Fall camps are in full swing around the country and coaches are still trying to figure out what kind of teams they have for 2014 season. With that being said, there is no better time to release the Pac-12 preseason power ranking then right now, right? Throughout the season I will be doing a power ranking after all the teams in the conference finish their games for the week. In what is expected to be the most exciting college football season in a while, especially in the Pac-12 conference, lets take a look at the preseason Pac-12 power rankings.
Preseason Pac-12 Football Power Rankings
12. California Golden Bears (1-11 in 2013)
Head coach Sonny Dykes and stud sophomore QB Jared Goff will have a chance to move up quickly in the power rankings with an opening game at Northwestern. The Bears get UCLA, Stanford, and Washington at home, so they need to take advantage of that opportunity in 2014.
11. Colorado Buffaloes (4-8 in 2013)
The Buffs have the head coach that can turn them around, in Mike MacIntyre, but it is going to take some time. They lost WR Paul Richardson, but return WR Nelson Spruce and QB Sefo Liufau. Colorado avoids Stanford this season and plays UCLA and Arizona St in Boulder, so if they can take advantage of that they can have a solid season.
10. Oregon St. Beavers (7-6 in 2013)
Mike Riley is back for his 13th overall year as head coach of the Beavers, 11th consecutive season, and is fortunate enough to also have senior QB Sean Mannion. If healthy, Mannion should break Matt Barkley’s career passing yards record in the Pac-12 midway through the season, so Beavers fans will be rooting for that from game one. Between the stable quarterback situation and a very nicely set up schedule, the Beavers have a shot at having a very respectable season, but time will tell.
9. Washington State Cougars (6-7 in 2013)
Head coach Mike Leach is one of the better offensive minds in the country and he really has this team on the upswing. Quarterback Connor Halliday is one of the more underrated QBs in the stacked Pac-12 and if the defense can stop anyone this season, the Cougs could get up over the .500 mark. The schedule couldn’t be much easier- they face Oregon, Washington, USC, and Arizona in Pullman and don’t play UCLA.
8. Arizona (8-5 in 2013)
Head coach Rich Rodriguez will have one of the better defenses this season, but losing RB Kadeem Carey will be tough to overcome. A relatively favorable schedule will be nice for the Wildcats, but I am not sure the offense will be able to keep up with the rest of this conference.
7. Utah Utes (5-7 in 2013)
This is my pick for my sleeper team in the Pac-12 this season. QB Travis Wilson is healthy and when healthy is one of the top tier QBs in the conference. Dres Anderson is one of the top receivers in this country and Rice-Eccles Stadium has one of the best home field advantages in the conference, so all of that is a winning recipe. Now it is up to head coach Kyle Whittingham getting his guys to put it all together. A brutal schedule, with road games at Michigan, UCLA, Stanford, and Oregon, will be a huge test in a big year for Whittingham and the Utes.
6. Washington Huskies (9-4 in 2013)
New head coach Chris Petersen and the Huskies will look to use their talented team and great home field advantage to get to double-digit wins this season and keep this program trending upwards. The Huskies do not play USC this season and get UCLA, Arizona St, and Stanford at home where they were always dangerous. Definitely a team to look out for in 2014.
5. Arizona St. (10-4 in 2013)
Todd Graham and the Sun Devils are coming off a Pac-12 South championship in 2013 because of one of the best defenses in the nation. In 2014, it seems like they are all gone. QB Taylor Kelly, WR Jaelen Strong, and RB D.J. Foster will provide a nice attack on offense, but the defense has to replace a lot. It will be tough for them to win the Pac-12 South again this season.
4. USC Trojans (10-4 in 2013)
The Trojans welcome new head coach Steve Sarkisian and returning QB Cody Kessler into 2014 with high expectations. Any other year the Trojans are probably the favorite to win the Pac-12, but not this season. This will be a little bit of a “transition” year for the Trojans, but I still expect them to get 9-10 wins. No championship, though.
3. Stanford Cardinal (11-3 in 2013)
It was the same old, same old in Palo Alto last season. David Shaw and the Cardinal won another Pac-12 championship and went to another BCS bowl game. It is what people have come to expect out of the Cardinal, but this year might be different with all of that defensive talent lost. Never bet against David Shaw, but this will have to be his best coaching season if the Cardinal want to win another Pac-12 championship.
2. UCLA Bruins (10-3 in 2013)
Jim Mora returns two Heisman hopefuls, QB Brett Hundley and RB/LB Myles Jack, to Westwood this season, and the Bruin faithful have some high expectations in 2014. A brutal schedule will make it tough, but with one of the best defenses in the conference and, in my opinion, the best QB, the Bruins will be up for the challenge.
1. Oregon Ducks (11-3 in 2013)
The Ducks have the best offense in the conference and a strong enough defense to win this conference. QB Marcus Mariota is as good as they get, but I am still not sure head coach Mark Helfrich is the guy to lead the Ducks to the college football playoffs.
It is going to be a fun season in the Pac-12, so check back here every week once the season begins for updated power rankings. Until then lets hope that all these teams get better and escape injury free from fall camps.
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