Arizona State provided the fireworks, Washington State opened a few more eyes and California was dealt a bad card in an emotional week for the Pacific 10 Conference.

The peak was Arizona State's 19-0 defeat of No. 1-ranked Nebraska, ending the Cornhuskers' 26-game winning streak and jeopardizing their chances for a third consecutive national championship.

The victory bumped the Sun Devils up 11 spots to No. 6 in the nation in The Associated Press poll. It is ASU's first top 10 ranking since finishing fourth in the final poll of 1986, the season the Sun Devils won the Rose Bowl.

Forcing six fumbles and recording three safeties, Arizona State never let Nebraska get its potent offense going.

"They just whipped us," Nebraska head coach Tom Osborne said. "Credit a very fine ASU team."

The victory erupted into a post-game celebration, ending with the goal posts last seen heading down Tempe's Mill Avenue.

"This might be the biggest win I have ever been involved with," ASU head coach Bruce Snyder said. "It was a pick-and-shovel job by the offense, but we got the job done. The defense just let loose out there. Our defense was a significant part of the win, o bviously. If the other team doesn't score, you can't lose."

Free safety Mitchell Freedman was named the Pac-10 defensive player of the week after forcing three fumbles while playing with a cast on his broken finger. ASU defensive end Derrick Rogers led the team in tackles with 10 and was responsible for one of the safeties when he sacked Scott Frost in the end zone.

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The last three times California has started 3-0 it went to a bowl game. After downing Nevada 33-15 Saturday, the Bears went to 3-0 and equaled the total number of wins they had all of last season. However, happiness turned to concern when junior tailback Tarik Smith suffered a knee injury that could end his season. A magnetic resonance imaging examination revealed that Smith tore the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in his right knee.

Smith is still the leading rusher in the Pac-10 with a 133.3 yards per game average and is ranked 14th in the nation. Smith had five touchdowns in his three games played.

"Obviously, this is very detrimental to the team," California running back coach Wayne Moses said. "He is a heck of a player, but sometimes that is how the cards are dealt. We have got to move on."

Smith sustained the injury when he was trapped in a pile-up and was rolled backwards.

"You could see his knee give way when the pile fell on him," Moses said. "When he tried to get up on it you could tell it was a serious injury.

"We are just going to have to hope and pray that things go his way."

Sophomore Brandon Willis stepped in for Smith and rushed for 107 yards on 23 carries, scoring three touchdowns.

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When Washington State upset the then-No. 25 Oregon Ducks 55-44 in Pullman, Wash., no one was more surprised by the margin of victory than Cougar head coach Mike Price.

"If you had told me this summer that we would beat Oregon by 11 points here in Pullman, you would see a guy with a big smile on his face," Price said.

Washington State was leading at one point 31-14 against Oregon, but had to hold off a late Duck comeback to secure its first conference win. Last season the Cougars only had two Pac-10 wins and just three overall.

"This is the first step (in conference play). From here we need to take one game at a time," Price said. The Cougars next conference opponent is Arizona on Oct. 5 in Tucson.

WSU quarterback Ryan Leaf had reason to smile after guiding the Cougars to his first ever Pac-10 victory, but was quick to point out that the margin of victory could have been greater.

"It was fun, but it leaves a bitter taste in your mouth with the outcome," Leaf said. "Nobody is really going to know how we dominated the game."

The Cougars are ranked 34th in the AP poll, the first time they have received votes this season.

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Washington's Brock Huard was selected as the Pac-10 offensive player of the week and Arizona State's Robert Nycz was honored with the special team's player of the week award. It marked the second time in three weeks that Ncyz, ASU's place kicker, was give n the recognition.

Huard completed 20 of 31 attempts for 311 yards, three touchdowns and an interception against Arizona.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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