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SALT LAKE CITY — As opening weekends of football go, there were some positives and negatives, and some teams that didn't live up to the projected hype.
Overall, the conference had a decent showing, mostly beating the teams they should. But Colorado and Washington State just couldn't get it done this weekend. Cal, Oregon State, UCLA, and Washington might have had a few people sweating.
Here's a look at how well the Pac-12 did in it's first week of play.
Score: Arizona wins 38-13
Game recap: Remember the names Anu Solomon and Terris Jones-Grigsby. The freshmen and senior combo, respectively, put on a show for the Wildcats, making them a threat on offense. Solomon started out with some nerves, overthrowing receivers, but quickly settled down and made the offense look really good. It's early, but add Solomon to the list of great quarterbacks in the Pac-12.
Key stat: Solomon went 25-of-44 for 425 yards and 4 touchdowns.
Conference implications: Arizona showed it has the talent to compete in the Pac-12. With several talented receivers and a great run game in the works, Arizona could make some waves in the South Division. The defense is a little suspect at times and could be a downfall to the high-powered offense.
Next opponent: UTSA (1-0, 0-0)
(19) Arizona State (1-0, 0-0) vs. 
Weber State (0-1, 0-0) Score: Arizona State wins 45-14
Game recap: Weber State tried to make it a game in the second half, but their two touchdowns were not enough to overpower a good Arizona State team. The Sun Devils offense started a little slow, but quickly got on track and got the expected win.
Key stat: D.J. Foster had 15 carries for 147 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Conference implications: There's not much to learn about future successes from a game against an FCS opponent, but quarterback Taylor Kelly and his offense look poised for a similar season as the year's past. The young defense could pose a problem, but it didn't show any signs of weakness Thursday night.
Next opponent: @ New Mexico (0-1, 0-0)
California (1-0, 0-0) @ 
Northwestern (0-1, 0-0)Score: Cal wins 31-24
Game recap: Cal looked to be in control of the game quickly, jumping to an early 17-0 lead, before Northwestern started making a comeback late in the first half and into the second. Northwestern scored two touchdowns in a 25-second period in the third quarter that brought the Wildcats within 10. A tipped pass that lead to a Northwestern interception gave Cal all it needed to get the victory.
Key stat: Quarterback Jared Goff went 21-of-34 for 281 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Conference implications: Cal has the potential to be better than they were last year (let's hope). But two interceptions and a stalling of the offense in the second half is something to be worried about. Cal will likely pick up more wins than last season, but will probably be a bottom feeder of the conference again.
Next opponent: Sacramento State (1-0, 0-0)
Colorado (0-1, 0-0) vs. 
Colorado State (1-0, 0-0)Score: Colorado State wins 31-17
Game recap: Oh, Colorado. You had a 10-point lead early in the game. It was quickly erased, however, as Colorado State cut away the lead with a balanced assault on offense and never looked back. Colorado had no answer on offense and certainly no answer on defense.
Key stat: Quarterback Sefo Liufau went 24-of-39 for 241 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Conference implications: Colorado has some decent targets on offense, but the execution is not there. Friday's loss does not help Colorado get out as the bottom feeders of the conference. It's early to be making bold predictions, but Mike McIntyre might be in some trouble if the Buffaloes can't get out of their losing rut.
Next opponent: @ Massachusetts (0-1, 0-0)
(3) Oregon (1-0, 0-0) vs. 
South Dakota (0-1, 0-0) Score: Oregon wins 62-13
Game recap: Oregon won, which really isn't news. The Ducks scored 41 points in the first half alone. South Dakota would only score 13 points, all of which came in the first half.
Key stat: Quarterback Marcus Mariota went 14-of-20 for 267 yards and 3 touchdowns. He added 1 rushing touchdown, all in one half of play.
Conference implications: The a Ducks continue to reload each season and have one fast guy after another. Quarterback Marcus Mariota looked good in his season debut and the Ducks have nothing to worry about for now.
Next opponent: (8) Michigan State (1-0, 0-0)
Oregon State (1-0, 0-0) vs. 
Portland State (0-1, 0-0) Score: Oregon State wins 29-14
Game recap: Oregon State trailed Portland State at the the half 14-13, but forced five turnovers in the Vikings first six possessions of the second half. The Beavers would go on to win, but not nearly in convincing manner.
Key stat: Quarterback Sean Mannion went 26-of-45 for 328 yards a and 1 touchdown.
Conference implications: Sean Mannion had a decent night, but Oregon State struggled to get a dominant win over an FCS opponent. As said above, and FCS opponent doesn't generally offer much in the way of predicting season success, but Oregon State may be missing the fire power of talented receiver Brandin Cooks. Penalties are also a concern: 13 for 119 yards.
