ASU-Stanford matchup highlights week four of Pac-12 football
AROUND THE PAC-12
440 CLUB: Just three weeks into the season and three Pac-12 quarterbacks (CALIFORNIA’s Jared Goff, OREGON’s Marcus Mariota, OREGON STATE’s Sean Mannion) have combined to throw for over 440 or more yards in a game four times. Only two other seasons in Pac-12 history have seen league quarterbacks throw for 440 or more yards more than four times - 1998 (6 times) and 2002 (5 times).
THE TOTAL PACKAGE: Eight Pac-12 quarterbacks rank among the top 16 in the FBS in total offense, led by California’s Jared Goff (429.7 ypg).
TO MAKE A POINT: All 11 Pac-12 teams in action last weekend scored 32 or more points, averaging 41.3 ppg last Saturday. Of 123 FBS teams, only 27 manage to average better than 41.3 ppg, with six coming from the Pac-12 (2. Oregon 61.3 ppg; 7. UCLA 49.5 ppg; 8. Utah 49.3 ppg; 19. Arizona 43.7; 20. Arizona State 43.5 ppg; 21. Oregon State 43.3 ppg). Utah has scored 148 points in three games this season. It took the Utes eight games last season before they reached 148 points. Oregon State has scored 130 points this season. It took the Beavers five games last season before they posted 130 points.
NOT WASTING ANY TIME: Pac-12 offenses take little time to put points on the scoreboard. In 195 scoring drives to date, 83 were accomplished in less than two minutes (42.6 percent), while 123 were accomplished in less than three minutes (63.1 percent). The OREGON Ducks took two minutes or less to score in 23 of its 28 scoring drives (82.1 percent). Complete chart of scoring drives by time is listed on page 8 of this release.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
WASHINGTON: The Huskies are No. 17 in this week’s AP poll. It’s their highest ranking in the AP poll since the 2003 preseason poll also had the Huskies at No. 17 . . . After rushing for a career-high 208 yards against Illinois, junior TB Bishop Sankey has rushed for 100 or more yards in six of the last seven games. He’s gained 576 yards over his last three games, and 1,142 yards over his last seven games. He currently leads the FBS in rushing with 184.5 yards per game . . . Senior QB Keith Price tossed for 342 yards and 2 TDs in the win over Illinois, the second consecutive 300-yard passing game. Prior to the last two games, Price had thrown for 300 yards in game just twice in 34 career games played. He has 58 TD passes in his career, most in school history and ranks tied for 24th all-time in the Pac-12. He’s currently completing 77.3 percent of his passes this season . . . Junior DE Josh Shirley recorded seven tackles, including 3.0 sacks in the win over Illinois.
USC: Sophomore QB Cody Kessler, in his first game after being named the season starter, was near perfect in his passing accuracy, at one point completing 14 consecutive aerials, including a TD bomb to WR Marqise Lee. Lee is now third on USC’s career pass catching list with 208 receptions . . . Sophomore TB Tre Madden had his third straight 100-yard rushing outing to open the 2013 campaign (the last Trojan to begin a season like that was Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Allen in 1981) and is 17th in the nation in rush yards per game (120.7 ypg). USC’s defense, employing the 5-2 scheme of new defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast, continues its dramatic turnaround from a year ago. The Trojans are in the national Top 10 in rushing defense, sacks, total defense, interceptions, pass efficiency defense, tackles for loss and scoring defense.
ARIZONA STATE: With his four touchdown performance in the win over Wisconsin, senior RB Marion Grice became the first Sun Devil to rush for four touchdowns in a game since Mike Williams ran for four at Arizona on Nov. 29, 2002 . . . Grice now has six touchdowns on the year (five rushing, one receiving). He has racked up 25 touchdowns over his first 15 games in an ASU uniform, and continues to maintain his average of scoring a touchdown every 7.5 times he touches the ball . . . Grice leads the nation in scoring at 18.0 points per game, and is 6th in the Pac-12 in all-purpose yards (161.0).
