, despite "making the program respectable again," had plateaued and the Wildcats were headed back to the dregs.

Foles throws three touchdown passes as the Wildcats win at Colorado. Up next: Arizona State.

"We've got plenty of motivation," Stoops said. "They're our rivals and if we beat them they probably don't win the South Division."

But it's all Sun Devils, as Burfict terrorizes Foles, and Brock Osweiler throws four touchdown passes in a 40-24 victory.

Arizona State then upsets No. 1 Oregon in the Pac-12 championship game and beats Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl. The Sun Devils finish 12-2 and ranked fourth.

Burfict announces he's returning for his senior season, "to complete the growing up process and get my degree. And to terrorize the Wildcats another season."

The Wildcats are sloppy but manage to slip Louisiana-Lafayette in a near-empty Arizona Stadium to finish 4-8.

Stoops is hired by the Houston Texans.

"I put a lot of thought into this; I did a lot of research," says athletic director Greg Byrne. "And what I concluded is that John Mackovic didn't get a fair shot here before and is the right man to lead the Wildcats to our first Rose Bowl."

The Finley twins -- and here -- spontaneously mutate into four people.

Chip Kelly's head coaching career has begun fairly well. In his first season, he led the Ducks to the Rose Bowl. In his second, he guided them to the national title game opposite Auburn.

And now Kelly has been named the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year award by the Football Writers Association of America.

Kelly was a finalist for the award last year,when he was named Pac-10 Coach of the Year. He's 22-3 in two years in Eugene, including a 17-1 record in Pac-10 play.

Kelly is the second Oregon head coach to receive the award named for Grambling’s legendary coach, joining 1994 winner Rich Brooks.

The other finalists for the award were Gene Chizik (Auburn) -- who Kelly will face on Jan. 10 in Glendale, Ariz., -- Bret Bielema (Wisconsin), Mark Dantonio (Michigan State), Mike Gundy (Oklahoma State), Jim Harbaugh (Stanford), Gary Patterson (TCU) and Chris Petersen (Boise State).

Kelly also has been named named regional co-coach of the year along with Stanford’s Jim Harbaugh by the American Football Coaches Association. The AFCA selects its national coach of the year following the bowl season.

Oklahoma State Cowboys (10-2) vs. Arizona Wildcats (7-5)

Dec. 29, 9:15 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Oklahoma State take by Big 12 blogger David Ubben: Although the Cowboys’ defense made big improvements late in the season, there's no question: Oklahoma State got here with offense. Under new coordinator Dana Holgorsen, the Cowboys have a Biletnikoff Award finalist in receiver Justin Blackmon and a pair of All-Big 12 first-teamers in quarterback Brandon Weeden and running back Kendall Hunter. All three have been tough to stop every time they've taken the field this season.

Oklahoma State's season came down to one game against rival Oklahoma, but a loss to the Sooners kept the Cowboys out of the Big 12 Championship. The bright side: The Cowboys beat out Nebraska and Missouri in the bowl pecking order.

The Cowboys' already historic season -- Mike Gundy's team won 10 regular season games for the first time -- has a great chance to finish on a high note against Arizona. And hey, if the Cowboys can't beat one Stoops, they've got a chance at another in San Antonio. Bob Stoops has bested the Cowboys every year since 2002, but his brother, Mike Stoops, coaches the Wildcats.

---

Arizona take by Pac-10 blogger Ted Miller: Arizona played two seasons in 2010. In the first one, they rolled to a 7-1 record, high national ranking and looked like a Pac-10 contender. In the second one, they lost their final four games.

Most of that was a quirk of the schedule. The final four games were at Stanford, USC, at Oregon and Arizona State. Still, the Wildcats wanted to take another step in the building of a program. They fell short of that goal because they weren't consistent on either side of the ball.

