PAC-12 NEWS

Pac-12 Notebook: Early South showdown in Tucson

The Sports Xchange

September 20, 2015 at 5:29 pm.

UCLA coach Jim Mora has gone 3-0 against Arizona's Rich Rodriguez, as the Bruins have allowed just 43 points in those games to the Wildcats' fast-paced, read-option attack. Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

UCLA coach Jim Mora has gone 3-0 against Arizona’s Rich Rodriguez, as the Bruins have allowed just 43 points in those games to the Wildcats’ fast-paced, read-option attack. Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

INSIDE SLANT

ESPN’s popular College GameDay show is headed to Tucson this week as Pac-12 races heat up in a hurry.

The showcase game is No. 9 UCLA at No. 16 Arizona, a battle of 3-0 teams, but there will also be another key South division game about two hours up the road this Saturday night — 19th-ranked USC at Arizona State. That might have been GameDay’s destination, but the Trojans stumbled out of the conference gate, losing 41-31 at home to Stanford.

UCLA hung on to beat BYU 24-23 on Saturday, while the Wildcats were putting a beating on lower-division Northern Arizona, a game filled with statistical goodies. Arizona set school records for points (77), total offense (792 yards) and rushing (499 yards).

“It will be nice to talk about for a day,” Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez said after the game, talking about all of the records. “After tomorrow’s film, other than corrections, we’ll be moving on for sure.”

And, one more thing about this Saturday — No. 18 Utah plays at No. 13 Oregon.

Bottom line: We’ll know a lot more about the league a week from now.

It’s not easier to get a read on Arizona because the Wildcats have not played a Power 5 conference team, looking progressively better against UTSA, Nevada and then NAU.

“It’s a whole different level of game now since it’s the Pac-12 now,” Arizona safety Brandon Lopez said of playing UCLA. “Going against such a big team, it’s going to be a big challenge.”

Unlike Arizona, the Bruins have been challenged. They opened with a win against Virginia and then eked out a win over a tough BYU team.

“It’s a testament to our toughness,” UCLA linebacker Deon Hollins said of the close win. “Last year, I don’t think we win that game.”

This will be GameDay’s second visit to Tucson. The crew’s first appearance came in 2009, when Oregon played at Arizona on Nov. 21, with each team controlling its fate in the league race. Arizona fans poured out of the stands in the final minute, anticipating victory, but Oregon converted a fourth-and-4 and tied the game with six seconds to go.

The Ducks won 44-41 in double overtime on Jeremiah Masoli’s 1-yard run.

ARIZONA (3-0, 0-0)

Game: Arizona 77, Northern Arizona 13. Quarterback Anu Solomon threw four touchdown passes to kick-start a record-setting night. Arizona broke three school records on the same play with 5:45 left in the game — an 11-yard touchdown run by fourth-string quarterback Zach Werlinger. That set the school record for points (77), total yards (792) and rushing yards (499). Those would be Arizona’s final totals for the night. Solomon completed 25 of 35 passes for 285 yards, leaving after Arizona’s second series of the second half. His backup, Jarrard Randall, piled on with a 72-yard run on his first snap and then a 73-yard scoring run in the fourth quarter.

Takeaway: Unfortunately for the Wildcats, there isn’t a lot to take away, given the level of competition. But based on three games, we’d say this is the best offense fourth-year coach Rich Rodriguez has had at Arizona. “Over the last three weeks, particularly offensively, we’ve been able to find some things that fit in our offense that we can execute well and carry into the conference games,” Rodriguez said after the NAU game.

Next: vs. UCLA, Sept. 26.

ARIZONA STATE (2-1, 0-0)

Game: Arizona State 34, New Mexico 10. Sophomore running back Demario Richard accounted for 255 total yards, highlighted by touchdown receptions of 33 and 93 yards, as he turned short throws into scoring plays. Richard rushed for 104 yards and set a school record for most receiving yards by a running back (151). ESPN noted that he became the first FBS player with 100 rushing yards and 150 receiving yards in the same game since North Texas’ Lance Dunbar in 2011.

Takeaway: The final margin was acceptable, but the Sun Devils were only up by 14 early in the fourth quarter before Richard’s 93-yard touchdown reception. You can see why ASU was so eager to make him the featured back, while moving senior D.J. Foster to receiver — a win-win situation. Richard, not Foster, is becoming the team’s most dynamic offensive force. “He is one of the hardest-working guys on our team,” coach Todd Graham said of Richard in the Arizona Republic. “He has probably matured more than anyone on the team. It means something to him. He wants to be great. He runs with an attitude and he runs through the tackles. He’s a competitor.”

