The Pac-10 is not as deep as last season, but the league is top heavy with a national championship favorite in USC and three BCS bowl contenders in Arizona State, Oregon, and Oregon State.
However, the middle and the bottom of the Pac-10 is woefully weak. Due to UCLA and Cal being down this season, as few as four teams could make bowl games this year.
Winner: USC
USC has two top-tier quarterbacks in Mark Sanchez and Mitch Mustain, who are both a significant improvement over John David Booty. Pete Carroll's team is also stacked at running back, with three returning backs with over six yards per carry.
USC has unproven but NFL-potential receivers and an offensive line. On defense, USC is loaded with talent and returns stars to improve an already formidable defense.
With two All-American-caliber players in Rey Maualuga and Brian Cushing at linebacker and a tough front four, USC has the speed on defense to catch up to the spread.
USC also is the deepest team in the nation. Its second string could beat any other team in the Pac-10.
Surprise Team:
- B/R Ticket Guide
Due to the losses of Dennis Dixon and Jonathan Stewart, the Ducks have been underlooked coming into this season.
Quarterback Nate Costa is a similar dual threat on both the run and the pass to Dixon and six all Pac-10 players on defense.
The Ducks will continue to build momentum off of last year blowout bowl win over South Florida. Also, Mike Belotti is a nationally underrated coach and has brought in his highest ranked recruiting class this season.
The Ducks will be fighting for the top of the Pac-10 and a BCS bowl bid.
Disappointment: UCLA
Similar to the plight of LSU, UCLA has quarterback trouble this season again after losing both Ben Olsen and Patrick Cowan to knee injuries. However, UCLA lacks the overall talent of LSU and has a very suspect offensive line.
Those factors will make it a long season in Westwood. UCLA also has the toughest non-conference schedule in college football, facing three nationally ranked teams (Fresno State, Tennessee, and BYU).
Rick Neuheisel is known for quick turnarounds, but this roster lacks the talent to rise up in a top heavy Pac-10.
Key Match-ups
USC vs. Arizona State: This game will determine a trip to the national title game for both teams with the loser fighting Oregon for the Rose Bowl. Can the USC linebackers expose ASU's suspect offensive line?
Oregon vs. Oregon State: The Civil War is more heated now that both teams are Pac-10 contenders.
Arizona State vs. Oregon: A high scoring thriller that will probably determine second place in the Pac-10 and a possible Rose Bowl appearance.
USC vs. UCLA: UCLA spoiled the Trojans' championship hopes in 2006. Can Neuheisel revive college football's intercity rivalry and send the Trojans out of the title once again?
Projected Pac-10 Standings (do not count bowl games)
1) USC 12-0 (9-0) BCS Title Game
2) Arizona State 11-1 (8-1) Rose Bowl
3) Oregon 10-2 (7-2)
4) Oregon State 8-4 (6-3)
5) Cal 6-6 (4-5)
6) UCLA 4-8 (4-5)
7 tied) Washington 4-8 (3-6)
7 tied) Stanford 4-8 (3-6)
9) Arizona 4-8 (2-7)
10) Washington State 4-9 (1-8)
www.commonsensemag.com
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3 months ago
I think your predictions are pretty spot on, but you really think Arizona will only win four games? I see them winning at least 6, maybe even more if their defense can stop some other teams. Other than that I like your predictions.
3 months ago
Pretty good analysis although I think that Washington and Arizona should be practically switched.
And Oregon at 10-2
I assume those two losses are USC and ASU
But with the civil war in Corvallis I think the Ducks will drop that game.
Deffinatly agree that UCLA will be a disappointment, great call.
3 months ago
Anyone who lists the Beavers as contenders hasn't done his homework
from 3 months ago
Care to elaborate?
from 3 months ago
Who is doing your homework for you?
3 months ago
Well, they have huge questions on both lines, a second rate quarterback, unexperienced running back, and huge depth issues all over the defense
from 3 months ago
O-line is solid.
two outland trophy list lineman and Adam Speer return.
even though all 4 D-lineman are gone, everyone has experiance Butler and Norris combined for almost 20 sacks last season.
Moevao gets Sammie back which should take off some of the pressure and we have three amazing backs coming in this year-read my article about it.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/47707-ryan-mccants-jacquizz-rodgers-and-jeremy-francis-drive-oregon-state-run-game
from 3 months ago
O-line has huge questions, with Perry struggling with his knee injury, and it gave up 36 sacks last year without him.
The D-line does have some good backups from last year, especially the Defensive Ends, but they are not the dominant defense of last year that can make up for the team's offensive shortcomings.
And while adding Stroughter is nice, he will soon find out what every Pac-10 team double covering him while a talentless QB throws to him
And as for your three great backs? 0 combined carries at the D-1 level
from 3 months ago
The Pac-10s most mobile QB Dennis Dixon's line gave up 24 sacks
so with perry, and Moevao shedding 25 lbs this offseasons that number should go down to 25-30
and most of those were Canfield who takes forever to get rid of the ball
To be fair, did you see the Beavers defense was going to be dominant last year?
its about the system not the names in the Beavers' front 7.
Stoughter is added onto true sophomres James Rodgers and Darrell Catchings. Talentless? are you kidding me?