The Wildcats jumped out of the gate quickly and recorded what seemed at the time a marquee victory over Iowa on Sept. 18. That win included a clutch offensive drive led by quarterback Nick Foles and a dominating effort by the defense. But the Wildcats seemed to be lacking that same fire three weeks later in a home loss to Oregon State.

The Wildcats then reeled off three consecutive wins, including two with Matt Scott at quarterback after Foles injured his knee. But that surge proved illusory when the schedule toughened up.

The running game -- the inability to consistently run the ball and stop the run -- has been a problem for Arizona this year, particularly late in the season. It's what prevented the Wildcats from taking the next step.

The Football Writers Association of America, in conjunction with the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, has announced eight finalists for the 2010 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award, and two are from the Pac-10: Oregon's Chip Kelly and Stanford's Jim Harbaugh.

The other finalists are: Wisconsin's Bret Bielema, Auburn's Gene Chizik, Michigan State's Mark Dantonio, Oklahoma State's Mike Gundy, TCU's Gary Patterson and Boise State's Chris Petersen.

The winner will be revealed on Dec. 6 at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City.

The FWAA coaching award is named after the late Robinson, a coaching legend at Grambling State University for 55 years. He has more Division I victories (408) than any other coach in the history of college football. The FWAA has presented a national coach of the year award since 1957 and named the award in Robinson's honor in 1997.

Robinson, who passed away on April 3, 2007, won 70.7 percent of his games during his illustrious career. Robinson's teams won or tied for 17 Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) championships after joining the league in 1959. His Tigers claimed nine Black College Football Championships during his career spent all at the same school.

Ah, now the Pac-10 schedule starts in earnest.

You can follow me on Twitter.

To the notes.

Quinn from Issaquah, Wash., writes: Following last weeks embarrassment against Nebraska, do you feel that Jake Locker has enough moxie to bounce back and pull of the upset this weekend against an overrated USC team? The Huskies defense has holes left and right, but nonetheless this team as an entire unit is the toughest challenge thus far for the Trojans. USC allowed over 300 yards to both the worst team in the pac 10 (a pitiful WSU squad) and the worst team in the big 10 (bush league Minnesota). With the bye week to prepare and perhaps some added motivation/insight from Sark, this seems as opportune a time as they will have to beat a ranked team. Seattle keeps waiting for this program to take the next step.

Ted Miller: Yes, Locker has the moxie. And, yes, at USC would be a great time for him to turn in a big-time performance and hush his critics.

Now, I'm not so sure that USC is "overrated," particularly at 18th in the nation. There certainly aren't 17 teams in the nation that would be favored vs. the Trojans, nor would most AP voters put money where there ballots are on the teams they keep ranking ahead of the Trojans.

Folks: It might be a mistake to write the Trojans off yet. Of course, if the Huskies go into the Coliseum and pull the upset, well, then it might be time.

The bye week after the Nebraska disaster certainly should help Washington. For one, there's extra game planning. Second, they get back two starters who missed the Nebraska game: WR James Johnson and MLB Cort Dennison.

I'd rate the Huskies chances as decent, though I still favor the Trojans, who shouldn't be lacking motivation after last year's upset loss in Seattle.

As for the program taking the next step: Keep in mind you're only in year two with Steve Sarkisian, who already has taken recruiting a major step forward. And in 2008, the Huskies went 0-12.

The end of the 2009 season perhaps gave Huskies fans too much optimism, something that the upbeat Sarkisian did little to keep in check. The expectations for a ranked team competing in the top-half of the Pac-10 that developed might have been premature. We've got plenty of season to play, and the Huskies still might surge, but the early returns are they don't have the talent on either line to play with the elite on a weekly basis.

Mark from Sacramento writes: I know the pac-10 season in just starting, but at what point (number of losses) does Tedford start looking at playing the younger QB's to get them experience instead of senior Riley? Tedford has only recruited one good QB (A. Rodgers), so the so-called QB guru needs to step it up.