Next: vs. USC, Sept. 26

CAL (3-0, 0-0)

Game: Cal 45, Texas 44. The Bears allowed 20 fourth quarter points to the Longhorns, but escaped with the win when Nick Rose missed an extra-point attempt with 1:11 left. The Texas comeback came after Cal was in charge, running off 31 consecutive points across the second and third quarters. Jared Goff passed for 268 yards and three touchdowns while becoming the school’s career passing leader. RB Khalfani Muhammad rushed 10 times for a career-high 164 yards, including a 74-yard score.

Takeaway: Hold off on all those declarations that the Cal defense is much improved. For sure, the Bears looked better on that side of the ball while beating Grambling State and San Diego State, but the results were not good against Texas. The Longhorns have been anemic on offense, but they rolled to 650 yards behind the run-pass skills of redshirt freshman Jerrod Heard. Cal coach Sonny Dykes is just happy to be 3-0, though. “Anytime you get the chance to play in front of a crowd of 100,000 people, and you hang out and figure out a way to win, that shows you have a lot of character,” he said. “I am just proud of the way our guys hung in there, and if the game went into overtime, I was confident of what we would do in overtime. It was a heck of a ball game.”

Next: at Washington, Sept. 26

COLORADO (2-1, 0-0)

Game: Colorado 27, Colorado State 24. The Buffs won as Diego Gonzalez made a 32-yard field goal on the final possession of the first overtime. The junior had missed a 48-yard attempt on the final play of regulation. Colorado State failed on its overtime chance to put points on the board when Wyatt Bryan’s 22-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Buffs’ safety Tedric Thompson. Colorado was outgained 500 to 345, but it was helped by linebacker Kenneth Olugbode’s 60-yard interception return for a touchdown.

Takeaway: With a game against lower-division Nicholls State coming up, Colorado could be 3-1 heading into its conference season (against Oregon, ASU and Arizona … gulp). But confidence is confidence and a win over good in-state rival Colorado State should go a long way. “That was good for us. I think you keep seeing our team grow up,” said coach Mike MacIntyre. Last season, the Buffs were 1-4 in games decided by a touchdown or less. “Last year we fought and fought but couldn’t find a way to win it,” MacIntyre said. “Tonight we found a way to win it.”

Next: vs. Nicholls St., Sept. 26

OREGON (2-1, 0-0)

Game: Oregon 61, Georgia State 28. Starting quarterback Vernon Adams couldn’t go because of a finger injury, so junior Jeff Lockie made his first career start, completing 23 of 31 passes for 228 yards and two touchdowns in an easy win. Sophomore running back Royce Freeman chipped in with 101 yards on the ground and one touchdown. The Ducks got rolling early thanks to safety Tyree Robinson’s 41-yard interception return for a touchdown about a minute into the game.

Takeaway: Getting Jeff Lockie playing time could end up being a benefit for the Ducks in case he has to play more at some point later in the season. But he didn’t dazzle enough to create any kind of quarterback controversy. Adams is expected back from his broken finger — and likely could have played last Saturday if the opponent was somebody stronger than Georgia State — and he has the right combination of arm strength and athleticism that Oregon needs. Lockie is nice insurance, but Adams is the guy.

Next: vs. Utah, Sept. 26

OREGON STATE (2-1, 0-0)

Game: Oregon State 35, San Jose State 21. The Beavers scored three unanswered third quarter touchdowns to rally to victory, bouncing back from a 35-7 loss at Michigan. Oregon State was down 21-14 at halftime but put up 21 points in the third quarter — including an interception return for a score — to take control. True freshman quarterback Seth Collins threw for 135 yards and a TD, also rushing for 114 yards and two scores. Running back Storm Barrs-Woods rushed for 151 yards.

Takeaway: The Beavers made strides in this game, which could serve to settle down Collins as he heads into conference play. At this point, though, he’s more running threat than passing threat, and defenses are sure to dare Collins into the passing game while stocking up against the run. The Beavers had a physical edge to them in the second half against San Jose State, but Stanford will match that — and them some — this week.

Next: vs. Stanford, Sept. 25

SOUTHERN CAL (2-1, 0-1)

Game: Stanford 41, Southern Cal 31. USC, coming off impressive-looking wins against Arkansas State and Idaho, took a step up in competition against Stanford … and then tripped and took a face-plant. The loss as a double-digit favorite is one thing, but to get pushed around by a Stanford offense that failed to score a touchdown earlier this season at Northwestern is another. The Trojans allowed 474 yards to Stanford, and could not get the Cardinal off the field. Stanford had possession for 39 minutes, 29 seconds, in part by converting 8 of 12 third-down chances.

