VANDALS, EAGLES, HUSKIES, PIRATES, COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Look who is atop the Western Athletic Conference standings (until tonight, anyway). The Idaho Vandals.

The Vandals are 3-0 after forcing eight turnovers in their 24-14 win at Louisiana Tech.

There's a lot more on Jim Meehan's blog.

Jim was also at the Vandals' first basketball practice under new coach George Pfeifer and filed this story.

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The Eastern Eagles turned their season around at least a little bit by throwing a shutout at Northern Colorado, 34-0, in Greeley. There will be more at Dave Trimmer's blog.

The Eagles also took the hardwood for their official first practice, and Rodney Stuckey (pictured; Spokesman-Review file photo) had a lot to say, including the emphatic statement the sophomore will be back next year instead of leaving for the NBA.

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Not only did UW lose to Oregon State, the Huskies also lost quarterback Isaiah Stanback. For the latest on Stanback's ankle injury, check Bob Condotta's blog or Don Ruiz's blog. The best story about the injury ran in Everett.

Here is the Times' game story and a notebook on Carl Bonnell playing and Jerry Brewer's column.

The News Tribune covers the same territory, with a gamer and John McGrath's column on Bonnell.

Here's a little out-of-the way look at the game from Medford, a few miles south of Corvallis.

And away from the football action, here is a Blaine Newnham column praising former athletic director Barbara Hedges. And this piece on the Huskies' first basketball practice.

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The Whitworth Pirates just might move up from 12th in the NCAA Division III rankings after their 70-3 shelling of outmanned Lewis and Clark.

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The BCS standing are out (see post below) and Chris Dufresne of the LA Times tries to make sense of them so early.

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