Pac-12 Preview: How the Teams Finish Up

We are about 10 days from the beginning of the college football season. Kickoff can not get here soon enough for us fans, alumni, and writers. Out here in the Pac-12 Conference it'll be your typical dog eat dog world. Many people believe the conference is down due to all the new quarterbacks that'll be starting in 2016. However, most people are not looking at that aspect. Most fans just want to know where their teams will finish in the conference. I'm here to put all that to rest.


Pac-12 North
1. Stanford
2. Washington State
3. Oregon
4. Washington
5. Oregon State
6. California


This will be Stanford's division to lose. They have Christian McCaffrey, David Shaw, and the experience of winning conference titles. With all those things going for them, the Cardinal should be in line for another division title and possible Rose Bowl berth. When you get to Oregon and the Washington schools it gets interesting.

I think Washington State is the better of all three teams. They have the better quarterback in Luke Falk and better weapons around him. Washington is a close second to the Wazzu, but the Huskies have something to prove to me. They have good talent for sure, but they haven't won anything. They are coming off a 7-6 season, so all this hype may be a bit of an overreach. Stayed tuned.

Oregon could be a sleeper to win the division, but I am down on the Ducks. For the second straight year they have a graduate transfer player in Dakota Prukop. Can Oregon ever get back to developing a quarterback like they did with Marcus Mariota? The Ducks do have running back Royce Freeman which will help take pressure off Prukop. Once again. Stayed tuned to what is happening in Eugene.

Let's fly south next.

Pac-12 South:

1. UCLA

2. Utah

3. USC

4. Arizona

5. Arizona State

6. Colorado

The South will be a battle between UCLA and Utah. Many people like USC, but they have to show me that they are for real. UCLA has Josh Rosen and bevy of talented running backs to make life miserable for their opponents. Watch Soso Jamabo and Nate Starks for the Bruins.

Utah will be in the mix for the South title because they probably have the best offensive and defensive lines in the entire conference. That is where they will be solid. They are replacing Travis Wilson and Devontae Booker on offense, so that'll be something to watch with the Utes. Can Joe Washington step up and replace Devontae Booker at running back? Who will step up at quarterback for the Utes?

At the end of the day, I believe the Bruins come through and win the South title. They don't have to play Oregon or Washington. They get USC and Utah at home.

In the Pac-12 Championship game it'll be Stanford and UCLA. UCLA has some very good talent, but they lack experience. Stanford has Christian McCaffrey, David Shaw, a good, tough offensive line, and great experience in big games. Stanford wins this game 45-21.

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Does the Pac-12 Make the College Football Playoff in 2016?

We are two weeks out from the beginning of the college football season. The other thing that gets discussed is who will qualify for the college football playoff in 2016. The Pac-12 is not getting a lot of talk in terms of getting into the playoff. Why?


The Pac-12 has been arguably one of the top two football conferences the last few seasons. The SEC is still considered the King of the Hill in college football with good reason, but the Pac-12 will not be right behind them this season or even next. The conference is going through a change at the most important position on the field. Quarterback turnover will be affecting the Pac-12 this year.


Arizona State, California, Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford, Utah, and USC will be undergoing the change under center. With those concerns with some of the conference powers the media has eased off on pronouncing any team from the Pac-12 to be playoff worthy.


The other aspect that gets forgotten by many people is that the Pac-12 plays a nine game conference schedule. By playing this type of conference schedule, the Pac-12 puts themselves at a disadvantage compared to the SEC who plays an eight game schedule and gets one extra cupcake of a game during the year.

By not getting one of those extra games against a lower division opponent or weaker Power 5 opponent the Pac-12 puts another potential loss on their playoff teams record. Having that possibility gives plenty of reason in the minds of plenty of people about how the Pac-12 doesn't belong. The irony is that a potential playoff team from the Pac-12 with two losses doesn't mean that they aren't worthy of a birth in the playoff.

The only conference getting the benefit of the doubt with two losses is the SEC. They have built up plenty of benefit from dominating the national championship count.

That thought may bug many people in the Pac-12, but it is simply the truth.

The other issue with getting to the playoff for the Pac-12 is the starting times for their games. 50-60% of the country is asleep already by the time games start out here. The television contract that the Pac-12 has is not the greatest and basically dictates when teams play. If the conference wants to get paid, this is what they have to do.

Larry Scott said as much when asked at Arizona State/Arizona baseball game.

"If we want to get paid, we play when the networks tell us. It simply is what we have to do." Scott explained.

Finally, the Pac-12 is a carnivorous type of football conference. They beat up on each other with conference play. Any team can beat any team on any given Saturday. There really isn't a bye week in terms of competition in the Pac-12. Ask anybody who pays attention to the Pac-12 which means you have to talk to somebody from the West Coast. East Coast people really don't care about what happens out here. Not even sure they know what is west of Arkansas.

With all these things going on with the Pac-12 Conference in football, they will be left out of the playoff for a second straight year in 2016.

Image: Google

USC Names Max Browne as Their Starter for 2016

For Clay Helton getting his team ready for the huge opener against defending National Champion Alabama is something he has been working on since the game was announced. Today, he took another step in that direction by naming Max Browne as the starting Trojan quarterback.

Max Browne is a kid who had been patiently waiting his turn behind three year starter Cody Kessler. Now he gets his shot on the biggest stage possible. He is two weeks away from looking at the defensive line of the Crimson Tide coming at him full force.  

Will Browne be able to handle the pressure that will be thrown his way on September 3?


I believe he will once the 'Bama game is over. Alabama is on a whole different level than anything he'll face in Pac-12 this year.


If he doesn't have success, it will be looked at as he was up against the number one team in the country. If he has success, even the slightest bit of success, the media will anoint him the next great Trojan quarterback.


He knows what the expectations are at USC and has found a level of comfort in knowing what is expected.


"You know what you are getting into when you come to 'SC." Browne said before being announced the starter.


The bonus in going with Max Browne is that he is in year four and they are all alongside Clay Helton. Browne has a sense of familiarity with what Coach Helton is trying to do with the Trojan offense.


Browne is not a mobile type of quarterback. He's more of the classic drop back passer who is not afraid of looking down field for a big play. Browne is a 6'5", lumbering type of quarterback with a big arm.


The downside to him is that he won't be running around and away from pressure. It'll make an easy target for opposing defenses to hone in on.


For Browne to be successful in the Pac-12 he's going to have to get rid of the ball fairly quickly. Helton will have to have Browne do what Tom Brady does. Get that ball out to guys like Adoree Jackson and the other athletes that USC has to take the pressure off of him.


This is only the first step for Max Browne, so time will tell. The Trojans do have the toughest football schedule in college football this year, so the learning curve for Browne will have to be very short.


The success Max Browne has on the field will have a connection with the success the Trojans have in the win column in 2016. No pressure for a first time starter. None.




Twitter: pigskinopinion
Email: pigskinopinion@gmail.com or mike.wilson@campuspressbox.com