Takeaway: The loss doesn’t eliminate the Trojans from the College Football Playoff discussion, but they will have to cede their presumed status as the Pac-12 favorites, at least for a week. Most alarming was the lack of toughness and discipline on defense. Stanford, at one point, scored on seven of eight possessions, repeatedly killing any momentum the USC offense tried to muster. “We lost the edge more than we should have against a team that runs to the edge,” USC coach Steve Sarkisian said of his defense. “As much as Stanford is that ‘ground-and-pound,’ the ball gets to the edge a lot. It was important for us to set the edge and turn the ball back inside. That didn’t happen enough for us.”

Next: at Arizona State, Sept. 26

STANFORD (2-1, 1-0)

Game: Stanford 41, Southern Cal 31. The Cardinal offense came alive with balance and its ability to control the line of scrimmage. Christian McCaffrey rushed for 115 yards on 26 carries, and Kevin Hogan completed 18 of 23 passes for 279 yards, with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Stanford, which had 474 total yards, put up an 11-play, 52-yard scoring drive for the final margin after USC closed to 38-31. The Cardinal then held on downs to seal the win.

Takeaway: This was the Stanford team most were anticipating before the season, especially with the “good” Kevin Hogan re-emerging as he did late last season. And McCaffrey is a versatile weapon who needs to be getting those 34 touches (26 runs, three receptions, five kick returns) as he did against USC. If Stanford can keep playing like this, it’s too early to just hand the North division to Oregon.

Next: at Oregon State, Sept. 25

UCLA (3-0, 0-0)

Game: UCLA 24, BYU 23. Junior Paul Perkins carried 26 times for a career-high 219 yards and one touchdown as the Bruins rallied from a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter. The Bruins overcame a shaky performance by freshman quarterback Josh Rosen, but managed to take their first lead of the game on a 3-yard run by Nate Starks with 3:21 to go. UCLA then had to hold on against BYU’s Tanner Mangum, who delivered victories in the first two weeks on Hail Mary passes. This time, the Bruins denied him more magic, as linebacker Myles Jack intercepted his pass on fourth-and-7 from midfield.

Takeaway: Rosen completed only 11 of 23 passes for 106 yards, with one touchdown and three interceptions. “It was an ugly game for him, but I think this is going to be a turning point for him,” coach Jim Mora said. It can be, if the freshman does what a freshman should do — learn. He was bound to struggle at some points in the season, so the fact that he was able to do so while UCLA still won ends up being a huge plus. Two of Rosen’s interceptions came in the red zone, and he’ll have a chance to clean that up before playing this week at Arizona, his first true hostile road environment.

Next: at Arizona, Sept. 26

UTAH (3-0, 0-0)

Game: Utah 45, Fresno State 24. Senior Devontae Booker ran 31 times for 156 yards and two touchdowns to help support new starting quarterback Kendal Thompson, who is filling in for injured Travis Wilson. Thompson completed 19 of 25 passes for 159 yards and one touchdown as Utah built a big lead before giving up 21 fourth quarter points to the Bulldogs. “We got sloppy at the end, which is unfortunate because we put together a pretty good game plan,” said coach Kyle Whittingham.

Takeaway: Utah looks like the team it was last year — the Utes are simply a tough out. They are tough and physical, and Booker gives them a game-changing threat on offense. But questions remain about Utah’s ability to really push the ball down field in the passing game. Utah averages just 6.2 yards per pass attempt, which ranks 102nd in the nation. That probably won’t play well this week at Oregon.

Next: at Oregon, Sept. 26

WASHINGTON (2-1, 0-0)

Game: Washington 31, Utah State 17. True freshman Jake Browning threw for a career-high 368 yards and three touchdowns, including two to fullback Dwayne Washington. The first score by Washington came early in the second quarter as he took a swing pass 81 yards to the end zone for a 10-0 lead. The score was 17-10 in the third quarter before Browning directed consecutive touchdown drives, with a scoring pass of 33 yards to Washington and one of 3 yards to tight end Drew Sample. The Huskies scored on a fake field goal in the second quarter.

Takeaway: While most of the attention has been on UCLA true freshman Josh Rosen, it’s Browning that has the nifty passer rating of 158.23, which ranks as the third-best nationally among freshman and the best among freshman passers in Power 5 conferences. (Rosen is at 126.62.) The rebuilding Huskies are more realistically pointing to 2016 and beyond, but Chris Petersen can coach a little bit and Washington can’t be overlooked this season if Browning stays ahead of the learning curve.

