The Pac-12 enters a pivotal 2018 college football season, looking to restore some respect after a disastrous 1-8 finish in 2017 bowl games.
USC and Washington lost in New Year’s Day Six bowls, and both teams will look to make up for that with big perception-building nonconference games against Texas and Auburn, respectively, in September.
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There’s still a lot to like about the conference: Heisman Trophy finalist Bryce Love is back at Stanford, and the conference added five new coaches, including former Oregon coach Chip Kelly at UCLA. The Pac-12 will be entertaining, and there’s always a reason to stay up late.
Sporting News makes its predictions for the Pac-12 in 2018. We have division winners, Heisman hopefuls, biggest games and a conference champion:
Pac-12 North predictions
1. Washington
2. Stanford
3. Oregon
4. Washington State
5. Cal
6. Oregon State
We’ve flip-flopped on this all season, and we might change our mind again given the similarities between Washington and Stanford. The Huskies, however, are given the slight edge with the experience at quarterback in Jake Browning and a defense that should be a top-10 unit nationally. The game is at Husky Stadium, too.
Pac-12 North X-Factor: Stanford’s September slate
Stanford plays San Diego State, USC and UC-Davis at home before road trips to Oregon and Notre Dame. All that happens before October. You hate the pressure on the quarterback, but K.J. Costello could be the difference-maker during that early-season grind. Love will get his, but these games will determine where Stanford ends up in the Pac-12 North.
Pac-12 North sleeper: Oregon
Justin Herbert is rated high on early 2019 NFL Mock Drafts, and retaining Mario Cristobal gives the program some much-needed continuity. Oregon is 6-12 in the Pac-12 the last two seasons, including four conference losses at Autzen Stadium. Washington and Stanford visit Oregon, but Kelly’s return with UCLA on Nov. 3 will draw the most attention.
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Pac-12 South predictions
1. USC
2. Utah
3. Arizona
4. UCLA
5. Colorado
6. Arizona State
The Trojans must replace quarterback Sam Darnold, but Clay Helton has remodeled the program into the most consistent winner within the division. The quarterback battle between Matt Fink and JT Daniels at that position will make headlines, and the September schedule is brutal — but we like USC to defend as Pac-12 South champs.
Pac-12 South X-Factor: UCLA’s QBs
We know Kelly’s system works at the college level. We have no idea who the quarterback will be. Devon Modster, Matt Lynch and Austin Burton took the snaps in the spring game, but freshman Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Michigan transfer Wilton Speight will be in the mix. That will be the key in a first year that should have ups and downs.
Pac-12 South sleeper: Arizona
Kevin Sumlin and Khalil Tate. Do we need to say more? Yes, the Wildcats need to be more consistent, but they get USC and Oregon at home. Early-season games against BYU and Houston should give us a feel for if the Wildcats, who won seven games last year, will make it interesting.
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Biggest Pac-12 games
1. Stanford at Washington (Nov. 3). The winner of this game has represented the division in the conference championship each of the last three years. This is a good rivalry between solid programs who happen to be the North's best Playoff contenders.
2. USC at Stanford (Sept. 8). They’ve played in two of the last three Pac-12 championship games. Stanford has won six of the last 10 regular season meetings. That includes three of the last four at home. It’s the biggest crossover game on the schedule.
3. USC at Utah (Oct. 20). Utah has an opportunity to make a run at its first Pac-12 South title, and this home game will go a long way in determining whether that happens. Of course, the Trojans play on the road at Arizona first on Sept. 29.
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Pac-12 champion: Washington
The Huskies should challenge for the College Football Playoff for the second time in three seasons, but there’s a lot riding on the opener against Auburn in the Chick-Fil-A Kickoff Game in Atlanta. A win there would erase the memory of last year’s bowl season and put Chris Petersen in position to lead another championship run.
Pac-12 Heisman hopefuls
Bryce Love, Stanford. Love rushed for 2,118 yards and 18 touchdowns last season. He'll be among the early Heisman Trophy favorites, and that's great news for David Shaw and the Cardinal.
Jake Browning, Washington. Browning's numbers took a big dip in 2017, but he still has 62 touchdowns and just 14 interceptions over the last two seasons. He made the right move by staying for his senior season.
Khalil Tate, Arizona. Tate burst on to the scene with 1,591 passing yards, 1,411 rushing yards and 26 total touchdowns in 2017, which includes four consecutive Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week honors over the month of October. Paired with Sumlin, he's sure to be one of the most dangerous players in the league.
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Pac-12 coaching hot seat: Mike MacIntyre, Colorado
Colorado did win the Pac-12 South in 2016, but a 5-7 outing last year put the Buffaloes back in the Pac-12 South basement for the fourth time in five years under MacIntyre. With three teams in the division breaking in first-year coaches, Colorado must show progress in 2018.
Pac-12 stat that matters: 3,039
Cal’s Ross Bowers passed for 3,039 yards last season and is the top returning passer in the Pac-12. Darnold, Josh Rosen and Luke Falk are gone. In a conference that depends on efficient quarterback play, there are some proven players who need to be better — and some unproven players looking to make a mark. That should translate to the same entertaining, unpredictable moments in #Pac12AfterDark.
Pac-12's big question: Herm Edwards at ASU
Honestly, we have no idea how Edwards will do in his first season. He hasn’t coached in college since 1989, and never as a head coach. He’ll be a great model for players and produce a few YouTube-worthy clips in news conferences, but the Sun Devils are next to impossible to predict in 2018. A visit from Michigan State on Sept. 8 will be a good measuring stick for everybody.
