Pac-12 Predictions by CFN

[30Duck]

 

[Jon Sousa]

Interesting. How many "easy outs" are there in the North?  How many "easy outs" are there in the South?

WSU's QB looks like the real deal.

Some people here are picking OSU to have a better record than UW. They barely lost 3 of their games last year.

At the beginning of last season, many considered CAL to be the toughest out for Oregon.

I see Oregon as the better team, but all of these teams can and have beat them recently.

[30Duck]

2 minutes ago, Jon Sousa said:

Some people here are picking OSU to have a better record than UW.

Sure am.

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

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

 

 

[Charles Fischer]

The most difficult team to predict is.....Oregon.  I have no idea what offense is showing up next year!

[BigDucksFan]

Whoa ! ! ! ! 

And why is USC not picked to win the South ??  
What is it that they lack ??
And what is it that others in the South have above and beyond USC ??

My "way to early prediction" is that USC will win the South and again play Oregon for the Pac-12 championship. 

[RatherBe]

I hate to admit it, but in the North the biggest competition will be Washington. Don’t get me wrong, I think Jimmy Lake is a clown and is not long for the job. Losing his great DC a year after hiring the worst OC imaginable is a recipe for disaster. Pete did stock enough talent on there to be competitive for another year or two. Solid on both lines, and their conservative style can take advantage of sloppy teams. 
 

In the South this might be the first year that they’re better top to bottom than the North. Chip’s team really impressed me in 2020, it looks like he finally started caring. They could have easily been undefeated in 2020, close loses to us, Colorado, USC, and Stanford where they looked as good or better than the other team. 

My picks

North: Oregon, Washington, Stanford, Cal, OSU, Wazzu. 
South: USC, UCLA, ASU, Utah, Colorado, Arizona. 

[AnotherOD]

 

Early, early, early thoughts, but, I could see USC struggle early and Clay strain to keep the wheels on (as calls for a new coach just get louder and louder).

Slovis is a solid system guy, but they will need to rebuild 2/3 of the WR group and they really don't run the ball much (or show much desire to do so - last in the Pac-12 in ypg and ypc). They return most of the OL besides Vera-Tucker, but it was a group it seems many Trojans fans openly wonder if it will ever be especially good. The defense loses some key guys on the DL and in the secondary. Some young talent there, but I think Duck fans saw, even young talent often needs some time (even under even the best of circumstances let alone struggles).

I haven't been one to jump on the Herm thing at ASU, but I think this has a chance to be a possible breakthrough year there. Probably tough to read too much into stats from this short season, but ASU managed to lead the conference in both scoring offense and fewest points allowed. Their season was probably also especially oddball, where they started the year almost beating USC, then had to take 3 weeks off, then came back and almost beat UCLA, then scored 116 points in their two wins. Only one home game. They ran the ball well, led the conference in rushing, and return all of a veteran defense, including on paper (dare I say) possibly one of the nation's better secondaries.

I'd still probably give Utah the edge. Need to settle on a QB (and the unfortunate tragedy at RB) but look solid about everywhere else, including typical solid Utah OLs and front 7s, which has been a working recipe in the South in previous years. They also had a tough season, where they didn't get to kick their season off until nearly Thanksgiving (11/21), didn't have a great opener, then almost beat UW in Washington the next week, then finished with 3 wins.

UCLA also showed signs of life at 3-4, and they really were right in all four losses (by 5 at Colorado, by 3 at UO, by 5 to USC, and by 1 in 2OT to Stanford). They lose a couple important guys, but I could see them similarly improved and in the mix again.

Even Colorado has a shot to steal a game or two. I see the South beating each other up, and see something like: Utah, ASU, UCLA, USC, Colorado, Arizona.

In the North, as was mentioned, UW still should be a decent defensive team, and is gonna play a style that keeps them in games. The wheels probably don't come all the way off unless the offense really implodes (which it is sort of designed to not to). Stanford maybe somewhat surprisingly finished with 4 wins after a slow start (they do lose a bit though). I'm not sure I'm ready to really see a huge breakout at OSU, probably a similar season to 2020, some signs of life, but not over the top yet. Do they wow anyone on either side of the ball yet? In the Pac, I believe they have the five road game season, and a pretty tough home slate (ASU, Stanford, Utah, UW), with trips to UO and USC as well.

Oregon needs to find a QB, and overall be more interesting on offense. Not a great schedule either (at UW, at Stan, at Utah, at UCLA, at Colorado). Sounds more familiar but maybe: UO, UW, Stanford, OSU, Cal, WSU.

Could be another season of the Pac-12 beating each other up, and the nation tuning the league out early. Optimistically, on paper, it still should be a good chance for Oregon to three-peat - and set up a possible window opening - to possibly do something interesting in 2022/2023.

 

And, not to pile on, I must be getting old, and I understand spell check, but if you are going to publish something attempting to be at least semi-professional online, not at least one read through?

"With the return of LB Ryan Bowman for another year, none defensive starters are projected to be back, too"

"None starters"? Nine starters?

"Tennessee transfer JT Shrout is coming in to battle with better Sam Noyer to do more to take the head off of Broussard."

I had to read this like 3 times. "Better Sam Noyer"? Starter Sam Noyer? "Head off"? Heat off?

 

Edited February 1, 2021 by AnotherOD

[Charles Fischer]

48 minutes ago, AnotherOD said:

And, not to pile on, I must be getting old, and I understand spell check, but if you are going to publish something attempting to be at least semi-professional online, not at least one read through?

"With the return of LB Ryan Bowman for another year, none defensive starters are projected to be back, too"

"None starters"? Nine starters?

"Tennessee transfer JT Shrout is coming in to battle with better Sam Noyer to do more to take the head off of Broussard."

I had to read this like 3 times. "Better Sam Noyer"? Starter Sam Noyer? "Head off"? Heat off?

OD...where is this that you are referring to?

Now I see--it is in the Pac-12 article and not FishDuck.  Thank goodness!  We are very fortunate at FD to have volunteer editors who are very talented.  Nobody is perfect, but they help our writers, (and yours-truly with his articles) enormously and we are grateful.

[AnotherOD]

Its in the linked CFN article. I am sure it must be a sign of getting old and complaining about the "old days", but can't CollegeFootballNews give us one proof read through? Just one? (If not for grammar's sake just knowing what spell check can do).

Edited February 1, 2021 by AnotherOD

[David Marsh]

16 hours ago, BigDucksFan said:

What is it that they lack ??
And what is it that others in the South have above and beyond USC ??

A run game and a real offensive line. 

USC may be bringing in a great class in 2021 (though one that has a general lack of quality offensive lineman as Oregon got them all) they still have their dud of a 2020 recruiting class that is going to be on their roster for years to come. 

USC does have a good quarterback and some quality receivers and potentially a good secondary on defense. 

But USC just is really going to struggle if they are only airborne and can't protect Slovis. 

[30Duck]

10 hours ago, David Marsh said:

But USC just is really going to struggle if they are only airborne and can't protect Slovis. 

This actually happened last season. The ball bounced in their favor against Arizona & ASU at the beginning of the season, and again against UCLA at the end, before the championship game against the Ducks.  USC was last in rushing offense last season,