Ranking Power 5 Football Schedules for 2023

 

Schedules have been released for the 2023 college football season, which means it's time to rank the non-conference slates -- the only aspect a team truly controls. I usually ding a team for scheduling FCS foes, but it is becoming so pervasive that it's pointless to harp on it too much. Scheduling more P5 teams is a huge plus, though.

When choosing best non-conference game, a matchup can only be used once. So even though it includes teams from two Power 5 leagues, it will only be mentioned once. So don't be angry if it's listed in one place but not another. 

Of course, once the season begins all of this will change. The schedule that looked intimidating will turn out to be a dud, while the one that was laughed at will suddenly look formidable.

Here is a breakdown of all of the Power 5 conference non-league schedules:

                                                         ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE

It's apparent that the league feels Notre Dame is a de facto member, even though it went back to its Independent status after the COVID season of 2020. Five ACC squads will play the Fighting Irish in 2023, including 2022 Irish victim Clemson. Tennessee, Texas A&M, Florida, South Carolina and Cincinnati dot ACC schedules, which on the whole are not terrible. UConn appears on three ACC slates, while Old Dominion will face a pair of league teams.

 

Kudos to Florida State, which has LSU and Florida as bookends on its schedule, and a home contest against Southern Miss that may not be the cakewalk everyone expects.

BEST NON-CONFERENCE GAME

Notre Dame at Clemson

SNEAKY GOOD NON-CONFERENCE GAME

James Madison at Virginia

UNDERACHIEVERS NON-CONFERENCE GAME

Texas A&M at Miami

BRAINIAC NON-CONFERENCE GAME

Northwestern at Duke

 

1 FLORIDA STATE: vs LSU/Southern Miss/North Alabama/Florida

2 NORTH CAROLINA: vs South Carolina/Appalachian State/Minnesota/Campbell

3 PITTSBURGH: Wofford/Cincinnati/at West Virginia/at Notre Dame

4 CLEMSON: Charleston Southern/Florida Atlantic/Notre Dame/South Carolina

5 VIRGINIA: v Tennessee/James Madison/at Maryland/William & Mary

6 GEORGIA TECH: South Carolina State/at Ole Miss/Bowling Green/Georgia

7 LOUISVILLE: Murray State/vs Indiana/Notre Dame/Kentucky

8 VIRGINIA TECH: Old Dominion/Purdue/at Rutgers/at Marshall

9 MIAMI: Miami Ohio/Texas A&M/Bethune-Cookman/at Temple

10 WAKE FOREST: Elon/Vanderbilt/at Old Dominion/at Notre Dame

11 NC STATE: at UConn/Notre Dame/VMI/Marshall

12 DUKE: Lafayette/Northwestern/at UConn/Notre Dame

13 SYRACUSE: Colgate/Western Michigan/at Purdue/Army

14 BOSTON COLLEGE: Northern Illinois/Holy Cross/at Army/UConn

 

 

BIG TEN

Quite often the poster child of exemplary non-league scheduling, the Big Ten this year has really dumbed things down. Seven teams have scheduled FCS opponents, one has zero Power 5 foes and just one faces two teams from a Power 5 league. Bravo, Big Ten -- you've stopped pretending that you at least wanted to be challenged in the early portion of the season. Now it's simply a walkthrough.

BEST NON-CONFERENCE GAME

Ohio State at Notre Dame

SNEAKY GOOD NON-CONFERENCE GAME

Eastern Michigan at Minnesota

REALLY A BIG 12 NON-CONFERENCE GAME

Nebraska at Colorado

RIVALRY RENEWED NON-CONFERENCE GAME

West Virgina at Penn State (played every season from 1947-1992, but not since).

