Is the USC hype for real? Will Washington actually take a step back due to its defensive losses? Can any team other than these two make a legitimate run for the conference title in 2017? We are here to answer those questions and plenty more as we conclude our week-long look at college football's six major conferences with the Pac-12.
College football's hottest club may be the Pac-12. There are star quarterbacks, coaches on the hot seat, Puddles and trees as mascots, and a strong desire by the league to surpass its brethren as the best in the land. Can they do it, and if so, who will be the team leading the Pac-12 to national glory? Keep on reading to see the CBS Sports college football team's unique takes on the Big Ten entering the 2017 season.
Most overrated team
UCLA: It seems that UCLA is being counted on to be USC's primary contender in the South, and I just don't see it happening. For starters, I don't trust coach Jim Mora to keep things going in the right direction when adversity hits -- and it will in the form of Texas A&M, Stanford and (gasp) Memphis in the first month of the season. Secondly, why does Utah constantly get overlooked in the South? UCLA might be decent at best, but that's not good enough to keep Mora employed, boosters happy or keep them in the division title race. -- Barrett Sallee (and Dennis Dodd, Jerry Palm, Tom Fornelli)
Oregon: Willie Taggart isn't just arriving in Oregon with nothing to do but install his offense. He's overhauling a culture. This Oregon team had gotten soft, mentally and physically. That isn't something that you fix in one season. To his credit, Taggart is well on his way to getting the talent up to par. He closed strong in recruiting last cycle and off to a great start in the current cycle. The fact that there are numerous true freshmen poised to play is a good thing for the long-term vision of the program but those early minutes for 18-year-olds aren't votes of confidence for the 2017 win total. I like the direction Oregon is heading, but I'm hearing a lot of 8-4 type of confidence around the program -- and I'm not sure I see it. -- Barton Simmons
Colorado: It's not just the loss of eight senior starters on defense that concerns me, it's the loss of Jim Leavitt as defensive coordinator and some of the staff issues last year's Coach of the Year Mike MacIntyre has endured. Quarterback Steven Montez did a stellar job in relief of Sefo Liufau last season, and I expect he will lead a productive offense, but the 2017 season looks like a step back for the Buffs. Instead of challenging USC and Utah for the division title, I see Colorado needing a late season win against Cal and/or Arizona State to be bowl eligible. -- Chip Patterson
Washington State: It's not that Wazzu is bound for a 4-8 season or anything (barring injuries). It's that what gets overshadowed in last year's breakout season is how so-so the Cougars were when they faced legitimately good defenses. Against Colorado, UCLA and Washington -- the top three pass defenses in the conference in 2016 -- Washington State averaged about 5.6 yards per pass play on 151 attempts with four touchdowns to five picks. And while Wazzu's defense was better during the middle stretch of the season, it was statistically still average to below average in major categories. Why are these things important? Minus receiver Gabe Marks, Washington State returns a lot of the same players. While the hope is for improvement, the schedule offers a lot of road blocks. The Cougars will be fun to watch, as always, but can they come up on the right side of 10 games again? -- Ben Kercheval
Most underrated team
Washington State: The Cougars are a dangerous team but one that's easy to overlook since they play in a division with Washington and Stanford, as well as an Oregon team that should be better this season. I wouldn't take Wazzu for granted, however. Mike Leach's team have found a groove the last two seasons, going 13-5 in Pac-12 play. They enter 2017 with a senior quarterback and an offense that will still be potent. The Coogs are going to be a factor in the Pac-12 again this season. -- Tom Fornelli (and Dennis Dodd, Barton Simmons, Chip Patterson)
Utah: The Utes being underrated is more about their status as a program rather than what they may or may not do this season. After a few years of adjusting to life in a major conference, Utah is now consistently good. Only USC has a better record in the Pac-12 South than Utah over the last three seasons, and the Utes tied for the division title in 2015. Utah had nine wins overall in each of those seasons, but it still doesn't get much attention. Among the reasons for that are the lack of a Pac-12 Championship Game appearance and simply that they are Utah and not USC, UCLA or Oregon. There is nothing flashy about what the Utes do. They just win consistently. This may not be the year that Utah fixes the Pac-12 championship issue because USC looks to be a dominant favorite, but don't be surprised if Utah is right with the teams immediately behind the Trojans. -- Jerry Palm (and Barrett Sallee)
Arizona: It wasn't that long ago that Rich Rod had Arizona playing in the Pac-12 Championship Game and the Fiesta Bowl. And though the Wildcats never fulfilled Rodriguez's "Why not us?" dream of making the Rose Bowl, things in Tucson were, in fact, rosy. It's a different story now. Arizona has 10 wins in two years after recording its 10-win season in 2014. Rodriguez has a different boss now and hot seat chatter fully surrounds him. However, the 'Cats dealt with numerous injuries last season and played three different quarterbacks. On top of that, Rodriguez was in the middle of shaking up his coaching staff. There's promise on offense this year. Junior Brandon Dawkins showed a lot of flash, especially with his legs. Since Arizona misses Washington and Stanford from the North division, a rebound season at or over .500 seems in store. -- Ben Kercheval
Bold prediction
- Dennis Dodd: Having done all he can at a remote college football outpost (Pullman), Mike Leach bounces after six seasons at Washington State. Perhaps Ole Miss is in his future?
- Barton Simmons and Ben Kercheval: The Pac-12 South will lose half of its coaches (three) in the silly season.
- Jerry Palm: USC will roll to an undefeated season against a schedule that looks better now than it will in the end.
- Chip Patterson: Washington State will be a top-10 team in the first CFP Rankings (Oct. 31).
- Tom Fornelli: USC will be the only team in the South with fewer than four conference losses.
- Barrett Sallee: Stanford will beat USC early in the year, but the Trojans will get revenge in Santa Clara with a CFP berth on the line for both programs.
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Pac-12 champion
USC: Seeing USC in the top five seems to elicit a "Here we go again" reaction. But the Trojans usually back up these sort of rankings. This is the sixth time the Trojans have started the season in the top five. Four of the last five times, they ended the season in the top five. Not a bad hit rate. Sam Darnold has yet to play a full season and is already the best player in the game (arguably). The defense looks rabid with Cameron Smith leading the way. Best of all, Clay Helton seems to be comfortable with the day-to-day demands and pressures of leading USC. Oh, and he has also recruited well. -- Dennis Dodd (and Jerry Palm, Chip Patterson, Tom Fornelli, Ben Kercheval, Barrett Sallee)
Washington: It's interesting to me that Washington hasn't gotten more love nationally. What is there to doubt? Fro, that playoff team, Jake Browning, Myles Gaskin and Dante Pettis return as a big three at the skill positions on offense. The offensive line returns most of its starters, including one of the better bookend tackle pairings in college football. The defense has elite players on every level including the secondary where three NFL draft picks are replaced by the Pac-12 freshman of the year and a crop of really talented guys waiting their turn. But the real reason I like Washington here is the same reason I liked them last year: schedule. No nonconference tests, no USC from the South, one road game after Oct. 14. Stanford on the road will be tough but even a loss there may get them into the Pac-12 title. Somehow, people are overlooking Washington again. I like Chris Petersen in that scenario. -- Barton Simmons
