Andrew Luck and LaMichael James of Oregon are sporting NFL uniforms. A third of the teams have new coaches and even the role of the conference's crown jewel — the Rose Bowl — might be morphing into something else as the BCS explores a playoff system.
Dennis Erickson is out as Arizona State coach, a university official told The Associated Press, after another season in which the results didn't meet the expectations for the Sun Devils.
Brock Osweiler declared for the NFL on Friday and will forgo his senior season at Arizona State, leaving after one of the best seasons by a quarterback in the program's history.
Arizona State wasted a record-setting game for receiver Gerell Robinson and repeated chances to hang with No. 8 Boise State Thursday night in the Maaco Bowl Las Vegas, falling 56-24 and failing to send off outgoing coach Dennis Erickson on a winning note.
LaMichael James ran for 219 yards and three touchdowns and No. 8 Oregon beat UCLA 49-31 in the inaugural Pac-12 championship game Friday night for the Ducks' third straight conference title and a likely berth in the Rose Bowl.
The Pac-12 Conference's first championship game caps an eventful week in the league — so eventful that the game itself between No. 8 Oregon and UCLA seems a bit anticlimactic.
The Ducks are so heavily favored that the attention Friday night may not be on Autzen Stadium's field, but on the sidelines, where Rick Neuheisel will oversee his final game as the Bruins' head coach.