Despite Flexing Some Muscle, Pac-10 Still Takes Step Back

LOS ANGELES -- Only the Pacific 10 Conference can show some muscle but take a step back on the same day.

Highlighted by Washington's victory over No. 3 USC on Saturday, the Pac-10 proved once again that it's not a conference dominated by one team. It was the fourth consecutive season that the highly-regarded Trojans -- who are 33-1 in their last 34 games against non-conference opponents -- were knocked off by an underdog Pac-10 squad.

For Washington, which improved to 2-1 overall, the victory will likely lead to a few votes in next week's national polls. A major turnaround for a program that finished 0-12 last season and ended a 15-game losing streak only one week before facing USC.

"When was the last time U-dub was ranked?," Washington linebacker Donald Butler asked reporters after the Huskies defeated USC for the first time since 2001. "I will remember this game forever ... It's something I'll be telling my grandkids about."

The Pac-10 also got a lift from No. 8 California, UCLA and Oregon, which won profile games outside league play on Saturday.

Let's start with the Bears, who played at Minnesota and trounced the Golden Gophers, 35-21, behind five touchdown runs by Jahvid Best. Although Minnesota may not be respected as a national power, coach Jeff Tedford's Cal team improved to 3-0 and showed that it may be a legitimate force this season by winning a non-conference game on the road.

"It's great to play a tough game and to be able to play well in the fourth quarter and make plays when you need to make plays," Tedford told the Oakland Tribune when asked about Cal's 1-8 record in its previous nine road games before Saturday. "Yes, I think it will give us a boost."

UCLA is another conference team that made a strong statement over the weekend. Despite playing without quarterback Kevin Prince, who led the Bruins to a 2-0 start before being sidelined because of a broken jaw, UCLA took care of Kansas State, 23-9, at the Rose Bowl. The victory not only gave the Bruins their first 3-0 start since 2005, but also improved coach Rick Neuheisel's record at UCLA to 3-0 against non-conference BCS teams.

"It's a fun place to be," Neuheisel said after the game. "But we have to keep it going."

For the Ducks, beating No. 8 Utah in Eugene not only ended the Utes' 16-game winning streak (the longest in the nation heading into play this weekend) but it also may help move them back into the national picture after losing at Boise State to open the season.

The man for Oregon was redshirt freshman running back LaMichael James, who rushed for a career-high 152 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries.

With quarterback Jeremiah Masoli passing for only 95 yards with one interception and no touchdowns, the Ducks needed James and a big play defense to defeat the Utes.

"Our defense has played unbelievable, and they did today," Oregon coach Chip Kelly told reporters after the game. "The one thing those guys do is they play with maximum effort. It's encouraging when you've got those guys and they're all on the same play and they know the scheme."

Now, here's the bad news for the Pac-10.

While Cal, UCLA and Oregon got the job done in three key games against non-conference foes, previously unbeaten Arizona and Oregon State did not take advantage of the same opportunities.

After two home victories to start the season, Arizona traveled to Iowa and lost, 27-17. Coach Mike Stoops' defense played well but the Wildcats' inability to find a passing game to compliment running back Nic Grigsby proved to be their downfall.

Quarterbacks Matt Scott and Nick Foles combined to complete only 10 of 25 passes for 105 yards with one touchdown and an interception, which was not good enough.

"We had a tough time doing a little bit of everything today," Scott told reporters after the Wildcats lost their seventh game in a row to a Big 10 opponent. "I had a couple of open passes that I missed and that kind of hurt us."

For Oregon State, which had a 26-game home winning streak against non-conference teams end, the story was how the Beavers could not slow down Cincinnati quarterback Tony Pike, who led the 18th-ranked Bearcats to 28-18 victory in Corvallis, Ore.

"Nobody wants to have this feeling after a game," Oregon State cornerback Tim Clark told the Corvallis Gazette-Times after Pike passed for 332 yards and two touchdowns against the Beavers. "I feel disappointed. We missed an opportunity. I thought we could do something big and we let it slip through our fingers."

To close out the Pac-10 day, Arizona State (2-0) did what was expected and rolled over Louisiana-Monroe, 38-14, and Stanford (2-1) beat down San Jose State, 42-17.

But maybe the best thing to happen for the league was Washington State's come-from-behind 30-27 overtime victory over Southern Methodist.

After being blown out in their first two games of the season, the Cougars rallied from a 24-7 third quarter deficit behind quarterback Marshall Lobbestael, who got the call in place of previous starter Kevin Lopina.

Lobbestael, who finished 24 of 52 for 239 yards, sent the game into overtime with a seven-yard touchdown pass to Jared Karstetter with 28 seconds remaining in regulation. Nico Grasu won the game with a 39-yard field goal in overtime.

Although SMU quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell passed for 424 yards and the Mustangs had 504 yards of total offense, can you believe it was the Cougars' defense that won the game.

"They kept us in the game and scored points too," Grasu told reporters after Washington State's defense scored two touchdowns and forced five turnovers. "What more can you ask for?"

Only in the Pac-10.