 

1 PURDUE: at Virginia Tech/Syracuse/Fresno State

2 MINNESOTA: Eastern Michigan/at North Carolina/Louisiana

3 IOWA: Utah State/at Iowa State/Western Michigan

4 WISCONSIN: Buffalo/at Washington State/Georgia Southern

5 OHIO STATE: Youngstown State/Western Kentucky/at Notre Dame

6 MICHIGAN STATE: Central Michigan/Richmond/Washington

7 NEBRASKA: at Colorado/Northern Illinois/Louisiana Tech

8 ILLINOIS: Toledo/at Kansas/Florida Atlantic

9 MICHIGAN: E Carolina/UNLV/Bowling Green

10 PENN STATE: West Virginia/Delaware/UMass

11 MARYLAND: Towson/Charlotte/Virginia

12 RUTGERS: Temple/Virginia Tech/Wagner

13 INDIANA: Indiana State/vs Louisville/Akron

14 NORTHWESTERN: UTEP/at Duke/Howard

 

BIG 12

Much like the Big Ten, the Big 12 isn't doing much to strain itself during the non-league portion of the schedule. Only two teams aren't facing an FCS foe, and many aren't even leaving their home state in September. There is the marquee matchup of Texas at Alabama, and a couple of other intriguing contests (Utah at Baylor, Colorado at TCU and West Virginia at Penn State and home to Pitt), but there aren't a whole lot of "wow, that's a doozy!" occasions on the 2023 slate.

Bonus points to new member Houston, which plays only in-state non-league games, and soon-to-be-departing staple Oklahoma, which makes the grueling two hour drive to Tulsa but otherwise has the comforts of home early in the season. Nice job, guys.

 

BEST NON-CONFERENCE GAME

Texas at Alabama

SNEAKY GOOD NON-CONFERENCE GAME 

Troy at Kansas State

BIG 8 REVISITED NON CONFERENCE GAME

SMU at Oklahoma

DO WE GET POINTS FOR THIS FLIGHT? NON-CONFERENCE GAME

UCF at Boise State

1 TEXAS: Rice/at Alabama/Wyoming

2 WEST VIRGINIA: at Penn State/Duquesne/Pittsburgh

3 BAYLOR: Texas State/Utah/Long Island

4 TEXAS TECH: at Wyoming/Oregon/Tarleton State

5 OKLAHOMA: Arkansas State/SMU/at Tulsa

6 TCU: Colorado/Nicholls/SMU

7 IOWA STATE: Northern Iowa/Iowa/at Ohio

8 KANSAS STATE: SE Missouri/Troy/at Missouri

9 CINCINNATI: Eastern Kentucky/at Pittsburgh/Miami Ohio

10 UCF: Kent State/at Boise State/Villanova

11 KANSAS: Missouri State/Illinois/at Nevada

12 HOUSTON: UTSA/at Rice/Sam Houston

13 OKLAHOMA STATE: Central Arkansas/at Arizona State/South Alabama

14 BRIGHAM YOUNG: Sam Houston/Southern Utah/at Arkansas

 

 

PAC-12

If the Pac-12 is going away -- and that looks to be the case given the panic that has set in among admins trying frantically to get a television deal -- at least it will go down swinging. 

 

Numerous league teams have taken it upon themselves to schedule premier out of conference matchups, so there will be plenty of chances for attention in 2023. Three teams have even decided to schedule only FBS teams, which is a victory itself. Utah and USC will be tested this season, and Coach Prime will also have time in the spotlight as his Buffs face CFP participant TCU right out of the box.

 

BEST NON-CONFERENCE GAME

USC at Notre Dame

SNEAKY GOOD NON-CONFERENCE GAME

Arizona at Mississippi State

WE AREN'T THE HOME TEAM? NON-CONFERENCE GAME

Cal at North Texas

AM I IN THE RIGHT LOCKER ROOM? NON-CONFERENCE GAME

Sacramento State at Stanford (Cards first-year coach Troy Taylor came from Sac State)

 

1 UTAH: Florida/at Baylor/Weber State

2 USC: San Jose State/Nevada/at Notre Dame

3 COLORADO: at TCU/Nebraska/Colorado State

4 WASHINGTON: Boise State/Tulsa/at Michigan State

5 UCLA: Coastal Carolina/at San Diego State/North Carolina Central

6 OREGON STATE: at San Jose State/UC Davis/San Diego State

7 ARIZONA STATE: Southern Utah/Oklahoma State/Fresno State

8 ARIZONA: Northern Arizona/at Mississippi State/UTEP

9 STANFORD: at Hawaii/Sacramento State/Notre Dame

10 OREGON: Portland State/at Texas Tech/Hawaii

11 WASHINGTON STATE: at Colorado State/Wisconsin/Northern Colorado

12 CALIFORNIA: at North Texas/Auburn/Idaho

SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE

While there definitely are some intriguing matchups in the SEC, most of it is the usual lower-rung cannon fodder that dots schedules each season. The obligatory FCS game -- almost always late in the season -- is still there, and there seems to be even more detail paid to putting Group of Five teams that finished near the bottom of their conference on the slate.