Next opponent: @ Hawaii (0-1, 0-0)
(11) Stanford (1-0, 0-0) vs. 
UC Davis (0-1, 0-0) Score: Stanford wins 45-0
Game recap: Stanford was the only Pac-12 team this week to not allow its opposing team to score. The game was never in question as the Cardinal went up 38-0 in the first half.
Key stat: Ty Montgomery returned a punt for a 60-yard touchdown and added another touchdown and 77 receiving yards on five catches.
Conference implications: Stanford is just nasty again. Not only is Ty Montgomery healthy and great at returning punts, quarterback Kevin Hogan is accurate and deadly. The defense, too, looks like it hasn't skipped a beat. Few problems for Stanford moving forward; however, USC should be a viable test next week.
Next opponent: (15) USC (1-0, 0-0)
(7) UCLA (1-0, 0-0) @ 
Virginia (0-1, 0-0)Score: UCLA wins 28-20
Game recap: Heisman candidate Brett Hundley has his defense to thank for a close win over Virginia. UCLA's offense looked frazzled and rushed all day. Fortunately for the Bruins, the defense managed to get 3 touchdowns in the first half. Virginia's rally was too late.
Key stat: UCLA's defense returned a fumble and 2 interceptions for a touchdown.
Conference implications: Coming into the season UCLA was one of the most hyped programs. While it's easy to say Virginia exposed them, it's likely not a true depiction of who UCLA really is. However, it does lead to some worry, but we'll chalk it up to some first game jitters ... for now.
Next opponent: Memphis (1-0, 0-0)
(15) USC (1-0, 0-0) vs. 
Fresno State (0-1, 0-0) Score: USC wins 52-13
Game recap: USC is not concerned with all the distractions that have plagued the program in recent days. The Trojans looked like a top-tier team in their dominant win over Fresno State. The Bulldogs defense was weak and allowed the Trojans to move the ball easily, but USC has several talented targets (again) that can score at will.
Key stat: Quarterback Cody Kessler went 25-of-37 for 394 yards and 4 touchdowns.
Conference implications: USC under Steve Sarkisian is looking great so far. If the Trojans can get a win next week over Stanford, there's really not a lot of teams that would pose a threat.
Next opponent: @ (11) Stanford (1-0, 0-0)
Utah (1-0, 0-0) vs. 
Idaho State (0-1, 0-0) Score: Utah wins 56-14
Game recap: It wasn't pretty at times, particularly on defense, but Utah was never really in danger of losing to Idaho State. The Bengals had some decent offensive moments, garnering two touchdowns, but the offense and special teams efforts was too much for the FCS opponent.
Key stat: Senior Kaelin Clay ran it back for a 100-yard kickoff return. The score was actually the second of the evening for Clay, who had a 46-yard punt return for a touchdown in the second quarter.
Conference implications: The offense and special teams appear to be ready to put some points on the board, and quickly with its up-tempo play. However, the defense could keep Utah from contending in the conference if adjustments aren't made.
Next opponent: Fresno State (0-1, 0-0)
(25) Washington (1-0, 0-0) @ 
Hawaii (0-1, 0-0)Score: Washington wins 17-16
Game recap: The Chris Petersen era in Washington has already started off on shaky ground. For much of the second half, Washington couldn't get a first down and struggled to contain Hawaii's run game. Fortunately for the Huskies, Hawaii couldn't punch it in the end zone at the end and was forced to settle for a field goal and the one-point loss.
Key stat: Hawaii had 424 total yards on offense, while Washington had 336.
Conference implications: Traveling to Hawaii is not an easy task, particularly in the first game of the season. While it's easy to say Washington will struggle this season, Saturday's game is a nice wake up call to not take anything for granted. Expect Petersen's team to bounce back, but their stock isn't looking good so far.
Next opponent: E. Washington (2-0, 0-0)
Washington State (0-1, 0-0) vs. 
Rutgers (1-0, 0-0) Score: Rutgers wins 41-38
Game recap: Quarterback Connor Halliday threw for over 500 yards and five touchdowns and the Cougars couldn't get the win. Really, what more can be said? Washington State was forced to battle back at the end of the game, but couldn't keep a temporary lead.
Key stat: Connor Halliday went 40-of-56 for 532 yards and 5 touchdowns.
Conference implications: The quarterback is obviously capable and so is the offense, but the defense is not ready. It doesn't matter how many points Washington State scores if the defense gives up the game. While it's only one game, the loss doesn't help the preseason hype of the Cougars being able to turn the corner in the North Division.
Next opponent: @ Nevada (1-0, 0-0)