Moevao is undefeated as a starter.
yeah two are FRESHMAN and an experianced JC transfer
they have POTENTIAL actually more potential than the injury-ridden Jeremiah Johnson
from 3 months ago
First of all, there is no guarantee that Perry will be back, and certainly no guarantee he'll regain his pre-injury form.
And how can you say the Beaver's running backs have more talent than Jeremiah Johnson? He ran for over 800 yards as a backup in 2006 and was considered by many to be the equal of Johnathan Stewart at the beginning of last year.
As for Moevao, he may be undefeated, but he also is 5-10, has poor throwing mechanics, and threw 2 TDs to 6 picks. Winning games isn't hard when all the offense asks you to do is turn around and hand off
Saying the Beavers defense being good is a system thing is ridiculous. Remember 2005? or any year before the last two, for that matter?
As for Catchings and Rodgers, neither of them are top-class talents and will do little to stop the double teams on Stroughter
from 3 months ago
Jeremy Perry is still only nursing last years injury
and the sam argument for J.Johnson as you posed for Perry.
There is no guarantee he will return to that form
and it is much easier to comeback as a lineman than it is a RB plus. Belotti even showed his questioning when he recruited Bloute.
Mechanics are deffiantly not necassary to win. i.e. Brett Favre, Tony Romo, Ben Rothelisbergur
all gunslingers who KNOW THE GAME and can improvise, much like Moevao. (even favre throws picks)
Thats because we had the "Erickson Hangover"
he won by bringing in JC guys and not recruiting
now that Riley is getting the guys that he wants our defense is tremendous.
Just watch and wait. Stroughter got doubled many a times in 2005 and all he did was be an All-American.
from 3 months ago
Except Johnson has looked much better than Perry, even running a 4.4 40 this fall. We also have Andre Crenshaw and LaGarrette Blount, one of the top JuCo recruits last year, backing him up
As for Moevao, how can you say that mechanics don't matter? Those other players may have unique playing styles, but their throwing mechanics are the same as any quarterbacks. And please don't compare Moevao to Favre. Favre didnt throw 3 times as many picks as TDs.
As for Stroughter, it was 2006 he was an All-American, and he had a much better QB getting him the ball
from 3 months ago
You know who the best JuCo transfer was though?
Simi Kuli DE for the Beavers
Rothelesbergur has terrible mechanics, all he has done is won a Super Bowl.
Favre wasn't outstanding his first year either
Moevao had to deal with not knowing his role on the team last season
Now he is the deffinite starter and has looked great in his second year.
Matt Moore improved greatly his second year in the system and Moevao looks to be doing the same.
Okay so 2006 either way the receiving core is deeper than it as then, and as for a better QB getting him the ball, see above argument on development.
from 3 months ago
How can you say Moevao's looking great this year when the season hasn't started yet? And Rothlisberger has the advantage of a bug arm and body, which Moevao doesn't have at all
from 3 months ago
We can debate all you want about this.
But Oregon State is much more poised for a Pac-10 run the UO is.
Two Civil War victories in a row proves who is the dominant program of late.
from 3 months ago
2 years is insignificant, especially when one was when half of the Oregon offense was hurt. And I dont think anyone outside of Corvallis would say OSU is better poised than Oregon to make a Pac-10 run
from 3 months ago
Thats a nice excuse.
But we went into "all-mighty autzen"
without Yvenson Bernard (you know...the guy everyone thinks we can't win without)
and beat ya'll with Jonathen Stewart.
Big woop Dixon was out, if you suck when he's out then its not A TEAM.
Yvenson-Out
Perry-Out
Stroughter-Out
Canfield-Out
Drayton-Out
Excuses are all good, except for when the other team was going through the same thing.
from 3 months ago
QBs
Dixon-out
Costa-out
Leaf-out
RBs
Johnson-out
Stewart-Playing while needing surgery
WR
Paysinger-out
Colvin-out
Strong-out
LB
Bacon-out
Mathews-out
Thats 5 starters, the top 3 QBs (one of them the leading Heisman candidate) and both Middle linebackers. And you still needed Matt "Beavers MVP" Evenson to miss a second straight Civil War winning Field Goal to win. If the Ducks won like that I'd be ashamed.
But I've done enough talking. I'll let Stanford expose the Beavers for what they really are on Thursday
from 3 months ago
Those missed FGs are the Ducks saving grace of an excuse
Other than that game shouldnt have even gone to OT or even close
There was a very apparent TD to Howard Croom that was called incomplete
Even the announcers agreed it was a TD
3 months ago
Hey Nicholas,
Pretty fair analysis of the Pac-10. As for the surprise team, OSU might be the one to watch. Coach Riley has done a great job building that program up. They are loaded with talent everywhere but QB.
Though unintended, pretty humorous stuff making any comparison between LSU and UCLA this season. The new coaching staff have their hands full beginning a turnaround there.
Is there anyone outside of Tucson that likes Arizona this year? Seriously.
Lew
from 3 months ago
Personally I think Arizona should have they're best year in recent memory. 6-8 wins I believe.
3 months ago
I hope you're wrong about the Huskies and they shock some people.
3 months ago
Yeah, Beavers are not going to finish in the top half. It's very likely that they won't make a bowl game
Oregon should get second place, they'll beat ASU because of their lack of an offensive line to protect their star quarterback
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