Pac-12 football preview: Predictions, media days schedule

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UCLA Head Coach Jim Mora speaks to the media at Pac-12 Media Days in 2016. (Photo by John McCoy/So Cal News Group)

It’s almost time for football.

Some teams have already started training camp and representatives from all Pac-12 schools will meet with the media Wednesday and Thursday at Hollywood and Highland during Pac-12 Media Days.

The official media poll will be released Wednesday morning before Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott opens the two-day event at 9 a.m. Below is how I voted in this year’s poll, along with each team’s Media Days representatives and the interview schedule for the next two days.

What are your predictions for the Pac-12 this year?

Pac-12 South:

1. USC — Sam Darnold is the Pac-12’s new golden boy. He’s a Heisman favorite, but will play behind a questionable offensive line with talented, but inexperienced receivers. The Trojans are Vegas’ pick to win the conference and will likely start the season ranked in the top 10. However, high expectations haven’t been too kind to the Trojans in recent years: The preseason top-10 teams in 2012 and 2015 both ended unranked.

2. Utah — Utah has become a tough out in the South during the past three years. The one thing plaguing the Utes has been their sluggish passing attack, which new offensive coordinator Troy Taylor is set to revamp.

3. UCLA — Josh Rosen’s injury wasn’t the reason why UCLA disappointed last year, and his return to full health won’t be enough to save the team either. The rushing attack needs to improve drastically in Jedd Fisch’s new scheme..

4. Colorado — Colorado’s rise to the top of the South was swift, but its descent is coming quickly as well. Despite excellent potential on offense, losing eight starters on defense and defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt is likely too big a blow for the Buffaloes.

5. Arizona State — With a pair of dynamic running backs and a budding star at receiver in sophomore N’Keal Harry, the Sun Devils have some playmakers on offense. The Sun Devils have new coordinators on both sides of the ball as Todd Graham tries to reverse the downward trend of his program.

6. Arizona — A dominant victory in last year’s Territorial Cup kept Arizona from an winless conference season. Having a healthy J.J. Taylor (ankle) would be huge in revving up the Wildcats on offense again, but the defense is gave up at least 35 points in each of its Pac-12 games last season.

Pac-12 North:

1. Washington — Last year’s College Football Playoff berth was likely just the beginning of Chris Petersen’s success in Seattle. Despite the NFL Draft ravaging its stars in the secondary, UW is stacked on offense with three-year starter Jake Browning throwing to Dante Pettis and sharing the backfield with Myles Gaskin behind an experienced offensive line.

2. Stanford — Stanford is anxiously awaiting the return of quarterback Keller Chryst, who suffered a knee injury in last year’s Sun Bowl. Once the signal-caller returns, he’ll pair with Bryce Love, who rushed for 783 yards as Christian McCaffrey’s backup last year.

3. Washington State — With Jamal Morrow adding a legitimate ground threat to Washington State’s Air Raid offense, the Cougars will likely be one of the conference’s best offenses again. Luke Falk, a one-time walk-on, is coming off back-to-back seasons with 4,000 passing yards, including 4,468 last year that were the third-most in the country.

4. Oregon — Willie Taggart resuscitated Western Kentucky and South Florida. Now it’s onto Eugene, where Oregon’s College Football Playoff appearance in 2014 seems like a lifetime ago. The 40-year-old coach as a promising quarterback in Justin Herbert, who started seven games as a true freshman in 2016.

5. Oregon State — Gary Andersen won three games during his second year in Corvallis after going winless in 2015, so the Beavers are moving in the right direction. Finding some continuity at quarterback will help OSU move forward. The Beavers have had five different starting quarterbacks in the past two years.

6. California — Justin Wilcox has a mountain to climb during his first year. The Bears have a new quarterback, a defense in shambles and a tough road conference schedule, so Wilcox will likely be starting his head coaching career at the bottom of the North.

Pac-12 Champion: Washington over USC

USC controlled the line of scrimmage during its upset of the Huskies in Seattle last year, but lost key players on both the offensive and defensive lines. After USC ended UW’s undefeated season, I expect the Huskies to punch back this year in a close game.

Pac-12 Media Days schedule:

Wednesday, July 26

  • 9:00 a.m. Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott
  • 9:40 a.m. Arizona (Rich Rodriguez, OL Jacob Alsadek, DL Luca Bruno)
  • 10:05 a.m. California (Justin Wilcox, RB Tre Watson, DE James Looney)
  • 10:30 a.m. UCLA (Jim Mora, OT Scott Quessenberry, LB Kenny Young)
  • 11:55 a.m. Oregon State (Gary Andersen, RB Ryan Nall, LB Manase Hungalu)
  • 11:20 a.m. Colorado (Mike MacIntyre, RB Phillip Lindsay, LB Derek McCartney)
  • 11:45 a.m. Washington (Chris Petersen, QB Jake Browning, LB Keishawn Bierria)

Thursday, July 27

  • 9:40 a.m. Oregon (Willie Taggart, QB Justin Herbert, LB Troy Dye)
  • 10:05 a.m. Arizona State (Todd Graham, RB Kalen Ballage, DL JoJo Wicker)
  • 10:30 a.m. Stanford (David Shaw, RB Bryce Love, DT Harrison Phillips)
  • 11:55 a.m. Washington State (Mike Leach, RB Jamal Morrow, LB Peyton Pelluer)
  • 11:20 a.m. USC (Clay Helton, QB Sam Darnold, LB Cameron Smith)
  • 11:45 a.m. Utah (Kyle Whittingham, OT Salesi Uhatafe, DT Filipo Mokofisi)