Pac-10 Conference
Conference Rank: #5
Bowl Teams: 5
Conference Champ: USC
Offensive Player of the Year: Mark Sanchez-QB-USC
Defensive Player of the Year: Fili Moala-DT-USC
Coach of the Year: Pete Carroll-USC
Conference Forecast: As teams like Oregon, Cal, ASU, and UCLA elevated their programs in the last few years, and USC remained the top program in the country year in and year out, the Pac-10 became one of the top conferences in football. The bottom of the conference has always been very weak and it is again this year. USC will again be a National title front runner but I just don’t see another great team in this conference. I don’t even have another Pac-10 team in my Power 15, and that’s why I think this conference will be much less tough in 2008.
Predicted Standings (Note: (#,#) = conference rec; #,# = regular season rec; [#,#] = final rec)
1. USC (9-0) 12-0 [12-1]
2. California (6-3) 8-4 [8-5]
3. Arizona State (6-3) 8-4 [9-4]
4. Oregon (6-3) 9-3 [10-3]
5. Arizona (5-4) 8-4 [8-5]
6. Oregon State (4-5) 5-7
7. Washington (3-6) 5-7
8. UCLA (3-6) 4-8
9. Washington State (2-7) 4-9
10.Stanford (1-8) (2-10)
Team Notes and Predictions
USC (9-0) 12-0 [12-1]
Finish: 1st
Bowl Game: BCS National Championship Game
Forecast: Everybody had USC winning the championship last year but they had some bad injuries and ended up losing 2 games. This year they are a front runner for the Nat. Champ again but without as close to as much hype. They return only 11 of 22 starters and they lose 26 lettermen but is there even a question whether they have the talent to replace them? The defense won’t be quite as good but they had one of the most talented defenses ever last year and they’ll be strong again. Surely Mark Sanchez is a bit of a question mark at QB (even more so following the recent dislocation of his knee cap; yikes) but Mitch Mustain and others are waiting to step up. The conference is down and USC is the home team in their game with Ohio State. This time I think USC gets through the regular season undefeated and gets to the championship game. I have them losing to Oklahoma in the BCS National Championship Game.
California (6-3) 8-4 [8-5]
Finish: 2nd
Bowl Game: Sun Bowl
Forecast: Last season Cal reached #2 in the polls but injuries and what seemed like attitude problems led to a 1-6 finish to the regular season. This year they return just 12 starters and lose their top RB’s and basically their entire receiving unit. However, they have a good offensive line and their defense should be much improved. Their schedule is manageable and I seem them rebounding for a better year, winning 6 conference games, including the Big Game over Stanford. I have them losing to South Florida in the Sun Bowl.
Arizona State (6-3) 8-4 [9-4]
Finish: 3rd
Bowl Game: Emerald Bowl
Forecast: ASU was one of the more improved teams in the country in Dennis Erickson’s first year, as they won 10 games and went 7-2 in the conference. This year they look good but have a very inexperienced line which I think spells trouble for their running game and QB Rudy Carpenter. I think they’ll fall off a bit, starting 3-0 but then losing 3 straight and also losing to Arizona for the first time since 2004. But I think they’ll still be solid and I have them beating Maryland in the Emerald Bowl.
Oregon (6-3) 9-3 [10-3]
Finish: 4th
Bowl Game: Holiday Bowl
Forecast: Oregon was rolling towards perhaps the National Championship when Heisman candidate Dennis Dixon went down. This year they lose both Dixon and RB Jonathan Stewart but they still have a great line and should be one of the better offenses in the conference again. They have the best secondary in the conference and will again be one of the top defensive teams in the Pac-10. I actually think they’ll be the second best team in the conference but they have a rough schedule. Despite the loss of Dixon and a tough schedule, I see them winning 6 conference games for the first time since 2005 and beating Oregon State for the first time since that same year. I have them beating A&M in the Holiday Bowl.
