The Pac gets smacked during weekend to forget

Kyle Odegard, Tribune

September 16, 2008 - 7:40PM

OH, NO: UCLA cornerback Alterraun Verner reacts after a BYU score during the second quarter of a game Saturday in Provo, Utah. BYU defeated UCLA 59-0, the biggest loss out of seven that Pac-10 teams suffered last week.

The Associated Press

Arizona and UCLA get a reprieve in the schedule Saturday. They play each other. Nonconference action doesn't seem so enticing any more.

The Pac-10 fell in seven of 10 nonconference games last weekend, including losses to New Mexico, Maryland, TCU and Nevada-Las Vegas, as well as the Bruins' 59-0 drubbing at Brigham Young.

Many called it the worst weekend of Pac-10 football since Arizona State and Arizona were added to the conference 30 years ago.

On Tuesday, the coaches were left to defend the reputation of the Pac-10.

"Given the history of it, it was just a bad day," Cal coach Jeff Tedford said. "I wouldn't expect to see this again from our conference at this magnitude. I think it was just kind of a weird weekend."

The Mountain West went 4-0 against Pac-10 teams over the weekend but has also inflicted damage on other major conferences, Arizona coach Mike Stoops pointed out.

"Utah went in and beat Michigan, too," he said.

Multiple conference teams losing on the same day may have been a fluke, but it seems clear that the Pac-10 - outside of USC, which is ranked No. 1 and just blasted No. 5 Ohio State - isn't at the level of some other major conferences.

The SEC, for instance, has five teams ranked in the top 10 in the latest Associated Press poll. The Big Ten has four in the top 11.

Only Oregon joins USC in the Top 25, and the Ducks had to rally to beat Purdue in overtime on Saturday and are now down to their third-string quarterback due to injuries.

The Mountain West has just as many teams ranked nationally as the Pac-10.

Oregon coach Mike Bellotti said the perception of the conference undoubtedly took a hit.

"The league that you play in is your national standard bearer," Bellotti said. "That part affects all of us. It affects our reputation. The only way we can answer that is on the field."

And Bellotti seems certain that will happen.

Despite the results, "I still think the Pac-10 is the best conference in the nation," he said.

Arizona State will get the most immediate opportunity in a game against No. 3 Georgia on Saturday in Tempe. The Bulldogs were the preseason No. 1 and are currently a touchdown favorite against the Sun Devils.

Stanford plays San Jose State at home - a team that beat the Cardinal last season - and winless Washington State hosts Portland State as the Pac-10 looks to improve on a 10-9 nonconference record.

The coaches don't think last week's poor showing will become a trend.

"I would guess that those are not indications of how the season will go," USC coach Pete Carroll said.

But gone are the days when simply putting on a Pac-10 jersey guarantees victory against a non-BCS school.

"We have to recognize that (as a Pac-10 team) you become the target," Bellotti said. "You have to get your guys prepared and to understand that you have to be the hungriest team on the field.

"It's college football. It shows the parity that's out there. It's not necessarily the best team (that wins), it's the team that plays the best that day. You have to play inspired football for four quarters."

The Pac-10's week to forget

All of the Pac-10 teams were in action last week, with the conference going 3-7. In those seven losses, the Pac-10 schools were beaten by an average of 39-18.

Baylor 45, Washington State 17

Maryland 35, California 27

TCU 31, Stanford 14

BYU 59, UCLA 0

Oregon 32, Purdue 26 (OT)

Oregon State 45, Hawaii 7

Oklahoma 55, Washington 14

USC 35, Ohio State 3

New Mexico 36, Arizona 28

UNLV 23, Arizona State 20 (OT)

AP Top25 by conference

SEC: 5 teams