A conference that just a decade ago was dominated by one team now has had an impressive duo at the top since the Reggie Bush saga but a damper on USC. Oregon an Stanford have represented the Pac-12 in the BCS the last four years and both have made BCS bowls in two of those four but they fall at the bottom of this tier because there have been some breakouts but nothing sustained and a very weak bottom. UCLA, Oregon State, Arizona, Washington and California have all shown flashes but none has been able to sustain that success the way Oregon and Stanford have sustained their jump. Overall the Pac-12 has a strong top a deep middle but also a deep bottom of the conference. (B1G, ACC, MWC and Conference rank previews)
North: |last year W-L, returning offensive starters, returning defensive starters, %yards returning, %tackles returning|
Best Team: Oregon|12-1, 8, 7, 73%, 72.5%| Oregon loses Chip Kelly to the NFL but he likely would not have been part of this team because of the NCAA's show-cause penalty. He is replaced by Mark Helfrich, who has been on the staff at Oregon since 2009 and has spent the majority of his coaching career in the Pac-12. Even with the loss of Kelly and a few players to graduation and the NFL, this is still a very talented team that returns a majority of players. Mariotta and Thomas come back on offense and that should scare any team on the Ducks schedule. The key question will be whether a defense that was bad but wasn't far above average can take a step up with talent returning. This team looks like it can and should create another great race in the Pac-12 North.
Worst Team: Washington State|3-9, 7, 8, 83.9%, 85%| We all love Mike Leach, I mean who doesn't love a modern day pirate in college football, but that doesn't help him with the talent inherited by his staff at Wazzou. They have a lot coming back and with Leach on offense that should be a plus but on defense they don't have the players to make much noise in the Pac-12.
Intriguing Team: Stanford|12-2, 8, 7, 30.9%, 80.6%| Stanford was also considered for best team and why shouldn't they have been. Stanford has been equally as good as Oregon the last four years or so and beat the Ducks last season. Kevin Hogan returns at quarterback this season but he loses a lot of help on offense, both of his main TE targets were maybe the most important. They do however bring a lot of experience back on the line and that should create the opportunity for offensive success. On defense the 3-4 football that the Cardinal play brings back most of last years contributors to a top 10 defense. This is a team that has kept Oregon in check for most of the past two games and should make them challengers for the Pac-12 and national championships.
South:
Best Team: USC|7-6, 8, 7, 47%, 69.3%| The biggest question for USC is at quarterback and then most recently if there will be long term ramifications with the Lee injury. USC has recruited well at QB and should be able to find a serviceable replacement and starter but the bigger question is whether for the 3rd year in a row a lack of death will lead to crippling attrition. The defense should be much better and I have faith that the replacement of Monte Kiffin will be a positive that will show a better diffence.
Worst Team: Colorado|1-11, 10, 7, 80.4%, 77.8%| This program is a mess and Mike McIntyre was a great hire but 2013 will be as bleak as the past couple because the talent on this team is Sun Belt level in a top tier conference. There are not a whole lot of bright spots, so let's just watch the Buffaloes season and hope that someone breaks out and gives all of us a reason to chear for Colorado.
Intriguing Team: UCLA|9-5, 7, 6, 67.9%, 59.5%| Most will have the Bruins as the best team in the Pac-12 south and I see the logic in this UCLA won the division last year and beat USC under the tutelage of Coach Mora. I think, however, that people are underestimating the losses of the best players on both sides of the ball in Jonathan Franklin and Datone Jones. Jones was a disruptive force who played in the opponents backfield and forced QB pressures that helped to mask some of the secondary issues they had last year. Jonathan Franklin keyed everything on offense last year, Hundley made strides but Franklin was the threat that defenses schemed for. This is all to say that UCLA is going to be good again this year, the last was certainly not a fluke but I think the Bruins may come up short.
Conference Standings:
North: Oregon, Stanford, Oregon State, Washington, California, Washington State
Legends: USC, UCLA, Arizona State, Arizona, Utah, Colorado
Championship Game: USC at Oregon Winner: Oregon
No comments:
Post a Comment