Conference call.

UCLA

With the school's Westwood location, there's a premium on appearance and being beautiful on the UCLA campus. Though that makes for good star gazing, being pretty isn't the proper image for a football team that already wears powder blue uniforms.

UCLA is staying in Pac-10 contention thanks to a tough defense that's picking up the slack for a normally high-octane offense that has experienced fits and starts under first-year coach Karl Dorrell.

A player who isn't getting much national attention is largely responsible for the defense's surge: end Dave Ball. He was one of the Pac-10's leading pass rushers last year, when he had 11 1/2 sacks and 15 tackles for loss. He's even better this season, leading the country with 11 1/2 sacks.

How does he do it? Ball, whose twin brother, fellow senior Mat, also is an end for the Bruins, has one of the quickest first steps among the nation's defensive linemen. And, at 6-6, 270, he can bull rush and manhandle a blocker if needed. That size also makes Ball effective against the run, meaning there's no down-and-distance situation in which he can't be on the field.

Missouri

A linebacker on an average Big 12 team has as much of a chance of getting recognized as Jessica Simpson does of becoming president of Mensa. So it isn't surprising that Kinney Missouri's James Kinney isn't a household name. He not only has ...