This is my prediction on how the Pac-10 will end up.
1. USC: 10-2 (8-1)
The defense will shine once again, but replacing four offensive linemen will prevent the Trojans from making a BCS Title appearance.
2. Arizona State: 9-3 (7-2)
QB Rudy Carpenter might be the best QB in the Pac-10, and along with 15 other starters, he should help the Sun Devils be good again this season.
3. Oregon: 9-3 (6-3)
Replacing Dennis Dixon and Jonathan Stewart won’t be easy, but the schedule sets up very well for another good year in Eugene.
t4. California: 7-5 (5-4)
- B/R Ticket Guide
With only thirteen starters back and uncertainty at RB and WR, the Golden Bears look destined for a mediocre season.
t4. Arizona: 7-5 (5-4)
QB Willie Tuitama should put up insane numbers again in 2008. Will the defense step up and get UA over the hump?
t4. UCLA: 5-7 (5-4)
QB Ben Olson is out until October, so the Bruins are without a QB again. Rick Neuheisel will have to work some magic to get UCLA to .500.
7. Washington: 4-8 (3-6)
Jake Locker is a special QB—think a smaller version of Tim Tebow. However, the schedule is tough, and the Huskies need to avoid an 0-3 start.
t8. Stanford: 3-9 (2-7)
The schedule is tough, but with 16 starters returning, the Cardinals will look to improve on their four-win season of 2007.
t8. Washington State: 4-8 (2-7)
The Cougars have a new coach and have to replace QB Alex Brink. Can you say rebuilding year in Pullman?
10. Oregon State: 3-9 (1-8)
With huge question marks at QB, RB, and OL, not to mention losing their entire defensive front seven, the Beavers will struggle to do anything in 2008.
comments (32) write a comment »
write a new comment
3 months ago
Your picking the beavers to be 10th?
They return possibly the deepest WR corps in the Pac-10, with returning All-American Sammie Stroughter. I agree it will be difficult to replace Bernard but the talent they have in the backfield is.. undeniable. Moevao has taken huge steps in the off-season to become the starter at QB, and if his offensive line gels he will produce well.
On the defensive side the two DE's are animals, but the DT's on the inside are questionable. This years LB's do have some experience and may or may not prove to be strong. The secondary is very strong as well. I'm sorry to say, but OSU will not go 3-9. Other than that, your article is very good. I think Cal may actually drop to maybe 6-6, and will this finally be the year for Arizona? Good article.
3 months ago
I just don't see Moevao is a solid QB. Yes, the Beavers were 4-0 in his starts, but he is less than impressive to me.
Stroughter is a beast, that's for sure and overall your WR's are talented- but I'm just not sold on the gun-slinger.
On defense- even if your DE's are good- the interior and the LB's aren't strong- which turns into huge yds on the ground for RB's. That in turn, makes the corners creep up and get susceptible to the play action.
It's not lack of talent- but the schedule is just brutal. @ Penn St, USC, @ Utah, AZ St, Cal, @ AZ and Ore will all be competitive games and OSU could loss most/all of them...
What's over the hump for AZ? 8 wins- maybe a big upset? The offense will be good- is the D any good? Only time will tell..
I can see Cal dropping as well if Longshore is the QB. I'm really high on Riley..
from 3 months ago
If there is no lack of talent why are the beavers LAST are you kiddding me?!
the schedule is waaayyy more forgiving than it was last year
hard games USC, CAL, UCLA, UO, ASU, UA
hard games at home USC, CAL, UO, ASU
and @ Penn State would be the equivelent of @ Cincy.
the schedule is way easier than last year....when they were 3rd
They drop 7 spots! with an easier schedule, returning BEAST (S.S.), and returning QB?
from 3 months ago
Just because you have talent, doesn't mean you are going to win. IE. Notre Dame last year.
Out of the hard home games, the Beavers will be lucky to go 1-3.
Penn St is a top 20 team and has a home record of 19-2 the past three seasons- so I think playing @ PSU will be a little tough than @ Cincy.
They lose Bernard, have a middle of the road QB and their ENTIRE front 7 on defense.
This year, with no proven running game to rely on- the Beavers will be back to mediocrity.
from 3 months ago
Meant 2-4 in the hard games.. sorry
from 3 months ago
Hmmm...
We are more talented than the last couple seasons so... if we can win with lesser talent why would we lose with greater talent? ND had a freshman QB, not a returning 1.000 win percentage starter.
When Steven Jackson left we had an unproven run-game
but low-and-behold Bernard stepped in ...only having the 6th most rushing yards in the PAC-10 All time.
The mike riley offense doesnt need a big name, all backs will be successful, reminds me of another Mike.... Mike Shannihan.
3 months ago
Another good year in Eugene?
In what realm of imagination was last season deemable a "Success" for the Ducks
from 3 months ago
Last year, before Dixon's injury- the Ducks were amazing and beat USC... if Dixon stayed healthy, the Ducks are playing for the NT
from 3 months ago
You just made my point.
Does it matter how many guys they return if they couldn't win without Dixon?
from 3 months ago
When the entire offense was surrounded by Dixon, and he goes down mid-season- sure, it's extremely tough to win..
But with a new year and time to prepare with the weapons they have, not to mention an extremely tough home field- why can't the Ducks win 9 games
Look what they did in the bowl season. Finally had some time to develop some new schemes without Dixon and they dominated a very good USF team...
from 3 months ago
You do realize that the Ducks have only won 2 more games and lost 1 more at home than the beavers since 2000?