STANFORD: Junior WR Ty Montgomery had another big game, amassing 233 all-purpose yards at Army. He caught six passes for 130 yards, including a 46-yard touchdown, rushed twice for 30 yards, and brought back three kickoffs for 73 yards. Montgomery ranks third in the Pac-12 with 177.0 all-purpose yardage . . . In the win at Army, senior RB Tyler Gaffney rushed for a career-high 132 yards on 20 carries and one touchdown, and also caught a 23-yard scoring pass . . . The Cardinal recovered a third quarter fumble that extended Stanford’s streak of forcing at least one turnover in a nation-best 26-sraight games.
LAST TIME: No. 7 Stanford edged Arizona State, 17-13 in Sun Devil Stadium on November 13, 2010. Trailing 13-10 midway through the fourth quarter, Andrew Luck led the Cardinal on the winning drive by completing all four of his pass attempts during the possession. The Cardinal improved to 9-1 with the victory, its best start in 59 years.
OREGON STATE: Junior QB Sean Mannion has 1,237 passing yards for the season, second in the FBS and his 404 yards of total offense per game also ranks second in the FBS . . . Mannion and junior WR Brandin Cooks hooked up three times for touchdowns in Saturday’s game and for their careers have connected 10 times -- fourth at OSU in the history books . . . Mannion also co-leads the NCAA with 12 touchdown passes, seven have been to Cooks . . . Sophomore WR Richard Mullaney has been a key target for Mannion as he has 15 receptions for 258 yards (17.2 ypg) and 2 TDs. He had 13 catches all of last season for 148 yards.
UCLA: At No. 13 in this week’s AP poll, it’s the highest the Bruins have been ranked since reaching No. 11 on Sept. 9, 2007 . . . In the 41-21 win at Nebraska, sophomore QB Brett Hundley helped to engineer a Bruin comeback from a 21-3 second-quarter deficit by completing his final 10 passing attempts and a perfect 8-8 in the second half of play. Hundley finished with 16 completions in 24 attempts for the game for a total of 294 yards. He had three scoring passes, all in the third quarter. UCLA scored a touchdown on each of its four third-quarter possessions to tie a school record for points in a third quarter (28). Hundley also was effective with his legs as he rushed a career-high 19 times for 61 yards, including a key 13-yard gain on a third-and-12 situation during a late second quarter touchdown drive . . . UCLA’s defense limited the Cornhuskers to no points, one of seven on third down conversions and 135 second-half yards on 35 plays. Nebraska, which came in to the game ranked ninth in the nation in rushing yards (330.0 / g average) was held to 128 yards on the ground on 42 attempts by the Barr-led Bruin defense. The Bruins shut out a Nebraska team, which was averaging 46.5 points per game, for the final 37 minutes of the contest
WASHINGTON STATE: The Cougar defense has been solid the last two games allowing Southern Utah 219 yards total offense just one week after limiting USC to 193 yards total offense. It’s the first time the Cougs held opponents under 225 yards since 1994 (Washington-197 yards, and Baylor-151 yards) . . . Senior CB Damante Horton picked up his seventh career interception, and recorded his third career interception return for a touchdown when he returned a pick 72 yards for a score against Southern Utah. That ties him for most in WSU history with Jason David (2000-03) . . . Senior S Deone Bucannon recorded eight tackles and now has 300 for his career. He leads the Pac-12, averaging 10.0 tackles per game.
UTAH: The Utes are averaging an impressive 539.0 yards of total offense, which ranks 17th in the FBS . . . Sophomore QB Travis Wilson accounted for five TDs in the overtime loss to Oregon State. He threw for 279 yards and two TDs and rushed for a career-high 142 yards and three TDs . . . Wilson ranks 10th in the FBS in total offense with 363.0 ypg. He’s already has tossed seven touchdown passes in three games, equaling last season’s total . . . Up for grabs in the game against BYU is the Beehive Boot, which is awarded between Utah, BYU and Utah State. The Utes have the advantage after their win over Utah in the season-opener . . . Utah has won three straight over BYU . . . Freshman PK Andy Phillips remains perfect on the season, connecting on 5-of-5 in field goals and 19-of-19 PAT.