Ted Miller: Jeff Tedford is going to play the QB he thinks will give him the best chance to win this season. Clearly, he thinks that's Kevin Riley. He's not going to bench Riley -- whose numbers, by the way, really aren't bad -- and start looking ahead to 2011 anytime soon.

Now, if the losses start to pile up, and Riley isn't doing well, then Tedford might turn to Beau Sweeney to see if he could give the Bears a spark. But I'd rate the odds of that happening as small.

And, keep in mind Tedford the QB guru may have only had major success with Aaron Rodgers at Cal, but his QB pedigree is pretty darn strong from his years at Oregon and Fresno State.

John from Corvalis via Tokyo writes: I have respect for the Arizona St. defense. I am not even going to negatively comment on you picking the Beavers to lose to Arizona St. at Reser (a place where the Beavers have played fairly well recently). Arizona St. could win, I think it will be a good game. Yet I really feel like you have overrated them to say that their defense is as talented as Boise State's and TCU's. Boise St. shutdown the Ducks offense last year and returned nearly the whole team. TCU I believe has led the Nation in Defense two years running. Like I said, Arizona State has a good defense, but they had more blown coverage vs. Oregon than the Beavers had against Boise St. and I think Kellen Moore is a better passer than Darron Thomas (although ASU was selling out against UofO's run game for obvious reasons). Please explain this huge compliment that you have paid them.

Ted Miller: Last year, playing a Pac-10 schedule as well as a game at Georgia, Arizona State ranked 13th in the nation and Boise State 14th in total defense. TCU, of course, was No. 1, but it lost its two best players -- end Jerry Hughes and LB Daryl Washington.

At present, Boise State is is third in total defense, TCU 12th. The Sun Devils are way down at 49th.

But! ASU has played Wisconsin and Oregon, which are presently ranked Nos. 3 and 13 in the nation in total offense, averaging 560 yards and 484 yards per game.

Oregon had 405 yards vs. ASU; Wisconsin 440 (but just 20 points).

Boise State held Oregon State to 237 yards and TCU held the Beavers to 255. But Louisville also held the Beavers to just 319 yards in Reser Stadium. Kentucky had 466 yards against that defense at Louisville. SMU had 361 yards vs. TCU. The Mustangs only had 420 vs. Washington State.

Are you drowning in numbers already?

My point is: Based on who Arizona State, Boise State and TCU have played, the numbers are comparable, though our sample size -- one quarter of the season -- is too small to make ultimate judgments.

So let's then lean on this then: Boise State and TCU play good team defense. More players from Arizona State, however, are going to get drafted by NFL teams.

And I think you'll get a good look at how good the Sun Devils defense is on Saturday.

Paul from Carpinteria, Calif, writes: After watching UCLA dominate the Longhorns last Saturday one thing was extremely clear. Akeem Ayers may the best defensive player in football and this guy has to be double or triple teamed on every down. Is it just me or is this guy a freak of an athlete who is going to be a top 10 pick next year.

Ted Miller: It is just you. Ayers is a pansy.

Kidding! Akeem, please. Kidding!

Paul, not sure if he requires a double- or triple-team every play but he's a leading candidate for Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year. As for his NFL prospects, he's moved up from 18th to 11th on Mel Kiper's "Big Board."

Jonathan from Pullman, Wash., writes: As a student at Washington State University, I would just like to say this: PLEASE STOP GIVING US SO MUCH RESPECT!!! We are an utterly despicable, joke of a football team. Have you even seen us play? We have been the Bad News Bears for what is now the third consecutive year. So please stop saying we will be competitive in games, because we won't. UCLA will man handle us just like every other opponent we face.

Ted Miller: This is the first time I've been told to stop respecting a team so much.

OK, Mr. Sunshine, sounds like a guy needs a long night at "The Coug."

Spencer from Salt Lake City writes: You've got a feel for the hate between BYU/Utah now that the Utes are headed your way. Check this out, this is great. You'll love it.