OSU - 38-11 (.775)
UO - 40-12 (.769)
and Oregon is away for games like USC, ASU, and Cal
while the Beavers have all of those games at home.
No Dennis, No Stewart, veteren secondary but suspect front 7??
sound like a familiar team ranked 10th!!
from 3 months ago
I'm not comparing UO and OSU's records, so I'm not sure why that is relevant at all..
besides the 3 games you just mentioned, Oregon's next toughest opponent is maybe at Purdue.
ore st, on the other hand has to play @ Penn St, @ Utah, and @ Arizona (not to mention USC, ASU which I'll chalk up as L's right now) and Cal and @ Washington.
So while the talent at OSU is comparable to Oregon's.. Oregon's schedule is a lot easier both Non-Con and in the conference due to the home/away scheduling.Oregon also returns 15 starters- OSU 10...
from 3 months ago
You were though.
You say that Oregon will win cause of their Autzen homefield
but dont give OSU for any home-field advantage.
Not enough for the Ducks to be 3rd and OSU 10th
I agree theyre unproven but that shouldnt drop them 7 spots from last season.
I'd put them top 6
from 3 months ago
Do we want to re-think how good OSU is going to be????
from 3 months ago
No we don't.
Some jitters in a Pac-10 season opener on the road.
If that games in Reser its an easy W.
Did you even watch the game? or just check the boxscore
from 3 months ago
Well that's nice. I think most teams that lost close road-openers would say the same thing...
And by simply checking the box score (I watched it), I would of read Moevao pass for over 400 yards and thought to myself hmm. he's pretty good.
What I wouldn't have gotten from the box score is that he got a good 175 of those in the last 7 min of the game when Stanford was just trying to not give up the huge play and left the shorter passes and the middle wide open...
from 3 months ago
Yeah your right.
A quarterback who can chip away at a defense, I mean who would want that?
from 3 months ago
HA- chip away is completely different than a bend-don't-break defenses that teams throw in not to give up the quick score..
Not to mention, he was throwing against the 107th ranked pass-defense last season LOL.. such a joke...
Enjoy the 3 win season...
from 2 months ago
Another great game for your Beavers.. on their way to that magical 3 win season...
3 months ago
I mean he is obviously right, the schedule will be tough. And I know nobody is sold on Moevao, we will have to wait and see. I think that this team is just too talented for a change, and Mike Riley is more excited about this team than he has been in years.
As for the Cal QB situation, I'm a Riley fan as well. But people will not give up on longshore.. strangely.
2 months ago
Are you ready to eat your words on Moevao yet?
Beavs already doubled your predicted wins.
Moevao-
63% completion
Over 1400 yards (tops in the Pac-10)
10 TDs to 4 INTs (2 tipped ball INTs, 0 INTs in last 3 games)
from about 1 month ago
Not sure how, at 2-3 (1-1), the Beavs have already doubled my predicted wins...
Moevao has looked a lot better the past couple of games, that's for sure...
from about 1 month ago
Though, I take a look at their remaining schedule..
WSU- Win
@ Wash- If Locker plays, Tossup but prob loss (OSU sucks on the road)
ASU- Loss
@ UCLA- tossup- but prob loss
Cal- loss
@ UA- loss
Ore- loss
Still don't see them having more than 4-5 wins on the year...
about 1 month ago
WSU-win
@ Wash-lockers out for at least 6 weeks
ASU- at home? with ASU looking terrible vs. Cal- toss up
@ UCLA- got shut out by BYU who is only a litle better than Utah. Win.
Cal- OSU cant beat Cal in Reser last two visits- Loss
Ore- Win. Overrated defense, non-existant passing game. They can run on the beavers but wont keep up with versatile OSU offense
UO @ OSU 31-27
about 1 month ago
Chalk up another Dubya for the Beavs.
OSU 8-3 plus or minus 2
from about 1 month ago
Wow.. OSU beat a 1-6 team that lost to Cal by 63, Oregon by 49 and Baylor by 28 and has yet to beat a D-I team.. kudos...
There is no way in hell OSU is winning out with their remaining schedule.. I'll say 2-4 (@ Wash- just because Locker is hurt and ASU just because Carpenter isn't 100%), putting them at 5-7...
23 days ago
Keep the W's on coming Beavs
5-1 in conference
a lil better than 1-8 wouldn't you say?
from 23 days ago
Please, your four wins have been against teams that have combined to go 7-30... The last three games are a combined 19-9.. let's not get ahead of ourselves
You can't predict or handicap injuries, Locker and Carpenter or extremely shitty-ness, Wash St...
Post again if OSU finishes 2-1.. then I'll give props.. 7-30 please...
from 23 days ago
Get ahead of myself??
how is talking about what HAS HAPPENED getting ahead of myself?
Locker, Carpenter.....what about Moevao, Hughes and K.Lewis have been 70% all year
Tavita Thompson just got back. Every team deals with issues buddy, its how you deal with it.
18 days ago
Excuses for this week?
Best dislocated his elbow 3 weeks ago, thats why they lost?
Should have had Longshore in?
18 days ago
Even if the Beavers go to the Rose Bowl they're going to be embarrassed again by Penn State. For the Beavers to have a chance in a bowl game they have to lose at least one more game. Which they more then likely will either against Arizona or Oregon.
from 17 days ago
Its interesting how no one mentioned the Beavers and The Rose Bowl in the same sentence
in the article or any of the comments, so I ask where is this coming from?
write a new comment