 

Special mention goes to Auburn, which has UMass, maybe THE worst team in FBS, Cal, which won four games last season and may not be much better this season, and New Mexico State, which is perennially bad but had a resurgence under Jerry Kill and won seven games in 2022. At least their FCS foe, Samford, was a top 10 team.

 

BEST NON-CONFERENCE GAME

LSU vs Florida State

SNEAKY GOOD NON-CONFERENCE GAME 

Ole Miss at Tulane

HEATED RIVALRY NON-CONFERENCE GAME

Kansas State at Missouri

LET'S SCHEDULE A NOON KICKOFF NON-CONFERENCE GAME

Hawaii at Vanderbilt

1 FLORIDA: at Utah/McNeese/Charlotte/Florida State

2 SOUTH CAROLINA: vs North Carolina/Furman/Jacksonville State/Clemson

3 MISSOURI: South Dakota/Middle Tennessee/Kansas State/vs Memphis

4 LSU: vs Florida State/Grambling State/Army/Georgia State

5 ALABAMA: Middle Tennessee/Texas/at South Florida/Chattanooga

6 MISSISSIPPI STATE: SE Louisiana/Arizona/Western Michigan/Southern Miss

7 TENNESSEE: vs Virginia/Austin Peay/UTSA/UConn

8 OLE MISS: Mercer/at Tulane/Georgia Tech/Louisiana-Monroe

9 GEORGIA: UT-Martin/Ball State/UAB/Georgia Tech

10 VANDERBILT: Hawaii/Alabama A&M/at Wake Forest/at UNLV

11 KENTUCKY: Ball State/Eastern Kentucky/Akron/at Louisville

12 ARKANSAS: Western Carolina/Kent State/Brigham Young/FIU

13 TEXAS A&M: New Mexico/at Miami/Louisiana-Monroe/Abilene Christian

14 AUBURN: UMass/at Cal/Samford/New Mexico State

 

 

PAC-12 ALL-LEAGUE SELECTIONS 2020

The end of the college football season is a sad time, because it means that we are almost finished withfootball, and have a long cold winter (and spring) ahead of us.

But it's also a time for passing out hardware, in the form of all-league teams. 

Plenty of players had the spotlight shining on them, so it was admittedly tricky trying to find the best of the best in each league. But through careful research, and all night film sessions, our committee of three came up with what we thought were the best choices in each conference. 

These selections may not match the ones unveiled by the conferences, but that's because much of that is name recognition more than stellar play. Digging deep behind the numbers is what's needed, and that's precisely what we have done here.

A great deal of star power spread out within the league, as Arizona State, UCLA and Utah all placed four players among the first-team honorees. The Utes had the freshman of the year in Ty Jordan, who tragically passed away over the Christmas holidays after an accident at home, and have a lot of good returning talent for 2021. Oregon State runner Jermar Jefferson didn't make national headlines but churned out enough yardage and scoring to win offensive player of the year honors, while Colorado tackling machine Nate Landman was the league's top defensive player. His coach, Karl Dorrell, was not a sexy hire, and in fact was derided by much of the national media, yet he turned the Buffs around in short order and made them into a competitive bunch in 2020. The foundation is set for big things next year and beyond. 

1^ST TEAM OFFENSE                                                                                  2^ND TEAM OFFENSE

QB Jayden Daniels/Arizona State                                                        QB Sam Noyer/Colorado

RB Jarek Broussard/Colorado                                                             RB Demetric Felton/UCLA

RB Jermar Jefferson/Oregon State                                                    RB Ty Jordan/Utah

WR Simi Fehoko/Stanford                                                                    WR Kyle Phillips/UCLA

WR Amon-Ra St. Brown/USC                                                               WR Britain Covey/Utah

WR Drake London/UCLA                                                                      WR Travell Harris/Washington State

TE Greg Dulcich/UCLA                                                                          TE Cade Otton/Washington

OT Alijah Vera-Tucker/USC                                                                  OT Sean Rhyan/UCLA

OT Abraham Lucas/Washington State                                              OT Kellen Dietsch/Arizona State

