PAC 12 Predictions

[Absolute Zero]

Well, we are getting closer to the start of season. About 2 weeks until kick off. A lot of predictions are already out there, seems like a lot folks are thinking this will be USC's year. Of course, I am a homer. Here's mine:

South
1. ASU
2. USC
3. UCLA
4. Utah
5. Arizona
6. Colorado

North
1. Oregon
2. Stanford
3. California
4. Washington
5. Washington State
6. Oregon State

 

[Iceman]

I think it will come down to asu and usc in the south. Oregon should be a no brainier in the north, but Stanford could be a surprise

 

[Absolute Zero]

I think it will come down to asu and usc in the south. Oregon should be a no brainier in the north, but Stanford could be a surprise

I agree.

The scheduling will be huge. There is a good article here explaining the pros/cons, etc.

http://www.houseofsparky.com/2015/8/18/9173507/pac-12-football-schedules-south-asu-usc

USC

2015 Pac-12 Road Games - Arizona State, Colorado, Oregon, California

2015 Pac-12 Home Games - Stanford, Washington, Utah, Arizona, UCLA

2015 Pac-12 Teams Missed - Washington State, Oregon State

Arizona State

2015 Pac-12 Road Games - UCLA, Utah, Washington State, California

2015 Pac-12 Home Games - USC, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, Arizona

2015 Pac-12 Teams Missed - Stanford, Oregon State

I think our schedule is fairly manageble. We have Utah and UCLA on the road which will be tough, but nothing we haven't dealt with before.

 

[HooverDam]

Mine:

P-12 South:
ASU
USC
UofA
UCLA
Utah
Colorado

Explanation: its possible every team in the division goes to a bowl game. ASU gets USC and Oregon at home, I'm not totally sold on Sarkision yet though so thats why I don't pick them to win. UCLA has talent all over except at QB, that's important. UofA returns excellence at QB, RB, and LB, they could win the division again.

P-12 North:
Stanford
Oregon
California
Washington St
Washington
Oregon St

Explanation: The Oregon-Stanford game is in Palo Alto, so I'll take the Trees w/ a QB at home vs Oregon with possible QB questions on the road. Cal may well put up 50 points a game, but they need to learn to hold opponents to 49. Washington and Oregon St seem to be rebuilding, which may help open the door for Wazzu to get bowl eligible again.

P-12 Title Game:
ASU vs Stanford: ASU wins (duh)

Bowls:
Playoffs/Cotton Bowl: ASU
Rose: Stanford
Alamo: Oregon
Holiday: Arizona
San Francisco: USC
Sun: UCLA
Las Vegas: Utah
Cactus: Wazzu

and yes, of course I'm an ASU homer. But hey, we're going 15-0, screw it

 

[Absolute Zero]

right on HooverDam!

Hey, on Sark, I found this little tidbit about last night
http://www.pacifictakes.com/usc-tro...alute-to-troy-drunk-rumors-inebriated-turn-up

I kinda wonder how long this guy will be at USC, but who knows. Such a contrast w/ TG who was probably up late watching film last night.

 

[TJ]

You can make the argument for four of the six South teams (UofA, ASU, USC, UCLA), but all have question marks attached to them.

UofA still has a big fat question mark in terms of size on the defensive line, how Bundage will adjust to the shift to center, and overall depth. We can ill-afford to sustain injuries.

ASU lost its best offensive and defensive players to the draft, and wideout seems to be a glaring weakness. Foster can only do so much.

USC has the most talent in the PAC-12. This is not up for debate. The question mark is how Seven-Shot Sark could flounder this opportunity after having all of its scholarships back. Can his abundance of talent overcome his lack of coaching prowess?

UCLA has tons of talent everywhere, but I think Josh Rosen's impact won't come until next season. He's gonna have to take his lumps as a true freshmen.

I took Utah off entirely because they have the worst QB in the South and have new coordinators on both sides of the ball.

And while Colorado is still the red-headed stepchild of the division, they're going to bite a couple of teams in the ass this season and play spoiler. Sefo Liufau is a very good quarterback and has one of the best WRs in the conference, perhaps in the country, in Nelson Spruce. Their one or two wins could come against any of the aforementioned teams if they choose to overlook them.

Should be another competitive season and it could very well come town to the Territorial Cup again.

 

[Absolute Zero]

You can make the argument for four of the six South teams (UofA, ASU, USC, UCLA), but all have question marks attached to them.

UofA still has a big fat question mark in terms of size on the defensive line, how Bundage will adjust to the shift to center, and overall depth. We can ill-afford to sustain injuries.

ASU lost its best offensive and defensive players to the draft, and wideout seems to be a glaring weakness. Foster can only do so much.

USC has the most talent in the PAC-12. This is not up for debate. The question mark is how Seven-Shot Sark could flounder this opportunity after having all of its scholarships back. Can his abundance of talent overcome his lack of coaching prowess?

UCLA has tons of talent everywhere, but I think Josh Rosen's impact won't come until next season. He's gonna have to take his lumps as a true freshmen.

I took Utah off entirely because they have the worst QB in the South and have new coordinators on both sides of the ball.

And while Colorado is still the red-headed stepchild of the division, they're going to bite a couple of teams in the ass this season and play spoiler. Sefo Liufau is a very good quarterback and has one of the best WRs in the conference, perhaps in the country, in Nelson Spruce. Their one or two wins could come against any of the aforementioned teams if they choose to overlook them.

Should be another competitive season and it could very well come town to the Territorial Cup again.

So do you think Rosen is going to start for UCLA? I read that is still up in the air.

