TEMPE, Ariz. -- Arizona State's 55-31 win over Notre Dame on Saturday had the college football world talking Monday. The Sun Devils had stepped into the national spotlight and made their presence known in the race for a spot in the College Football Playoff.
But in Tempe, it was business as usual as No. 9 ASU prepares to play Oregon State on the road Saturday.
"These guys understand that you better get ready in the Pac-12 because every team can beat you, especially one as well-coached as Oregon State," coach Todd Graham said at his weekly press conference. "How we do it is we do it like every week: We go about our business and really work hard on staying focused."
Saturday's win was the kind that would be easy to get caught up in. The Sun Devils (8-1, 5-1 Pac-12) beat a top 10 opponent on national TV, doing so in dramatic fashion as they staved off Notre Dame's second-half rally and positioned themselves to control their Playoff destiny.
But look no further than some of Graham's first words immediately after the game to get an idea how the third-year coach wants his players thinking: "We haven't accomplished any of our goals yet."
Graham sent the same message to his players in the locker room, telling them to enjoy the fight song and then move on to Oregon State (4-5, 1-5).
This attitude doesn't mean Graham isn't discussing the big picture with his team. The Sun Devils have talked about being Pac-12 champions and national champions since spring practice. This is about not getting satisfied with one win, no matter how momentous.
"Keeping our guys humble and hungry is what we've been focused on," Graham said. "And we talk to them a lot about the achievement of our goals (being) close. This is when it's really important to focus and get better fundamentally."
The Beavers do not appear to be much of a daunting task -- they own the worst record in the Pac-12 -- but Graham knows better than to underestimate Oregon State coach Mike Riley.
"They're going to play hard," Graham said. "Just how well they're coached from a schematic standpoint and how well they use their personnel, it's one that you cannot relax with because he understands spacing, understands blocking surfaces. He's got a lot of experience, and they're very sound in what they do schematically.
"Fundamentally, they're one of the best teams you see at every position. That's why I have so much respect for them."
When asked about senior defensive end Marcus Hardison on Monday, Graham seemed to know it was coming. After Hardison's best game as a Sun Devil, it was only natural he'd come up.
"He has garnered more attention from the performance he had as a player and as a future player," Graham said. "He flat lit it up. That was the most dominating performance he's had. Marcus has got everything it takes to be a great player, and he took it to the next level big time.
"As a matter of fact, I don't do this very often in a game, but during the game I stopped what I was doing as far as talking about adjustments, and I said, 'Man, you are tearing it up.' I was just impressed by that."
Hardison only registered one tackle against Notre Dame, but it was a big one -- a third-down sack of quarterback Everett Golson to hold the Fighting Irish to a field goal on their first offensive series. Hardison also had an interception that set up a touchdown and a tipped pass that led to Damarious Randall's 59-yard pick-six interception.
Hardison was slow to blossom at ASU after transferring from Dodge City (Kansas) Community College. He played sparingly last season despite expectations he'd come in and start. There was a clear transformation this offseason, and he's emerged as a disruptive force on ASU's defensive line.
"His light went on in the last two games," Graham said. 'If he'll continue to do that ... wow."
Hardison leads the ASU defense with six sacks and ranks third with eight tackles for loss.
Cornerback Lloyd Carrington earned Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week honors, the conference announced Monday. The redshirt junior had eight tackles (one for loss) against Notre Dame, along with the pick-six interception that gave ASU a 48-31 lead to seal the game.
"I'm really proud of him and how he's played," Graham said. "I thought it was his best game to this point. Big-time interception for a touchdown. He has played so physical and improved. He's one of the most improved players on our team."
Carrington is the third Sun Devil to earn Player of the Week honors from the Pac-12 this season.
--The Pac-12 announced Monday that ASU's Nov. 22 home game against Washington State will kick off at 11 a.m. MT and air on Pac-12 Networks.
--Graham said he is not yet sure if junior defensive tackle Jaxon Hood would be back with the team this week after missing last week's practices and the Notre Dame game to tend to "personal issues."
--Graham on Jaelen Strong's one-handed touchdown catch in the first quarter against Notre Dame: "Pretty impressive. It's amazing. He could hardly catch a ball when he first showed up here. ... I rewound that quite a few times."
Follow Tyler Lockman on Twitter