Ted Miller: Not bad. Not sure our friends from BYU will like it much, but I guess that's the point.

Of course, now you've got to find someone to hate in the Pac-12. Any suggestions, folks?

Steve from Portland writes: You say in your article :"Just ask Oklahoma State, which the Ducks manhandled in the 2008 Holiday Bowl" .....this actually confirms my assumption that you are a MORON!!! First, Oklahoma State was "Man-handling" Oregon the entire first 1/2 until Dez Bryant went out with Injury ....and they narrowly escaped winning that game. The Ducks are a JOKE and have yet to win any big game against a seriously Physical team (and no I don't consider USC as a physical team). The Ducks have had arguably 2 truly tough tests in the last decade....Boise State and Ohio State and they failed miserably in both of them because they were playing good Defenses!! The only GOOD defense that Peter Carroll's USC came up against while he was there ...was TEXAS ...and well ...you know what happened in that National Championship .....The Pac 10 has always been weak in Defense up until the last couple years with Standford looking like a REAL Football team . My guess is the DUCKS get Whooped the the Cardinal .....other than the cardinal ...most of the PAC-10 is a joke ...and want a be conference.

Ted Miller: You had me at MORON, Steve!

Here is the box score from the 2008 Holiday Bowl. The key number is 565.

And here are Mike Gundy's comments.

And here is the box score USC's only game against a good defense, Texas, in the 2005 national title game: The key number is 574 (other than the final score, of course).

Joe from Roseburg, Ore., writes: Could you announce that we are having a black-out at Autzen for this weekends game, and that all the fans attending should try and wear some black duck apparel. Try and spread the word.

Ted Miller: No, I can't do that.

Now, if you went for a Lightning Yellow-out, I'd be all for that.

Oregon coach Chip Kelly runs a fancy-pants offense and his football philosophy is based on speed, speed, speed, but there is no way you're going to get a football coach to say he runs a "finesse team."

Finesse is not a term football coaches embrace. It's not very football-y. You finesse a 7-iron. You finesse a performance on "Dancing With the Stars." You finesse getting caught with your hand in the cookie jar. You don't finesse a football play.

The fourth-ranked Ducks play host to No. 9 Stanford on Saturday in a game with significant Pac-10 and national ramifications, so it's also unlikely that Cardinal coach Jim Harbaugh is going to announce that he sees Oregon as a "finesse" team either. Ask him about a contrast in styles between his undeniably physical crew and the Ducks and he spits out the bait.

"The physical nature, the strength of the Oregon offense, is something we've always had great respect for," Harbaugh said. "It's not a finesse offense. They are expert at what they do. It's a tough physical football team."

Truth is, Oregon can go mano-a-mano when it needs to. Just ask Oklahoma State, which the Ducks manhandled in the 2008 Holiday Bowl. In the months after that game, Cowboys coach Mike Gundy repeatedly referred to how physical the Ducks were and how they'd out-hit his team.

Still, it's hard not to see a contrast in styles between the Ducks' ludicrous speed spread-option offense, and Stanford's power running game that often squeezes a backup offensive lineman into a running back's number in order to get more meat on the field. Both work, by the way: Oregon is No. 1 in the nation in scoring with 57.8 points per game and Stanford is fourth with 48 ppg.

"You got the rough and tough guys from Stanford and a little bit more finesse from Oregon, which runs the ball over the place and scatters you out and beats you with their speed," Arizona coach Mike Stoops said. "It's a little bit of a clash of styles."

It's not just offensive philosophy either. Oregon and Stanford are just different.

• Stanford is going to show up at Autzen Stadium in a conservative, all-white uniform. Oregon? Who knows what uniform the Ducks will choose from their 5,675,418 options.
• Oregon fans are the most boisterous in the Pac-10 and among the rowdiest in the country. Stanford fans tend to be more patrician. And quieter, though certainly passionate in their own way.
• Oregon has open practices and has a clear policy on handling player injuries with the media. Stanford has closed practice and Harbaugh decided this year to provide no injury information, which forces reporters to speculate and/or search out the scuttlebutt on their own.
• During the Pac-10 teleconference Tuesday, Harbaugh told a parable about stone cutters and quoted Ralph Waldo Emerson. Kelly opened his news conference after the Ducks' victory this past Saturday over Arizona State by replying "Sure," to a 200-word question. (It was funny.)