U of A had a great run last year. But I would be surprised if they do it again. Am I wrong here? Why do you consider them up there again this year?

 

[HooverDam]

U of A had a great run last year. But I would be surprised if they do it again. Am I wrong here? Why do you consider them up there again this year?

UofA plays an easy non conference schedule, returns very good players at RB,QB, WR and LB, they play Oregon St and Washington St from the north and get UCLA and Utah at home, and get one of their road games at Colorado. There's really no reason they should win less than 8 games at worst.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

So do you think Rosen is going to start for UCLA? I read that is still up in the air.

U of A had a great run last year. But I would be surprised if they do it again. Am I wrong here? Why do you consider them up there again this year?

NFL caliber RB and WR, proven QB who put up better numbers as a freshman than any other returning QB in the conference with exception of Goff and Kessler, best returning defensive player in the league, manageable schedule, etc. P12 South will cannibalize each other to a certain degree, I think it comes down to the last weekend again with 3-4 South teams all needing wins and help to get into championship game. None of them will be in playoff contention however.

 

[TJ]

So do you think Rosen is going to start for UCLA? I read that is still up in the air.

U of A had a great run last year. But I would be surprised if they do it again. Am I wrong here? Why do you consider them up there again this year?

Mao answered your second paragraph very well. I think the only "irreplaceable" player we lost was Bondurant, and even he wasn't NFL caliber. Not losing anyone of consequence from a 10-win team has to be taken into consideration, which almost no one is as evidenced by the 4th-5th place predictions in the division and the #22 AP ranking. The only caveat is having no bye weeks, which the team has already made adjustments for in practices.

As for UCLA, talk around here is that Rosen is going to start, but even if Neuheisal (sp) does, it's only a matter of time before Rosen is there. Either way, Neuheisal (sp) isn't good enough to lead a team to the PAC South title.

 

[Absolute Zero]

Sounds like we are in for another wild ride!

 

[Absolute Zero]

UCLA has named Rosen as the starter. UCLA starting a true freshman, USC with all their usual drama, I love it!

 

[FArting]

This will be my 2nd year being a season ticket holder. ASU lost only once at home to UCLA.

South
ASU
USC
UCLA
Utah
Arizona
Colorado

North
Oregon
Stanford
Cal
Wash
Oregon St
Wash St

 

[Matt L]

USC playing Stanford in the Pac 12 Championship at the end of the year. Territorial Cup will decide who finishes 2nd and 3rd in the Pact 12 South. ASU and UofA play in Holiday Bowl/Sun Bowl depending on who wins the Cup.

 

[Absolute Zero]

Utah is getting some love nationally as a team that could fly under the radar. I hope they take down Harbaugh & Michigan next week!

 

[82CardsGrad]

The south is a crap shoot.. Honestly, would it really be a surprise if ASU, USC, UofA or Utah won?? Not to me anyway... I think I would be most shocked if UCLA came out on top...

Agree that USC has the most talent. But man, WTF is up with Sark? That program just can't get out of its own way.
I think UofA is being underrated and will be a serious contender. My heart is with ASU of course... but, as was pointed out, they do have questions at the receiver position AND, I really believe their front 7 on defense is another big question mark...

Anyway, I'm gonna refrain from listing an actual prediction. I gotta see how the Devils perform in their opener at A&M.

 

[Absolute Zero]

Let's see, UCLA comes from behind to win by 1 over BYU at home, USC goes down against Stanford, ASU struggles early in the season, and U of A beats another hapless opponent.

Looks like things are indeed up for grabs.

 

[Russ Smith]

THe impressive thing for UCLA is they won when Rosen didn't play well at all. You expect an 18 year old to have a game like that now and then, normally you don't win those games.

The run game saved them against BYU. The big issue they had in that game was they went in without their top 2 CB's and then lost their 3rd for large portions of the game. they made BYU's 22 year old freshman Tanner Mangum look like Roger Staubach. Unless they clean up that secondary or get Adams (suspended) and moreau(injured) back, they're in trouble when they see some of the QB's in the Pac 12.

 

[Absolute Zero]

THe impressive thing for UCLA is they won when Rosen didn't play well at all. You expect an 18 year old to have a game like that now and then, normally you don't win those games.

The run game saved them against BYU. The big issue they had in that game was they went in without their top 2 CB's and then lost their 3rd for large portions of the game. they made BYU's 22 year old freshman Tanner Mangum look like Roger Staubach. Unless they clean up that secondary or get Adams (suspended) and moreau(injured) back, they're in trouble when they see some of the QB's in the Pac 12.

So what is your expectation for UCLA v. Arizona on Saturday? Solomon is pretty tough.

 

[Southpaw]

and then there is Oregon.

 

[Absolute Zero]

and then there is Oregon.

Not too shabby of an outing with their "second string" QB on Saturday. I expect they will take the North. The South is where things are going to get wacky.

 

[Iceman]

So what is your expectation for UCLA v. Arizona on Saturday? Solomon is pretty tough.

Yea. This one could determine the South (as of now at least). Unfortunately, these 2 teams look the best in the South. Should be a good game.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

If UCLA wins Saturday I don't see how they don't win the South. Things aren't as whacky as AZ makes them out to be. UCLA has looked like the best team in the division by far

 

[Iceman]

If UCLA wins Saturday I don't see how they don't win the South. Things aren't as whacky as AZ makes them out to be. UCLA has looked like the best team in the division by far

Don't forget about Utah. They are solid.

 

[TJ]

Don't forget about Utah. They are solid.

Utah is fool's gold. Still questions at QB.