OG Dohnovan West/Arizona State                                                      OG Henry Bainivalu/Washington

OG Ryan Walk/Oregon                                                                           OG Andrew Vorhees/USC

 C Michael Saffell/California                                                                   C  Drew Dalman/Stanford                                               

1^ST TEAM DEFENSE                                                                                 2^ND TEAM DEFENSE

DE Kayvon Thibodeaux/Oregon                                                           DE Zion Tupuola-Fetui/Washington

DT Jermayne Lole/Arizona State                                                        DT Roy Lopez/Arizona

DT Osa Odighizuwa/UCLA                                                                    DT Mustafa Johnson/Colorado

DE Mika Tafua/Utah                                                                                DE Nick Figueroa/USC

LB Nate Landman/Colorado                                                                LB Noah Sewell/Oregon

LB Devin Lloyd/Utah                                                                              LB Caleb Johnson/UCLA

LB Avery Roberts/Oregon State                                                         LB Omar Speights/Oregon State

LB Edefuan Ulofoshio/Washington                                                     LB Isaac Slade-Matautia/Oregon

CB Elijah Molden/Washington                                                             CB Olajah Griffin/USC

CB Chase Lucas/Arizona State                                                           CB Trent McDuffie/Washington

 S Talanoa Hufanga/USC                                                                          S Isaiah Lewis/Colorado

 S Quentin Lake/UCLA                                                                            S Evan Fields/Arizona

1^ST TEAM SPECIALISTS                                                                           2^ND TEAM SPECIALISTS

 K Jadon Redding/Utah                                                                            K Evan Price/Colorado

 P Oscar Draguicevich/Washington State                                            P Ryan Sanborn/Stanford

RS Britain Covey/Utah                                                                             RS Mykael Wright/Oregon

 

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Jermar Jefferson/Oregon State

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Nate Landman/Colorado

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Ty Jordan/Utah

COACH OF THE YEAR: Karl Dorrell/Colorado

Can We Just Get Rid Of 2020?

When college basketball tournaments were canceled, we should have seen the warning signs. When baseball's Opening Day came and went without a single bat cracking, we should have seen the writing on the wall. When there was no Kentucky Derby or Indianapolis 500, it should have told us something.

Instead, we kept jumping for that dangling carrot known as hope -- hope that there would be college football this fall.

Today's announcements by the Big Ten and Pac-12 that they are postponing their seasons until the spring are the first in what could be many dominos to tumble. The MAC and Mountain West earlier made decisions to shut down, and most of Division II and Division III have done the same. Even though we could see the handwriting on the wall, we still clung to the notion that the "big boys" wouldn't do such a thing, that we would still have our fall Saturdays.

But it wasn't to be.

There is logic on both sides of the argument, so I won't pretend that the decision made by the leagues was an easy one. It's certainly not one I would want to be a part of. 

Fans see it as caving to fear, as cowardice -- despite medical experts sounding the alarms that a return to college campuses could make it much easier for players to contract COVID-19. There's also emerging data that long term effects include myocarditis -- which may have played a role in the death of otherwise healthy 27-year-old basketball player Michael Ojo. He was reported to have tested positive, but recovered. Reports said he died of a heart attack. Boston Red Sox ace Eduardo Rodriguez is sitting out MLB's season because he's dealing with a heart-related issue stemming from his bout with COVID-19. So there are real reasons to be leery of allowing teams to play.

Even so, you feel so bad for the players, who have been putting in time and effort to get ready for a 2020 season that was already going to be abnormal. When word came prematurely on Monday that the Big Ten had voted to cancel the season, players took to social media and got #WeWantToPlay trending. Fans retweeted and kept it going, to the point that it looked like the tide had shifted. Maybe the Big Ten WAS going to give it a go. 

But it wasn't to be.

Ohio State is one of a handful of Big Ten schools --- Penn State, Michigan and Nebraska being the others -- that hasn't had a single positive test since workouts resumed last month. The players see it this way -- if our protocols and practices have worked, why should we be penalized? Buckeyes coach Ryan Day came out strongly in favor of a fall season, saying "We cannot cancel the season right now. We have to, at the very least, postpone it and allow us a little bit of time to re-evaluate what's going on. That's the reason why we put this schedule together, to have some flexibility. If we need to take a deep breath, let's take a deep breath. We owe it to these kids to exhaust every single option we possibly can, and then we go from there."