Next: vs. Cal, Sept. 26

WASHINGTON STATE (2-1, 0-0)

Game: Washington State 31, Wyoming 14. Luke Falk passed for 303 yards and two touchdowns, and the Cougars’ defense held Wyoming scoreless after the first quarter, as Washington State won its second game in a row after dropping its opener to lower-division Portland State. Falk completed 37 of 45 passes. Wyoming had the edge in total yardage, 409-378, and the Cougars didn’t put the game away until scoring 10 points in the final period.

Takeaway: It’s not often you can give kudos to Washington State’s defense, but it did have 14 tackles for loss, five sacks, two turnovers and a blocked kick. Otherwise, this wasn’t the offensive show that is to be expected of a Mike Leach offense, and the Cougars — while bouncing back decently enough to save face after their season-opener — don’t appear to be a threat in the Pac-12 North.

Next: Bye.

NOTES, QUOTES

–UCLA coach Jim Mora has gone 3-0 against Arizona’s Rich Rodriguez, as the Bruins have allowed just 43 points in those games to the Wildcats’ fast-paced, read-option attack. Rodriguez, in his fourth season at Arizona, has beaten every team in the league except UCLA and Stanford (which he has played against just once). Arizona has averaged only 312.3 yards per game against the Bruins in the Mora-Rodriguez matchups.

–Utah and BYU announced last week that the in-state rivals will meet to open the 2019 and 2020 season. Games are also scheduled for each of the next three seasons. BYU, an FBS independent, has games scheduled against Utah, Arizona, UCLA, Cal, Washington, Washington State, Arizona State, USC and Stanford through the 2020 season.

–When Washington State backup running back Keith Harrington scored on a 36-yard run against Wyoming, it marked the longest touchdown run in coach Mike Leach’s four years with WSU. “He’s developing into a real weapon, as far as making people miss,” Leach said.

–Oregon extended its NCAA record with a touchdown pass to 71 consecutive games when Jeff Lockie connected with Dwayne Stanford in the second quarter against Georgia State.

–Arizona used four quarterbacks against NAU, including fourth-string walk-on Zach Werlinger. Those four combined for an insane stat line: 11 rushes for 267 yards and five touchdowns.

–Only two quarterbacks in the country have thrown for double-digit touchdowns without an interception. Both play in the Pac-12: USC’s Cody Kessler and Arizona’s Anu Solomon. They each have 10 touchdown tosses.

QUOTE TO NOTE: “Sefo, he is so tough. I say that all the time. I think he is the toughest quarterback I have ever been around. I think he is the toughest. He is a warrior. He just kept battling and battling and ended up making some plays for us that he needed to make.” — Colorado coach Mike MacIntyre on QB Sefo Liufau, after the Buffs’ overtime win against Colorado State

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

FIVE BIGGEST TAKEAWAYS FROM WEEK 3 IN THE PAC-12:

1. Stanford owns L.A. The Cardinal has won three consecutive games against UCLA at the Rose Bowl, including a resounding 31-10 victory at the end of the 2014 regular season that denied the Bruins the Pac-12 South title. And with Stanford’s win at USC on Saturday, it has won four of its last five trips to the Coliseum.

2. Uncertainty reigns. Do you have a good idea about which is the best team in the Pac-12? USC can’t make a claim right now. Oregon has a loss — an understandable loss at Michigan State, but still a loss — and a suspect defense. UCLA has a true freshman quarterback. Arizona State hasn’t looked in sync. Arizona hasn’t played anybody. Good luck knowing what you’re going to get from Stanford. See our point?

3. Cal coach Sonny Dykes is living right. His Golden Bears held on for a one-point win at Texas on Saturday thanks to a missed PAT with 1:11 left. It was basically the same story last season, when Cal eked out a 60-59 win against Washington State when the Cougars missed a 19-yard field goal.

4. Arizona’s backup QB is fascinating. Only one player in the country has three runs of 50-plus yards, and it is Arizona backup quarterback Jarrard Randall, who has only six carries. He has scored on runs of 57, 72 and 73 yards in the past two weeks. He saw brief time at wide receiver against NAU, and coach Rich Rodriguez will continue to explore that possibility because Randall is a major weapon who needs to do more than carry a clipboard.

5. USC’s JuJu Smith-Schuster is the best player in the conference. Too strong? The sophomore is a highlight waiting to happen, with 22 catches for 434 yards and four touchdowns, looking every bit the part as the next great USC receiver.