The extension of summer into late September in Seattle has been a gift from the weather gods. For Huskies practices this week, the temperature was near 80 degrees every day.

And that should come into play today. We’re almost 90 minutes before kickoff, and, folks, it’s pretty warm (high 80s).

As reported earlier by media outlets, a couple UW players, notably defensive end Daniel Te’o-Nesheim and receiver Jordan Polk, cramped up with dehydration and were given fluids. It was a lesson I’m sure other players have taken to heart preparing for the warm conditions today.

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ARIZONA: Few details about the back surgery of Gronkowski, the great tight end for the Wildcats. Unsure if he’ll return this season.

ARIZONA STATE: Good story on how tricky it is scheduling non-conference games today. The Sun Devils play at Georgia this weekend.

CALIFORNIA: If something were to happen to Riley at quarterback, who knows who would come on. The backup job is in flux.

OREGON: Loper, and not Blount, has been scout-team running back the Ducks are using to simulate Cal’s Best for this weekend’s titanic matchup in Eugene.

OREGON STATE: More stuff on Orting’s …

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The odds were not in the Huskies’ favor. Four players went down with injuries in practice Wednesday, none of them returning afterward.

And the news Thursday was not good, frankly.

Receiver Devin Aguilar (left knee) sprained the medial collateral ligament (MCL) when he got twisted and pinned to the turf during an 11-on-11 drill, and is out Saturday to play against Stanford in California.

Coach Steve Sarkisian said if “we pushed it,” Aguilar could have tried to go against the Cardinal. He indicated it would not be a long-term injury.

“Again we got such a nice (and) deep receiving corps that there’s no need to risk further injury,” Sarkisian said. “Let’s keep him out and let our other guys go play.”

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Nothing seemed out of the ordinary Wednesday at the Washington Huskies football practice. Squads were divided up. Scout-team preparation was the emphasis. The action was flying by.

And suddenly, in one big “Ratta-tat-tat” swoop, plays took their toll:

• It started with receiver Devin Aguilar, who tried laying out for a low pass from Jake Locker. He ended up on his knees right when linebacker Joshua Gage came over the top of him. Aguilar’s knee buckled under the impact.

In minutes, Aguilar’s left knee had a big pack of ice wrapped around it, and taped up. He did not return.

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A couple of things. Ruiz filled in for me Tuesday at practice, and said the only bit of news was that DT De’Shon Matthews practiced for a second consecutive day. I’ll be back out there today:

ARIZONA: And the merry-go-round continues at quarterback. Next stop – Foles.

ARIZONA STATE: Sun Devils next up on taking on a powerhouse in non-conference tilt. And they better now screw up the conference’s growing reputation on playing with anybody, anywhere.

CALIFORNIA: Holders of the league’s highest national ranking, its premier Heisman candidate and now that USC has a loss, the Bears know …

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A week ago at his weekly press conference, Washington Huskies football coach Steve Sarkisian was asked about Everrette Thompson’s future in 2009.

Safe to say, when it came down to assessing Everrette’s nagging ankle injury, Sarkisian didn’t sound optimistic about the former Kennedy star’s return.

Yet, there he was, right in the middle of the action Saturday against third-ranked Southern California, playing more of a defensive tackle role.

What gave?

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Yes, folks, it’s true – the Washington Huskies are a ranked football program again.

After the 16-13 victory Saturday over then-No. 3 USC (which fell to 12th, the Huskies moved into the top 25 in the Associated Press (sportswriters’ rankings) polls – at No. 24.

It marks the first time since the fourth game of the 2003 season under coach Keith Gilbertson that the Huskies have been last ranked. They were 18th in a 46-16 loss at UCLA, and have been out of the polls for a span of 69 games.

Bob Condotta, of the Seattle Times, is the only …

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Man, what a Saturday, folks. Not the cleanest football game, but certainly an exciting one full of intrigue with two coaches (USC’s Pete Carroll and UW’s Steve Sarkisian – or three, if you include Huskies defensive coordinator Nick Holt – who know the other side so well.

In case you were living under a rock, the Huskies won 16-13 in dramatic fashion over No. 3 USC on Erik Folk’s 22-yard field goal in the final seconds (of course, if you were living under a rock, you likely wouldn’t be reading this blog).

Thought the subject we should approach today is the defense, which after the first two USC drives, was very opportunistic. Talked to a lot of folks around the press quarters who have covering the Huskies much longer than I have, and they all said the same thing – linebacker Donald Butler played his best game in a UW uniform, by far.

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