But we don't want to go off on a tangent here, because there is a real, substantive contrast between these teams: Oregon is a faster team. Period.

"Oregon is fast-fast," Harbaugh said. "They are a strong, tough team and they are a fast team. They are the fastest team we've seen -- including our own."

Of course, Oregon was fast-fast last year when it went to Stanford as the hottest team in the nation and lost 51-42, giving up 505 yards, including 223 yards rushing and three touchdowns to running back Toby Gerhart.

Gerhart is gone, but the physical Stanford running game is not. The Ducks rank No. 1 in the conference with 321.8 yards rushing per game. Stanford is second at 223.2.

But offense, whatever the contrasting styles, might not be the ultimate key.

"I think [defense] going to be a key in all these games," Stoops said. "It's going to come down to defenses coming up with stops against some terrific offenses."

That is also a contrast. Oregon's defense is undersized but fast. Stanford's front seven is significantly bigger. Both units have played well in the early going, though Stanford is likely going to spend a lot of time with the film of the Ducks' game at Arizona State, when the Sun Devils piled up nearly 600 yards.

There is one contrast that Kelly is clearly embracing: this year and last. Oregon prefers the din of Autzen Stadium.

"I'm just really glad we've got them at home this year," he said.

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

My guess is Oregon fans will enjoy this post from my buddy Tim Griffin over at the Big 12 blog.

But before you Ducks go over there and trash talk -- not that you guys would ever do such a thing, of course -- keep this in mind: Oklahoma State's players and coaches never whined or made excuses about how the Holiday Bowl went down. They owned up and gave credit to the Duck -- then and now.

For example, this is what Oklahoma State linebacker Andre Sexton told Griffin:

"It really was embarrassing because that quarterback (Oregon's Jeremiah Masoli) made our players look like they had never made a tackle before. That was pretty sad."

And say what you want about coach Mike "I'm a man!" Gundy, but he didn't mince words:

"What happened to us against Oregon is they hit harder than we did and were tougher than we were in the fourth quarter. Up front they beat us on both sides of the ball. As a staff we were very disappointed in ourselves in our preparation. And our players were disappointed they outhit us in the fourth quarter."

Of course, Oklahoma State plays host to Georgia on Sept. 5 in one of the marquee nonconference games of the year. That might be a more favorable matchup for the Cowboys because the Bulldogs are more of a finesse offense and don't feature as physical a running game as the Ducks do.

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

The memorable 10 from the Pac-10.

Jacquizz Rodgers slicing and dicing the nation's best defense: No individual performance changed the college football season more than Rodgers, a true freshman no less, rushing for 186 yards on 37 carries with two touchdowns in Oregon State's shocking 27-21 upset over top-ranked USC.

Jahvid Best has left the building: The California running back produced eight runs of 60 yards or more this season, rushed for 311 yards in two and a half quarters vs. Washington and produced runs of 42, 32, 28 and 25 yards while carrying the Bears to an Emerald Bowl victory over Miami. He's just a sophomore but YouTube already should give him a lifetime achievement award.

The passion of the Crapple Cup: Sure, Washington and Washington State were the two worst BCS conference teams in 2008. Sure, they played a sloppy game. Sure, the stakes didn't matter outside of the state borders. But the excitement on the Cougars' sideline -- and the mob scene as their jubilant fans stormed the field at Martin Stadium -- showed that rivalry games matter deeply, whatever the circumstances.

