Once Todd Graham had fully digested his team’s 48-17 loss to then-No. 21 USC Saturday night, he went back to watch the game film.

With him, he brought a disappointed attitude

“When I went back and looked at the film, my perceptions that night were, ‘Golly, we really didn’t play very good,’” he said in Monday’s press conference. “And we didn’t.”

But what struck him in going back through Saturday’s tape had nothing to do with ASU (4-4, 3-2 Pac-12).

In his eyes, he was watching the best edition of 2017 USC Trojans football to date.

“Going back and looking at the film, we got their very best game,” he said. “They played extremely well. They played absolutely the best that I’ve seen them play and I’ve got to give them credit, when I looked at the film that’s what really stuck out to me, and obviously we did not play our best.”

Through the first eight weeks of the season, the Trojans never really played at the level that was expected out of them, especially given the national contender label they held at 2017’s outset.

In particular, the four weeks ahead of Saturday’s blowout in Tempe included a loss at Washington State, a one-point comeback win over Utah at home thanks to a failed two-point conversion attempt by the Utes, and an embarrassing 49-14 loss in South Bend to then-No. 13 Notre Dame.

By all accounts, a 31-point victory on the road, against a team fresh off of two statement victories, was the explosive night the Trojans had been waiting for since August.

“That was by far their best game and I think that their skill players, they’re very, very talented,” Graham said. “We have not played a team more talented than them that played at the level they played. I think it’s the best team we’ve played — I can only go by when we play each team. They were pretty good, you’ve got to give them credit, they played outstanding.

But on the other side of that same coin, Graham made it clear that his team execution was far below where it needed to be in such a key Pac-12 contest.

Graham pointed to the explosive plays allowed by his defense — including two rushing touchdowns of more than 60 yards, a pair of 40-plus-yard passing scores, all contributing to a grand total of 607 yards allowed — as a major negative from Saturday’s performance.

“We didn’t play our best game, and when you play in those games, you’ve got to play your best game,” he said. “You can’t give up that many big plays, it was all big plays. Two big-play run touchdowns and three big-play passes, one of the passes is a quick out, just don’t tackle the guy. We haven’t done that, and I think it has a lot to do with them as well as maybe we didn’t execute on that play.”

“They just were better than us Saturday night,” he added. “And we didn’t play well.”

With that being said, the offense for ASU wasn’t off the hook. Aside from a 70-yard pass to N’Keal Harry — one only made possible by his impressive adjustment to an underthrown ball — the Sun Devils gained just 287 yards on the night, with only 79 coming on the ground.

ASU also had just 15 first down conversions to USC’s 29, with a dismal 1-for-12 clip on third down.

“We had some chunk yards and some plays,” Graham said. “Our whole deal was just getting behind in the first half, we weren’t able to make any first downs, got to give them a lot of credit for who they played, what they did. We just weren’t able to run the football, and they were. And that was the difference in the game.”

10 penalties for 99 yards ultimately added a backbreaker to an already discouraging night.

“I think we’ve only had three times since I’ve been here where we had nine or more penalties,” Graham said. “That was one of them. That’s about all I can say about that. That’s not why we lost the football game, they outplayed us. But we’re on to next week.”

It also certainly didn’t help that a handful of key players were off the field for various reasons. A virus for Kalen Ballage, injuries hampering A.J. Latu and Renell Wren, and an ejection via targeting penalty for Das Tautalatasi had the Sun Devils hurting on more than one occasion.

“I think Renell will play this week, I don’t think we have anybody that won’t play,” Graham said. “I think one of the things that was tough last week was still not having A.J. I think that was a major factor in the game. And then I think losing Das was a tough deal, too.”

But with all that in mind, there’s another week ahead to erase the thought of a disheartening loss to the Trojans.

With an up-and-down Colorado team headed to Tempe on November 4, Graham said he still feels optimistic, given what he saw from his team in the two weeks prior to Saturday's defeat.

“We’re the same team that has beaten two top-25 teams, one top-five team,” Graham said. “We’ve got great character on our team. I think we’re pretty healthy for this time of year, that helps us. We have a challenge ahead of us each week, and you’ve just got to go out each week and play your best game in the Pac-12, it doesn’t matter if it’s September, October, November, doesn’t matter.”

And with that in mind, as always, Graham’s focus has already shifted to the Buffaloes.

“Obviously, it was a tough loss for us, but I think we learned some things,” he said. “Our guys had a great film session, and we’re going to have a great practice, we’re going to go to work. We’ve got to control the things that are right in front of us. The only thing we can worry about is Colorado.”