Pac-12 Roundup: News and notes from opening day

Three Pac-12 teams delivered as advertised, with UCLA, Utah and Arizona State winning big. But Washington State stumbled badly in coach Mike Leach's debut.

By Jon Gold

Aug 31, 2012 at 2:26 am ET • 2 min read

Notes from the Pac-12 on an eventful opening night. Four teams made their debuts Thursday, and three came away with gaudy wins. And then there was Washington State ...

Jim L. Mora reaped the immediate benefits of former UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel's biggest recruiting coup. And immediate, as Jill Painter of the Los Angeles Daily News writes, means immediate. Redshirt freshman QB Brett Hundley -- rated the No. 3 quarterback in the class of 2011 -- ran 72 yards for a touchdown on his very first play from scrimmage in the Bruins' 49-24 win at Rice. Hundley finished 21 of 28 for 202 yards and 2 passing touchdowns, and he made just one major freshman mistake -- an interception into a crowded defense. "I was happy. That's crazy to be able to score a touchdown on the first play," Hundley told Painter. "God is good. That was a key play. I've got to get better, but I had fun."
The Arizona State Sun Devils had speed to burn in a 63-6 win over Northern Arizona, Doug Haller of The Arizona Republic wrote. Behind a rushing attack that tallied 307 yards -- though, surprisingly few from star Cameron Marshall -- the Sun Devils brushed right past the overmatched Lumberjacks. Marshall finished with just 14 yards on nine attempts, but scored twice, the 30th and 31st touchdowns of his career. As if Arizona State needed any more help, the Lumberjacks were without quarterback Cary Grossart and running back Zach Bauman after they suffered injuries in the first half.
Travis Wilson, one of Utah's top quarterback recruits in years, didn't disappoint in his debut, Lya Wodraska of The Salt Lake Tribune reported. Though he only attempted two passes in sporadic time behind Jordan Wynn, Wilson had two rushing touchdowns. The Utes scored early in the second quarter and never looked back, picking up a 41-0 win over Northern Colorado.
That brings us to Washington State, the Pac-12 team with perhaps the most anticipated debut under new coach Mike Leach. All the preseason hoopla amounted to a 30-6 loss to BYU in which the Cougars nearly outgained the ... Cougars ... 426-224. Guess which team had 224? The WSU Cougars couldn't even muster positive rushing yards, finishing with -5 yards. WSU quarterback Jeff Tuel had an inauspicious debut -- 30-of-45 passing for 229 yards and 2 interceptions, as Bud Withers of The Seattle Times described.