🏈 Let's call this PAC12 week: Who do you see coming out as champs?

[TerryP]

There's a pretty good breakdown of the conference found here. Yes, it's from Athlon (via FoxSports and YB) but if you follow the jump at the end and click on a team the individual synopsis of each team is fairly detailed.

A few thoughts:

• Athlon predicts two loss teams across the board with Stanford, Oregon, and UCLA. That likely leaves the PAC out of the playoff.
• All the talk is going to be about the quarterbacks; Hundley, Mariota, and Hogan. The player that intrigues me the most is Barry Sanders, Jr. at Stanford.
• Simply because of their schedule Oregon looks like the team out of the North. I've developed a respect for what Mora has done at UCLA.
• As much as it's trendy, I can't find enough reasons to say "it's Oregon's to lose." Something about UCLA this year...

 

[ElephantStomp]

Oregon I think. But, Stanford always fields a good team and UCLA is really close. I think the Heisman could come down to Hundley and Mariota

 

[bamaraider]

Mariota came back for his senior year, so they're my pick. I'd like to see UCLA win it though. I don't know about Stanford this year. They're always a good team, but they lost A LOT of players and idk if they play Oregon this year or not, but if they do, they would have to travel to Eugene.

 

[TerryP]

Mariota came back for his senior year, so they're my pick. I'd like to see UCLA win it though. I don't know about Stanford this year. They're always a good team, but they lost A LOT of players and idk if they play Oregon this year or not, but if they do, they would have to travel to Eugene.

There's where I see the strong possibility of a tie-breaker coming into place; Stanford at Oregon. Both teams are at UCLA. Stanford gets USC this season in their cross-divisional game and they also have AZ St. Oregon doesn't get either—they get Utah and Colorado. (Last years standings in that division had AZ St. and UCLA @ #1 and #2 in their division, Utah and Colorado were at the bottom of that division...decided advantage to Oregon.)

I know I'm repeating myself here but what they hey.

If you want to start looking at the playoffs and arguments on who gets left out you have to start looking at Stanford. If we go by rankings this pre-season, they are playing at least five teams in the top 25: all on the road. Does a 10-2 Stanford deserve a spot over an 11-1 team based on SOS? If that 11-1 team is Ohio State, their loss to Michigan State, leaving them 0-1 versus top 25 teams?

Shuck the Buckeyes.

 

[bamaraider]

There's where I see the strong possibility of a tie-breaker coming into place; Stanford at Oregon. Both teams are at UCLA. Stanford gets USC this season in their cross-divisional game and they also have AZ St. Oregon doesn't get either—they get Utah and Colorado. (Last years standings in that division had AZ St. and UCLA @ #1 and #2 in their division, Utah and Colorado were at the bottom of that division...decided advantage to Oregon.)

I know I'm repeating myself here but what they hey.

If you want to start looking at the playoffs and arguments on who gets left out you have to start looking at Stanford. If we go by rankings this pre-season, they are playing at least five teams in the top 25: all on the road. Does a 10-2 Stanford deserve a spot over an 11-1 team based on SOS? If that 11-1 team is Ohio State, their loss to Michigan State, leaving them 0-1 versus top 25 teams?

Shuck the Buckeyes.

If that is the case, then absolutely leave out Ohio State. The only other exception would be the eye test and/or if the teams on their schedule improve tremendously.

 

[bama alum]

Mariota came back for his senior year, so they're my pick. I'd like to see UCLA win it though. I don't know about Stanford this year. They're always a good team, but they lost A LOT of players and idk if they play Oregon this year or not, but if they do, they would have to travel to Eugene.

I agree. This is supposed to be the year the Ducks do something big because they are pretty well loaded, at least on offense. I think they'll be in the playoff.

 

[planomateo]

How many times have we heard about the Ducks doing something big...they'll shit the bed again, I'm almost certain of it.

 

[BamaFan334]

Give me Stanford. Until Oregon can show that they can be that physical, I'm going with the physicality and the defense. I still think Mariota will have a grat year. He is a big dude and can move like a smaller running back or defensive back. I am curious to see what USC will have this year. UCLA in my eyes is still not there. I think Stanford wins the conference and that Mariota will be the standout player (going out on a limb with that one).

 

[bamaraider]

I just can't see Stanford winning it again this year. They lost Skov, Reynolds (their big safety), and nearly their entire O-Line and RB's if I'm not mistaken. The only thing thye bring back really worthy of making them a contender is their QB and all of their receivers on offense. Not that they can't replace those lost players, but just like our problem this year, last year on the o-line, and in 2010, inexperience kills you. Defensively though, they should be stout as always, but I just can't see them the dominant team they have been.

 

[planomateo]

How much of the 7 and 9 man OL grouping did they lose?