The second quarter of the Rose Bowl: USC's 24-zip second quarter that ended the Rose Bowl before halftime was the most overwhelming show of force in college football this season. The Trojans outgained Penn State 236 to 65 in that frame, with quarterback Mark Sanchez passing for two touchdowns and running for another.

Kevin Craft's tale of two halves: UCLA quarterback Kevin Craft didn't have a good season (see 20 interceptions), but his second-half reversal against Tennessee in the season opener was stunning. His first-half numbers: 7-of-18 for 66 yards with 4 INTs. No touchdown drives. His second-half numbers: 18-of-25 for 193 yards, no picks and a touchdown pass with 27 seconds remainiung to backup TE Ryan Moya. And he led 80- and 70-yard touchdown drives.

Sept. 13th, or Black Saturday: One horrible Saturday afternoon defined the Pac-10 for the regular season. On Sept. 13, the Pac-10 went 3-7 in nonconference games (including Washington State's loss at Baylor, which was rescheduled for Friday night due to weather). Included in that dismal record was an 0-4 mark vs. the Mountain West Conference.

Tyrone Willingham vs. Seattle media: Willingham's tenure at Washington was an unmitigated disaster, see bad recruiting and a 11-37 record over four years. It was also a disaster in terms of public and media relations. Willingham began his tenure completely shutting down access to his team for both media and boosters. He then gave vague or misleading reports on what was going on with his team, on the depth chart and in regard to injuries and/or suspensions. He then refused to answer questions from the Seattle Times, the state's largest newspaper. At the end, during prickly and brief news conferences, he seemed to mostly pass the buck, see his post-Apple Cup comment: "Obviously, if you're the head coach at this time, you take responsibility for what's going on. But, it should also be noted, that the day I arrived, what the state of the program was."

Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli runs over Oklahoma State safety Quinton Moore: No play exemplified the Pac-10's 5-0 bowl season redemption more than Masoli pancaking Moore on a 41-yard touchdown run in the Ducks' 42-31 Holiday Bowl victory. Masoli led an offense that rolled up 565 yards, including 307 yards rushing. "They were more physical than us," Cowboys coach Mike Gundy said afterward.

"Write something nice about me." That's what Arizona coach Mike Stoops said to reporters after he left his postgame news conference following the Wildcats' 42-27 victory over California. The comment came off as amusing rather than bitter or paranoid and indicated that the seemingly always embattled Stoops was becoming more comfortable in his coaching shoes. An impressive Las Vegas Bowl win over BYU, the program's first bowl game in a decade, was further evidence.

The USC defense: It pitched three shutouts. Eight teams failed to score after halftime. It held foes to just nine points a game, 2.3 points less than any other defense. It gave up just six touchdown passes. Opponents averaged 3.6 yards per play. It was by nearly every measure, the nation's best defense and one of the best in the history of college football.

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

Don't put your game face on just yet. Read these links, then do so.

• Maybe Arizona's 2008 recruiting class was better than the pundits projected. 
• Most news conferences are boring, but Arizona State QB Rudy Carpenter sometimes can be fairly interesting.
• Oregon rover Patrick Chung will wear the No. 29 jersey this fall in honor of late teammate Todd Doxey, who drowned this summer.
• Four players who will make a difference in the Oregon State-Stanford tilt. Previously, Paul Buker wondered if it might not be the Beavers' offensive line that determines the outcome.
• It's Tavita Pritchard time at Stanford.
• Chris Forcier is being challenged as UCLA's backup QB. Tennessee is hoping to Chow down.
• USC tailback C.J. Gable says, "Why not?" to national title talk. Should USC fans be concerned about LB Brian Cushing's left wrist?
• Jerry Brewer celebrates the return of Washington center Juan Garcia from what was once thought a career-ending foot injury. Huskies new defensive coordinator Ed Donatell probably knows his D is going to have its hands full with Oregon. Jim Moore, meanwhile, gets the Huskies to imitate coach Tyrone Willingham -- and there's video!
• Wonder if Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy will do anything interesting after the Washington State game? He might want to check out Brandon Gibson. He's a man, too.