He may not be wrong.

Why should the schools that have done everything right be penalized? Well, for one thing, the schools are worried about liability issues. Everything can be hunky-dory right now, but if Michigan plays Wisconsin and then we find out that both teams had players infected, those teams would need to shut it down immediately. And it would affect future opponents. And if a kid gets really sick, or, heaven forbid, dies? The backlash and monetary damage that school would suffer would be unimaginable. So I can see why the presidents did what they did. It doesn't mean I have to like it, though.

I do think the players and coaches stumping to play have a legitimate gripe, and their voices should have been at least heard. They are adults, they know the risks going in, and yet they still want to play. Hell, their parents want them to play. You'd think THEY would be the most apprehensive group out there, worried that their kids would test positive and then face who knows what kind of recovery time. Yet they were united in their desire to see their sons play football this fall.

But it wasn't to be.

Moving to the spring sounds good in principle, but it's just kicking the can down the road. The likelihood of games actually happening seems slim. And if they are played, it will take a game-day program to figure out who is playing because the big-time stars will most likely be preparing for the NFL Draft. The best course of action would be to just scrap the 2020 season altogether and look forward to 2021.

If the Big Ten and Pac-12 end up as the only Power 5 leagues to postpone -- which I don't believe will be the case -- the 2020 season will definitely have a bit of a "what if?" feel. There would definitely be some big time games, but to not have Ohio State or Penn State or Oregon -- or Oklahoma, should the Big 12 hop the fence it's currently sitting on -- would just be odd. And if the other three leagues play in the fall, what is the incentive for the Big Ten and Pac-12 in the spring? There won't be any bowl games or College Football Playoff to shoot for. So what, exactly, is the motivation?

The logistical hurdles involved in spring ball are numerous -- do seniors have their eligibility extended? If so, what do teams do with freshmen who wanted to report early? Those seniors, and underclassmen who go to the draft, free up the scholarships that the new guys get. If the seniors are still around, do the freshmen have to wait to enroll? Will the NCAA allow a one time easing of the 85 scholarship limit? And how do schools strapped for money pay for the extra full schollies? Hell, will the freshmen be eligible to play in the spring? A lot of uncertainty there.

There's also the matter of TV contracts -- college basketball dominates ESPN in the spring, and is also shown by CBS and Fox. ESPN has the NBA as well, so getting programming juggled around without pissing off someone will be tough. I know that college football would get the nod over March Madness in my house, but that may not be the case for everyone. 

The biggest concern would be compacting two seasons into nine months. If teams are playing March to May, they would have only June off before fall camps for 2021 open in July. Don't give me the "they can just push back the start of 2021" argument. I mean, they CAN, but there is no earthly reason to affect two seasons if you don't have to. There wouldn't be nearly enough recovery time between seasons, which means injuries would almost certainly increase. And that's why the league honchos saying that "player safety" is the reason for the postponement are being disingenuous.

They know that there are billions at stake if there is no college football. They know that many of their Olympic sports will have, at the least, scholarship reductions, and at the worst, be no more. Money is the big driver here, not player safety. The presidents are hoping the move to spring buys them some time -- time for a vaccine to be created, time for them to reconfigure their programs, time for them to just take a deep breath. They know that the immediate health of their university's sports hang in the balance, and they will do everything in their power to make sure that they don't go the way of the dinosaur. So, yeah, it's not about "player safety." It's about money.

However this all shakes out -- and my guess is that many, many college football fans will have a gaping hole in their Saturday schedules -- the impact will be felt for many seasons. It was the hope from this corner that we could get just a little semblance of normalcy, that we could cheer on our teams and revel in the chase for the title.

But it wasn't to be.

2019 Pac-12 Preview

The Pac-12 has lost some of its swagger, some of its relevance, due in large part to not having a legitimate contender for the College Football Playoff the last two seasons. That could change in 2019 with as many as three teams in the mix for the sport's biggest prize.

Utah's Bradlee Anae (Utah Athletics)

If it happens, it will be because of defense -- yes, you heard that right. Defense. In the Pac-12.

Sometimes lumped in with the Big 12 as a stop-challenged league, the Pac-12 had six teams finish among the nation's top 50 defenses in 2018. That means fewer eye-popping scores, but better games, too -- games that come down to a late stop.

