ASU coach Dennis Erickson said he was happy with the way his No. 15 Sun Devil football team played Saturday against Stanford.

But it looks like ASU fans might have a new chant: underrated.

Games against opponents like Stanford help determine, at least on paper, how ASU will be able to fare against other opponents or, for that matter, better opponents.

With the exception of Stanford’s first touchdown of the game, ASU was in complete control of a very decent Cardinal team.

This wasn’t the same Stanford team that ASU scored 41 points on in 2007. It was a far better one, and ASU showed Saturday that there is no doubt the kind of expectations Erickson has set.

If pollsters push USC to the top of the rankings, why not move an improved ASU football team up after it has clearly shown it’s deserving?

ASU is also beginning to feel the heat from its Pac-10 Conference foes.

With USC (No. 1), Oregon (16), Cal (23) and UCLA (still creeping in), The Associated Press’ nationally respected poll is starting to represent the strength of ASU’s competition.

The Sun Devil faithful should at least let out a huge sigh of relief. Saturday’s game could have gone a lot of ways.

The overriding theme is simple: If ASU hopes to compete with USC, they’re going to have to beat good teams as if they were bad teams.

Sports offer the best arena for comparison. ASU showed an exhilarating offense ready for a bigger challenge.

That’s not what Ohio State did Saturday. And with other teams still playing nonconference cupcakes, it’s fair to say that ASU, thus far, deserves a better ranking.

ASU has easily one of the best passing games in the nation and there aren’t too many teams out there that can compete with its wide receiving corps.

Not enough?

ASU is on the brink of becoming even better.

Senior running back Keegan Herring returned Saturday, getting some touches and being productive.

Should he and juniors Dimitri Nance and Shaun DeWitty help establish a legitimate run game, teams will have to do more than blitz ASU on defense to halt the Sun Devil attack.

There is a reason many of the fans left midway through the third quarter Saturday night, and it wasn’t because they were upset.

They were contented by a victory, even if it was widely expected.

With the equally non-thrilling matchup against UNLV on the docket, there will be plenty of empty seats next week as well.

Because the Sun Devils face a heavyweight in Georgia soon, the seats will fill.

And at the rate the team has been playing, we’ll know they’ll be ready to play.

But will the pollsters’ votes change?

Tell Josh what you think at joshua.spivack@asu.edu.