The Pac 12 South will feature the two new teams in the Conference. These picks are assuming that USC does NOT wil their appeal to the NCAA. If they do win, things could be different. With that in mind, here goes.
1. Arizona State. This team finished hot last season. The Devils return 10 starters on offense, including QB Threet. Points should be no problem for them. The defense returns 9 starters, but takes two losses on the line. The schedule has a game at Oregon, but no Stanford, and USC at home. ASU lost 4 games by a total of 11points last season. If ASU can continue the momentum that they built up at the end of last season, they have to be considered one of the favorites to win the Pac 10 South.
2. USC. The enigma of the Pac 12 South. USC loses 7 players that were listed as starters on the offense last season, but they played so many players that the effect is hard to measure. QB Barkley and a great group of WR's return. The defense loses 4 starters, but should be an improved group. USC lost 3 games by a total of 7 points last season, and played only 45 scholarship players during part of the season. The NCAA appeal looms large. If USC wins that appeal, look out. If they lose, the question will be if they can put it together for another year minus a bowl appearance.
3. Utah. One of the new kids on the block. Utah loses 4 starters on offense, but QB Wynn returns. The defense loses 6 starters, and will have to rebuild the line and secondary. The schedule is not bad at all, with a game at USC being the only major away test in the division. Utah also skips Oregon and Stanford. Utah started red hot last season, only to disappoint at the end of the year. If H.C. Wittingham can get it back together this season, Utah has a shot at winning this division.
4. Arizona. This team unexcusably tanked at the end of last season, losing their last 5 games. That is simply not acceptable. QB Foles returns on the offense, but only has 3 other starters joining him. The line will be a major rebuilding project. The defense returns 6 starters, but also must rebuild the line. The schedule is brutal, with games at Oklahoma State, USC, Washington, Oregon State, and Arizona State, plus home games against Oregon and Stanford. H.C. Stoops has his work cut out for him this season if he wants to make Arizona a legitimate contender on the South.
5. Colorado. The other new kid on the block enters the Pac 12 with a new H.C. and a new outlook. The Buffs return 8 starters on an ofense that was very inconsistant last season. The defense returns 6 starters, but loses both CB's and two LB's. Their schedule is not easy, with games at Hawaii, Ohio State, Stanford, and new rival Utah, and home games against Oegon and USC. Colorado did manage 5 wins last season. While they are not up to challenging for the Pac 12 South title, they are capable of an upset or two, especially in Boulder.
6. UCLA. This team is in coaching chaos. Neuheisel still does not have a complete coaching staff, as of this writing. He is still looking for a D.C, and other assistant coaches. UCLA only loses two starters from the offense, but the problem is that the 9 returning starters are not very good. The defense returns 8 starters, but loses it's three best players. The schedule features games at Oregon State, Stanford, Utah, and USC, but does not have Oregon on it. With all of these returning starters, one would think that UCLA would finish much higher in the Division, but with Neuheisels record (7-3 vs non-con teams and 8-19 vs conference teams), and all of the turmoil at UCLA, plus a terrible recruiting year, UCLA could well finish dead last in the South.
1. Arizona State. This team finished hot last season. The Devils return 10 starters on offense, including QB Threet. Points should be no problem for them. The defense returns 9 starters, but takes two losses on the line. The schedule has a game at Oregon, but no Stanford, and USC at home. ASU lost 4 games by a total of 11points last season. If ASU can continue the momentum that they built up at the end of last season, they have to be considered one of the favorites to win the Pac 10 South.
2. USC. The enigma of the Pac 12 South. USC loses 7 players that were listed as starters on the offense last season, but they played so many players that the effect is hard to measure. QB Barkley and a great group of WR's return. The defense loses 4 starters, but should be an improved group. USC lost 3 games by a total of 7 points last season, and played only 45 scholarship players during part of the season. The NCAA appeal looms large. If USC wins that appeal, look out. If they lose, the question will be if they can put it together for another year minus a bowl appearance.
3. Utah. One of the new kids on the block. Utah loses 4 starters on offense, but QB Wynn returns. The defense loses 6 starters, and will have to rebuild the line and secondary. The schedule is not bad at all, with a game at USC being the only major away test in the division. Utah also skips Oregon and Stanford. Utah started red hot last season, only to disappoint at the end of the year. If H.C. Wittingham can get it back together this season, Utah has a shot at winning this division.
4. Arizona. This team unexcusably tanked at the end of last season, losing their last 5 games. That is simply not acceptable. QB Foles returns on the offense, but only has 3 other starters joining him. The line will be a major rebuilding project. The defense returns 6 starters, but also must rebuild the line. The schedule is brutal, with games at Oklahoma State, USC, Washington, Oregon State, and Arizona State, plus home games against Oregon and Stanford. H.C. Stoops has his work cut out for him this season if he wants to make Arizona a legitimate contender on the South.
5. Colorado. The other new kid on the block enters the Pac 12 with a new H.C. and a new outlook. The Buffs return 8 starters on an ofense that was very inconsistant last season. The defense returns 6 starters, but loses both CB's and two LB's. Their schedule is not easy, with games at Hawaii, Ohio State, Stanford, and new rival Utah, and home games against Oegon and USC. Colorado did manage 5 wins last season. While they are not up to challenging for the Pac 12 South title, they are capable of an upset or two, especially in Boulder.
6. UCLA. This team is in coaching chaos. Neuheisel still does not have a complete coaching staff, as of this writing. He is still looking for a D.C, and other assistant coaches. UCLA only loses two starters from the offense, but the problem is that the 9 returning starters are not very good. The defense returns 8 starters, but loses it's three best players. The schedule features games at Oregon State, Stanford, Utah, and USC, but does not have Oregon on it. With all of these returning starters, one would think that UCLA would finish much higher in the Division, but with Neuheisels record (7-3 vs non-con teams and 8-19 vs conference teams), and all of the turmoil at UCLA, plus a terrible recruiting year, UCLA could well finish dead last in the South.