That defensive mindset is seen at the top of both divisions, starting with Oregon. The Ducks have an embarrassment of riches on the stop side, including a great linebacking corps and one of the best secondaries in the conference. Quarterback Justin Herbert could be in the Heisman mix if his teammates can catch the football, but he should have all the time in the world to operate behind the most experienced (153 career starts) -- and one of the best -- offensive line in college football. The schedule, however, is brutal, with trips to Stanford, Washington and Arizona State, and a spicy neutral site opener against Auburn.

Chris Petersen has built his reputation as one of the best coaches in America, and if Washington is to contend for national honors then it will be one of his best coaching jobs. Don't get it wrong -- the Huskies have talent. But so much of it is unknown, starting with quarterback Jacob Eason, last of Georgia. To hear Internet chatter, Eason is somewhere between Tom Brady and a third-stringer, so it's anyone's guess what UW will get. The though here is that he struggles a little early, finds his footing and becomes good. He has a solid receiving corps, led by Aaron Fuller, and running back Salvon Ahmed appears ready to burst into the spotlight. The defense, typically a strong suit, must be rebuilt as only two starters are back. Trips to BYU and Stanford could be tricky, but the Huskies get Oregon, Utah and Washington State at home.

Tell people that David Shaw is one of the 10 best coaches in America and you often get an eye roll. He's won 82 games in eight years and recruits at a high level, something that isn't easy given Stanford's academic requirements. Like Petersen, Shaw will have to dip deep into his coaching bag as only nine starters return. However, Stanford is set at quarterback with underrated KJ Costello. He'll have to be good behind a rebuilt offensive line and new skill position players. The defense was solid, not great, in 2018, but has some good building blocks, notably corner Paulson Adebo (4 INTs, 20 PBU). Stanford travels to UCF and Wazzu, but gets Oregon, Washington, Cal and Notre Dame at home.

California is one of the teams that has made itself over with a defensive mentality, and that stems from head coach Justin Wilcox. The Bears were 15th nationally in total D, playing aggressive, and sometimes risky, but the personnel is there to do that. A loaded secondary and standout linebackers, led by tackling machine Evan Weaver (159 stops), means tough sledding for opposing offenses. Cal was inconsistent on offense a year ago and will need to get better if it wants to truly break through. The Bears must go to Washington, Oregon, Utah and Stanford, so it wouldn't be shocking if the team is better but the record is the same as last year, or possibly a touch worse.

Quarterback whisperer Mike Leach will need to do it again if Washington State is to replicate last year's double-digit win campaign. Gardner Minshew set records as a transfer, and Leach hopes Eastern Washington transfer Gage Gubrud can be just as potent under center this year. The Cougars played with fire and came out unscathed on a few occasions last year, beating Utah, Stanford and Cal by a total of 13 points. It's unclear whether or not Wazzu can repeat that magic, but it should be the most entertaining offense in the league with Gubrud throwing to Dezmon Patmon and Tay Martin, among others. The defense is talented but returns only five starters, and was dealt a blow when hard-hitting safety Jalen Thompson was declared ineligible and left the program. Wazzu goes to Utah, Oregon, Cal and Washington, so winning the North could be a very tall order.

Baby steps are being made at Oregon State as the talent gets better. The Beavers won't contend this year, but have a couple of stars in running back Jermar Jefferson (1414 yards, 12 TDs as a frosh) and receiver Isaiah Hodgins. If quarterback play is decent the Beavers could put up some points. The defense allowed over 45 ppg last year but that will almost certainly decline with the addition of transfers DE Addison Gumbs (Oklahoma0 and LB Avery Roberts (Nebraska). The secondary made too many tackles last year, so its up to the front seven to pull its weight -- and reduce its ghastly 6.4 ypc allowed against the run.

There likely won't be much drama in the South as Utah appears to be a cut above the rest.

