STEWART MANDEL'S Extra Points

USC (4--1) will have a hard time finishing in the upper half of the Pac-10. Washington quarterback Jake Locker, who threw for 310 yards in a 32--31 upset, is just the first of several elite passers set to face the Trojans' 116th-rated pass defense in conference play.... Sixth-ranked Nebraska's biggest game was supposed to be on Oct. 16 against Texas, but with the Longhorns falling out of the polls, it's possible the Cornhuskers could go 12--0 without facing a nationally respected opponent.... Keep an eye on Baylor (4--1) in its drive to reach its first bowl game in 16 years. Star quarterback Robert Griffin III, who missed most of 2009 with a knee injury, threw for a career-high 380 yards in the Bears' 55--7 rout of Kansas, the most lopsided conference win in school history.

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PATRICK GREEN/ICON SMI (GRIFFIN)