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

This is the 10th in a series looking at potential dream and nightmare scenarios for all Pac-10 teams, starting from the top of our preseason power rankings and working down.

Up next: Washington State

Best case: What no one counted on was Washington State quarterback Gary Rogers being so good after finally becoming the starter and the Cougars finally avoiding the injury issues that have ruined past seasons.

It became clear that Rogers -- and not Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy -- was "a man" when he throws two 40-yard touchdown passes to Brandon Gibson in the opener inside Seattle's Qwest Field. The Cougars shockingly dominant 40-17 romp inspires fans to chant "We're Cougars! We scored 40!" as Gundy trudges off the field.

The Cougars were poised for another upset in the Martin Stadium opener, but California's Jahvid Best scoots for a 67-yard TD run with less than a minute remaining to save the Bears in a 31-24 victory.

Oregon comes to Pullman after consecutive victories over Baylor and Portland State. It's another heartbreaker, though, when the Oregon rushing attack wears down the Cougars defense in the fourth quarter and the Ducks pull away 35-24.

After the game first-year coach Paul Wulff shocks his team with a full-on locker room blow-up: "We will not accept close! Close is for losers! The only thing that matters in this locker room is winning."

Pure coaching brilliance. The Cougars don't make it close with a solid win at UCLA, 24-13, but they do at Oregon State. Down 24-20 with 2:13 left, Rogers leads a methodical 80-yard TD drive, connecting with tight end Devin Frischknecht for a 9-yard, game-winning scoring pass with 14 seconds remaining.

Close isn't the problem against USC, which stomps the Cougars 34-10, but the Cougs become bowl-eligible with a 28-24 win at Stanford after a bye.

The next week, however, the Cougs come out flat against Arizona and can't rally for victory in the fourth quarter. At Arizona State, Sun Devils quarterback Rudy Carpenter throws for four touchdowns in a 40-20 victory.

So a two-game losing streak adds some motivation as the already motivated Cougars get ready for the Apple Cup with Washington coming to frigid, snow-covered Pullman.

The Friday night before the game, Wulff shows the team a film of Apple Cup clips through the years, both the good and bad from the Cougars perspective. The video concludes with a series of impassioned pleas from Washington State fans to beat the hated Huskies.

Which the Cougars do, 30-24, with Gibson catching 10 passes for 137 yards and three TDs.

The 31-17 win at Hawaii to conclude the season earns the 8-5 Cougars an Emerald Bowl invitation opposite Boston College.

Cougs roll 33-24.

Wulff calls a press conference and says "hell will freeze over" before he'd even entertain becoming Washington's head coach.

This goes over well with the fan base as does a recruiting class that eclipses the Huskies and their new coach, John Mackovic, in the national rankings.

Worst case: Washington State just didn't have enough talent, and when injuries pile up it became clear that new coach Paul Wulff has a long way to go to bring the Cougars back into the top half of the Pac-10.

They are competitive for a half against Oklahoma State, but the defense wilts midway through the third quarter in a 44-28 defeat. After a blowout home loss to California, and a turnover-plagued defeat at Baylor, the Cougars get into the win column with a 40-15 blitzing of Portland State.

Then, when the Pac-10 schedule heats up, everything just falls apart. There are a couple of injuries to the front-seven and the defense can't stop the run, which makes a vulnerable secondary even more vulnerable.

The Cougars head into the Apple Cup riding a six-game losing streak. Wulff tries to pull out every motivational ploy he can imagine, but the bowl-bound Huskies and quarterback Jake Locker pour it on 38-20.

The Cougars manage to finish the season on an up note with a 30-27 win at Hawaii, but the 0-9 Pac-10 mark is hard to put a smiley face on.

It doesn't help when Tyrone Willingham and the resurgent Huskies win the Las Vegas Bowl and then sign a recruiting class rated 17th in the country.