The Utes bumped their head in back to back losses against Washington and Washington State, then proceeded to reel off four straight games of 40 or more points. Then injuries to QB Tyler Huntley and RB Zack Moss brought things to a halt. Utah still made the Pac-12 title game, but was a shell of itself and lost 10-3 to Washington. This could be the year the Utes break through as Huntley and Moss are both healthy, and the offense should get a boost with new OC Andy Ludwig calling the shots. Look for Utah to average over 30 ppg for the first time since 2015. Defense is where this team will really shine, though. Jaylon Johnson and Julian Blackmon (5 combined INTs and 14 PBUs) lead the secondary, Penn State transfer Manny Bowen should have a big year at linebacker and beast Bradlee Anae leads a line that had 16 of the Utes 37 sacks. The schedule is tricky, opening at BYU, and the road takes the Utes to USC and Washington. They skip Oregon and Stanford and get Washington State at home, so a run at the Pac-12 crown and more could be on tap for Kyle Whittingham's bunch.

Talent isn't an issue for USC, as it consistently is among the best in the league in that department. Using that talent is another story, which is why Clay Helton is on the hottest of seats heading into 2019. The Trojans offense was abysmal last year, averaging just 26 ppg, and the defense gave up 27 ppg -- not a recipe for success. QB JT Daniels is a year older and, presumably, better, and he has a lethal group of wideouts to throw to in Tyler Vaughns, Michael Pittman Jr and Amon-Ra St. Brown. The running game has to crank up if USC is to reach its goals, however. The defense has a few difference-makers, notably DE Christian Rector and LB Palaie Gaoteote, and should get a boost from an influx of talented freshmen, including DE Drake Jackson and CB Chris Steele. A tough schedule -- which opens with Fresno State and Stanford and takes the Trojans to BYU, Washington and Cal -- could put USC behind the eight ball quickly. But if the young guys play with enthusiasm and can find themselves early, a return to prominence would not be shocking.

Year one of the Herm Edwards era went better than almost anyone could have imagined, but year two is where we find out if Arizona State is for real. A makeover at quarterback could be minimized by the presence of All-America RB Eno Benjamin and a standout O-line which returns four starters. The defense cut its points allowed by over a touchdown last year and could be just as good this season thanks to the 1-2 linebacker punch of Merlin Robertson (Pac 12 Frosh of the Year) and Darien Butler. Chase Lucas is a hitter in the secondary, and this team will gain its identity with defense. Trips to Michigan State, Cal and Utah could be an issue.

There is optimism in Westwood thanks to a fairly strong finish by UCLA in 2018. True, the Bruins lost two of their last three, but one was by a field goal at Arizona State and the other was by a touchdown to a much better Stanford team. A win over USC was in the middle of that, and Chip Kelly seems to have the players he wants running his offense now. It all starts with running back Joshua Kelley (1243, 12 TDs) and a young but talented receiving corps that got its feet wet last season. If quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson improves his accuracy this group could take off. The defense improved a bit after switching to a 3-4, and that should continue with 10 starters returning. The best of the bunch could be LB Krys Barnes, who will be joined by corner Darnay Holmes Jr and safety Quentin Lake. We'll know early about the Bruins, who face Cincinnati, San Diego State and Oklahoma in non-league play, and travel to Wazzu, Stanford, Utah and USC. The record may not show it, but this team is getting better.

Arizona is a true wildcard in the South. The Wildcats could be really good, or could have a repeat of 2018, where injuries and inconsistencies killed momentum. It all rests of the arm (and legs) of quarterback Khalil Tate, a dynamic force who was limited last year by an ankle injury, and a coaching decision that asked him to run less and stay in the pocket more -- how did that work out? Now healthy, Tate should be able to operate as his usual self. He has RB JJ Taylor to lighten his load and an offensive line with four returning starters. The defense could be very good thanks to linebackers Tony Fields and Colin Schooler, who both run sideline to sideline and find the football with regularity. Arizona gets Washington and Utah at home but must go to Stanford and Oregon.

Mel Tucker is the new sheriff in town in Boulder, and he's looking to make Colorado tougher in every aspect. The ex-Georgia DC has a bunch of gritty defenders, led by LBs Nate Landman (104 tackles, 11 TFL) and Davion Taylor, and corner Delrick Abrams is a standout for a secondary that was burned far too often last season. That group is Tucker's area of expertise, so it should improve. Steven Montez is back at quarterback, and he's blessed with one of the best receivers in the country in Laviska Shenault Jr (86-1011-8 in just eight games). If the O-line can protect the Buffs should be more lethal with the football. Colorado hosts Nebraska early and Stanford and Washington late, but must go to Oregon, Wazzu and Utah.

