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.
Over time and with the right coach Colorado will be competitive in the PAC. My concern is can Utah recruit well enough to be a contender year in and year out. I don't think so.
Now that the Buffalos are in the region (California) look for them to invade the state and recruit some good players. With good direction and leadership, Colorado could be a player sooner than many think. No, not next year or the year after....down the road.
This is going to be a great year for Pac 12 fans, because it will be so new. Oregon is everyone's pick except for myself, because Oregon's offense has been exposed. Stanford has the best player in the Pac 12, and maybe the nation, but has a new Head Coach. USC is, well USC. Who knows how they will react to the NCAA's decision about their appeal. Who knows what that decision will be? How will PAc 10 athletes adjust playing in Boulder, in late October and November? The weather gets pretty chilly ip there and the air gets pretty thin. Oregon, USC, and Arizona get to find out. I picked Stanford and Arizona State to win their respectie divisions, certainly not the most popular picks. I am sure that many have Oregon and USC picked to win.
Look at UCLA's record. 2-1 in non-con play, and 2-7 in conference action. That is UCLA's problem. They never have been able to defeat conference opponents, as pointed out in their write up. Another problem UCLA has under Neuheisel is their record in the last half of the season, which is 6-12. He is also 0-3 against USC, losing by scores of 28-7, 28-7, and 28-14 in the 3 games he has coached against USC. UCLA has lost 11 out of their last 12 games to USC, which totally kills their recruiting against USC.
Arizona State took a major hit when projected starting QB Steven Threat announced his retirement from football due to recurring concussion related problems. Junior Brock Osweiler now seems to have the inside track, against three other candidates, all either Freshmen or Red Shirt Freshmen. Also posted in the Notebook. This really makes the race in the Pac 12 South wide open.
Wreck, our friend Bigdaddy does his homework in college football, especially the Pac 12 conference. He should help us all out before and once the season starts.
Workhorse, the Pac 12 South is really wide open now. If we are talking gun to head, I would still give a slight nod to Arizona State, but I sure would not put any money on it. ASU does not play Stanford, and they host USC. They do travel to Utah and to Oregon. Utah certainly has the best of the schedule of the contenders. They do not play Oregon or Stanford, and get Arizona State at home. USC goes to Oregon and Arizona State, and hosts Stanford and Utah this season. They have the toughest of the schedules. Any one of those three can win it. Arizona remains #4 in my book, with Colorado and UCLA fighting to stay out of the cellar.
Workhorse, the Pac 12 North is set between two teams, Oregon and Stanford. I give the edge to Stanford because they get Oregon at home. The only question is can one of those two teams run the table? Oregon opens against LSU at Jerryworld, and Stanford closes the regular season out at home against Notre Dame. The rest of each team's non-con schedule is soft. Oregon Hosts USC and goes to Washington. Stanford hosts Washington and goes to USC. Oregon also hosts Arizona State. Stanford does not play Arizona State. So the edge goes to Stanford here.
The Pac 12 South is a totally different story. Arizona State is the favorite, but USC and Utah could give ASU all kinds of problems. Both Oregon and Stanford are better teams than any team in the South, at this time. So if you are looking for good Pac 12 teams, look at the North.
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