Arizona (5-4) 8-4 [8-5]
Finish: 5th
Bowl Game: Las Vegas Bowl
Forecast: Arizona has not grown at the rate that many hoped when Mike Stoops was hired in 2004 but they lose only 17 lettermen and should have one of the better offenses in the conference this season. They also have one of the more manageable schedules in the Pac-10. I think they’ll finally get back to a bowl game for the first time since 1998. I have them losing to Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl.
Oregon State (4-5) 5-7
Finish: 6th
Bowl Game: None
Forecast: Oregon State has been a resourceful team under Mike Riley but they return only 10 starters this year and the entire front 7 on defense is gone. They will have a strong offense as usual and their conference schedule is okay but they have a pretty tough non-con slate. I see them dropping off this season and failing to reach a bowl game for the first time since 2005.
Washington (3-6) 5-7
Finish: 7th
Bowl Game: None
Forecast: Coach Ty has yet to get the Huskies back to mediocrity in his 3 seasons in Seattle, and at least part of that has been due to some difficult schedules. Last year they were expected to be better but the Nation’s hardest schedule, losses, and a number of close losses kept them from improving. This year they are young and face another tough schedule. I think they’ll improve a little but not enough to get bowl eligible, and I also have them losing to rival Washington State.
UCLA (3-6) 4-8
Finish: 8th
Bowl Game: None
Forecast: UCLA again played well under expectations last year and Karl Dorrell was axed. Rick Neuheisel is back in college football but he inherits a team with only 9 returning starters, both QB’s injured, and a very inexperienced OL. They also have a hard non-con schedule and play most of the tough Pac-10 teams on the road. I think they’ll fall way off and end the season on a 5 game losing streak. I see them missing the bowl season in Neuheisel’s first year.
Washington State (2-7) 4-9
Finish: 9th
Bowl Game: None
Forecast: Washington State returns 13 starters but they have a new head coach, and the magic has been gone from Pullman for some time now. I see them failing to reach a bowl game for the 5th consecutive year.
Stanford (1-8) (2-10)
Finish: 10th
Bowl Game: None
Forecast: Stanford improved last year following their horrid 1-11 2006 season, but aside from pulling off the greatest upset that I personally have ever seen, Jim Harbaugh’s first year went pretty much as expected. This year they return 16 starters and could improve again, but they have a tough schedule and I’m actually predicting a regression. I see them losing 8 of 9 conference games.
Big Games on the Schedule
Mon, September 1st
Tenn @ UCLA (SEC vs. Pac-10 is always fun)
Sat, September 6th
Oregon St. @ Penn St. (Have to admit Pac-10 plays hardest non-con)
Sat, September 13th
UCLA @ BYU (Rematch of Las Vegas Bowl)
Oklahoma @ Wash (Once again Wash plays tough non-con schedule)
Ohio St. @ USC (Probably the biggest non-con game of the year)
Sat, September 20th
Boise St. @ Oregon (Should be very interesting)
UGA @ ASU (First big test for ASU)
Thu, September 25th
USC @ Oregon St. (OSU upset USC here in 2006 when Trojans were #3)
Thu, October 2nd
Oregon St. @ Utah (Big test for OSU)
Sat, October 4th
ASU @ Cal (ASU has lost 3 straight in Berkeley)
Oregon @ USC (Should be huge game in Pac-10)
Sat, October 11th
ASU @ USC (ASU has lost 8 straight to USC)
Sat, October 25th
Oregon @ ASU (Last year’s game was between #6 and #4 teams in the country)
ND @ Wash (Willingham lost his first shot at ND back in 2005)
Sat, November 11th
Oregon @ Cal (Last year this was one of the best games of the season)
Sat, November 8th
Cal @ USC (Cal has lost 4 straight to the Trojans)
Sat, November 22nd
Oregon St. @ Arizona (Could be battle for 5th place)
Stan @ Cal (The Big Game)
Wash @ Wash St. (The Apple Cup)
Sat, November 29th
Oregon @ Oregon St. (The Civil War has been tight the last 2 years)
ND @ USC (USC has won the last 2 by a total of 58 points)
Sat, December 6th
USC @ UCLA (Crazy things have happened in this rivalry game)
ASU @ Arizona (ASU has won 5 of 6)
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