PAC-12 PREDICTIONS
NORTH

1 Oregon (10-3, 7-2)*R
2 Washington (9-3, 6-3)*R
2 Stanford (9-3, 6-3)*R
4 California (8-4, 5-4)*R
4 Washington State (7-5, 5-4)*R
6 Oregon State (3-9, 1-8)

SOUTH

1 Utah (12-1, 8-1)*R
2 USC (7-5, 5-4)*
3 Arizona State (6-6, 4-5)*
4 UCLA (5-7, 3-6)
5 Arizona (4-8, 2-7)
6 Colorado (3-9, 2-7)

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Utah over Oregon

* Bowl participant
R CFB Focus Top 40 team

ALL PAC-12
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
QB Justin Herbert/Oregon
RB Eno Benjamin/Arizona State
RB Jermar Jefferson/Oregon State
WR Laviska Shenault Jr/Colorado
WR Michael Pittman Jr/USC
WR Aaron Fuller/Washington
TE  Colby Parkinson/Stanford
OT Penei Sewell/Oregon
OT Walker Little/Stanford
OG Shane Lemieux/Oregon
OG Gus Lavaka/Oregon State
 C  Nick Harris/Washington

FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
DE Bradlee Anae/Utah
DE Luc Bequette/California
DT Leki Fotu/Utah
DT Jay Tufele/USC
LB Evan Weaver/California
LB Troy Dye/Oregon
LB Merlin Robertson/Arizona State
CB Paulson Adebo/Stanford
CB Jaylon Johnson/Utah
 S  Jevon Holland/Oregon
 S  Ashtyn Davis/California

FIRST TEAM SPECIALISTS
 K Jet Toner/Stanford
 P Steven Coutts/California
RS Britain Covey/Utah

SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
QB KJ Costello/Stanford
RB Zack Moss/Utah
RB Joshua Kelley/UCLA
WR Dezmon Patmon/Washington State
WR Isaiah Hodgins/Oregon State
WR Amon-Ra St. Brown/USC
TE Hunter Bryant/Washington
OT Trey Adams/Washington
OT Calvin Throckmorton/Oregon
OG Luke Wattenberg/Washington
OG Chris Murray/UCLA
 C  Cohl Cabral/Arizona State

SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
DE Mustafa Johnson/Colorado
DE Jermayne Lole/Arizona State
DT Jordon Scott/Oregon
DT John Penisini/Utah
LB Colin Schooler/Arizona
LB Nate Landman/Colorado
LB Jahad Woods/Washington State
CB Thomas Graham/Oregon
CB Myles Bryant/Washington
 S  Julian Blackmon/Utah
 S  Jaylinn Hawkins/California

SECOND TEAM SPECIALISTS
 K Brandon Ruiz/Arizona State
 P  Oscar Draguicevich/Washington State
RS Travell Harris/Washington State

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Justin Herbert
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Evan Weaver
COACH OF THE YEAR: Kyle Whittingham/Utah
TOP NEWCOMER: CB Chris Steele/USC

TOP FIVE GAMES (NONCONFERENCE)
Utah at Brigham Young (Aug. 29)
Oregon vs Auburn (Arlington, Texas) (Aug. 31)
Oklahoma at UCLA (Sept. 14)
Stanford at UCF (Sept. 14)
USC at Notre Dame (Oct. 12)

TOP FIVE GAMES (CONFERENCE)
Utah at USC (Sept. 20)
Washington at Stanford (Oct. 5)
Oregon at Washington (Oct. 19)
Utah at Washington (Nov. 2)
California at Stanford (Nov. 23)

TOP FIVE INCOMING FRESHMEN
DE Kayvon Thibodeaux/Oregon
CB Chris Steele/USC
DE Drake Jackson/USC
QB Jayden Daniels/Arizona State
OT Sean Rhyan/UCLA

TOP FIVE TRANSFERS
LB Manny Bowen/Utah (Penn State)
WR Juwan Johnson/Oregon (Penn State)
QB Gage Gubrud/Washington State (Eastern Washington)
QB Jacob Eason/Washington (Georgia)
DE Addison Gumbs/Oregon State (Oklahoma)

TOP FIVE JUCO TRANSFERS 
LB Kuony Deng/California
WR Jaylen Erwin/UCLA
OT Paiton Fears/Arizona
CB Derrick Langford/Washington State
LB Jash Allen/Colorado