The Wild Wild West... after USC, of course

The Pac-10 has become known for wild games, wild finishes, and wild races throughout the conference standings. But this year, things may take a slightly more defensive turn. Add to that the lack of a clear cut #2 team behind USC, and the PAC should be as wild as ever..... without further adieu, here are my predictions for how the craziest conference in major college football will play out in 2008:

1) USC – (9-0) – The Trojans have their more difficult conference games, including both Oregon and Arizona State, early on in the season at home. They need to watch out for their game in Tucson against Arizona in late October – this could be a trap game for them. Question marks at QB will be overcome by a wealth of defensive strength and outstanding play from the skill positions.

2) Oregon – (7-2) – The Ducks return the vast majority of the defense, who should be vastly improved with the secondary having gained a year of experience. Inexperience at QB will cause problems in Week 1 against Washington. Tough road games at USC, Arizona State, Cal, and Oregon State cause the Ducks to drop three conference games, but they should improve as the season goes on, beating ASU on October 25 to hold onto second place in the PAC-10.

3) Arizona State – (6-3) – ASU returns QB Rudy Carpenter to a potent, experienced offense. The Sun Devils have an extremely difficult road schedule in the conference, playing at Arizona, USC, Washington, Oregon State, and Cal, plus facing Oregon on October 25, after the Ducks have the chance to get some experience offensively. ASU drops three of these six games to finish 6-3 in the conference.

4) Arizona – (6-3) – For the first time in recent memory, the best QB in the Conference of Quarterbacks plays for the Wildcats. Look for Tuitama to have a huge senior season, saving Mike Stoops’s job, and propelling the ‘Cats to their first Bowl Game in 10 Years. Losses to USC, Washington, and at Oregon, but the rest of the schedule lines up very nicely for ‘Zona.

5) Washington – (6-3) – Jake Locker leads an otherwise completely inexperienced offense for the Huskies, who surprise on the upside and save Willingham’s job. Washington has a brutal opener at Oregon, and games at Arizona and USC, plus the toughest non-conference schedule in the country, but the rest of the conference schedule lines up well. The youthful but talented DL and WR/RB’s for the Dawgs improve greatly as the season progresses, and Washington recovers from early losses to finish 7-5 overall, 6-3 in conference, gaining their first Bowl Birth since the reign of Slick Rick, now the head coach of UCLA and its stable of oft-injured QB’s.

6) Oregon State (5-4) – OSU returns starters on defense, but loses Yvenson Bernard to graduation. Mike Riley has the program rolling, but OSU will struggle with QB play this season. They drop tough road games at Washington and Arizona, as well as losing at home to USC and Arizona State. Wins over Hawaii and Utah in non-conference play send the Beavs to another Bowl Game.

7) Cal – (3-6) – The Golden Bears continue their struggles from the second half of 2007, beating only WSU on the road and Stanford and UCLA at home. Jeff Tedford looks for the exit at the end of the year as the bloom fades for Cal.

8) Stanford – (2-7) – A program on the rise, Jim Harbaugh’s Cardinal will surprise the nation by hanging tough in games versus Oregon State, USC, and Arizona, but will fall short in all three. The Cardinal squeak by a weak-Neuheisel-led Bruins squad in Pasadena and demolish Washington State to finish 2-7 in the conference. One year away from a breakthrough, and a much better team than their record will indicate.

9) UCLA – (1-8) – Rick Neuheisel’s return to college coaching is anything but triumphant. The Bruins can only manage to defeat one of the worst Cougar squads in recent memory. Quarterback problems dog the team all season.

10) Washington State – (0-9) – WSU is hurt badly by the coaching transition and the loss of senior QB and record-holder Alex Brink. WSU starts decently, defeating Baylor and Portland State in September, but fails to win again all season.

Overall, the conference sends six teams to Bowl Games, with USC likely heading to another National Championship game, despite an early-season loss to Ohio State. Not too unlikely to see a rematch of that game in early January for it all.....