1. USC Trojans– I have some very high hopes for this program and honestly, it’s good to see them heading upwards again after some down years. They were headed in the right direction after the decision to start quarterback Sam Darnold once the team had a record of 1-2 in 2016. When he got the chance to play, the team didn’t look back and the Trojans went 9-1 in their final ten games and won the Rose Bowl with a comeback win against Penn State. This year, he enters as the full-time starter and as a frontrunner to win the Heisman. The supporting cast for Darnold will look different. Receiver Juju Smith-Schuster is gone and the offensive line lost three starters. The defense came into 2016 with many questions and didn’t struggle as much as people expected them too as they gave up 24 points a game. They aren’t losing a ton on defense. It could be a fun year at the coliseum in Los Angeles.
2. UCLA Bruins– Injuries are a part of the game and they can also hurt your team as well. Their 2016 campaign was bought to a screeching halt after quarterback Josh Rosen went down with a shoulder injury. This year, finally healthy, he returns which gives the UCLA Bruins a major boost. After he went down, the Bruins won just won game and finished with a 4-8 record. There are many other issues to address. The running game is by far the biggest question mark…will they improve this year after averaging only 84 yards per contest in 2016? The defense held their ground last year and will look to do the same once again. Coordinator Tom Bradley has a few major voids to address this offseason. The line loses Eddie Vanderdoes and Takkarist McKinley, linebackers Deon Hollins and Jayon Brown and Marcus Rios, Fabian Moreau and Randall Goforth in the secondary. Having Rosen under center makes them a top 25 team already, we just have to see what the other pieces do.
3. Utah Utes– They have finished in the top 25 in three consecutive seasons under coach Kyle Whittingham. Although they’ve lost some key guys personnel wise, these Utes could be the biggest threat to USC in the division. It’s a two-man battle for the quarterback competition between Troy Williams and Tyler Huntley. The offensive line will be without four starters from last year including star tackle Garrett Bolles. The defense should be one of the best units within the conference. End Kylie Fitts returns from injury, while Lowell Lotulelei is back to anchor the interior. The emergence of safety Chase Hansen eases the loss of safety Marcus Williams to the NFL.
4. Colorado Buffaloes– All of the pieces for Mike MacIntyre’s rebuilding effort in Boulder fell into place in 2016. Colorado won 10 games, the same number this program won in MacIntyre’s first three years, and claimed the Pac-12 South title. A strong senior class was the backbone of the 10-win team, so the Buffaloes have some major voids to fill this offseason. The defense was hit the hardest by far. Coordinator Jim Leavitt is gone and was hired by the Oregon Ducks and they must find some type of way to replace linebackers Kenneth Olugbode and Jimmie Gilbert, linemen Josh Tupou and Jordan Carrell and defensive backs Chidobe Awuzie, Tedric Thompson and Ahkello Witherspoon. New quarterback Steven Montez showed promise in a limited stint under center in 2016 and running back Phillip Lindsay returns along with the teams three leading receivers from a year ago.
5. Arizona State Sun Devils– After back-to-back 10-win campaigns from 2013-14, Arizona State has posted two consecutive losing seasons and missed out on a bowl in 2016. Is a quick fix in order for 2017? The Sun Devils return enough talent to rebound back to the postseason, led by an offense that has the firepower to be one of the best in the Pac-12. The backfield duo of Demario Richard and Kalen Ballage is among the best in the nation, transfer Blake Barnett should provide stability at quarterback, and the receiving corps features rising star N’Keal Harry. The line is the biggest concern for Graham on offense after this unit surrendered 41 sacks in 2016. Former Baylor coordinator Phil Bennett takes over the play-calling duties for a defense that gave up 39.8 points per game last year and surrendered a whopping 357.4 passing yards a contest. This unit doesn’t lose a ton of personnel, so Bennett won’t be hurting for experienced players to utilize this spring. Arizona State caught a tough break in scheduling with Oregon, Stanford and Washington in crossover play, as well as road games against Utah and UCLA.
6. Arizona Wildcats– The Wildcats are coming off their first losing season under Rich Rodriguez and open 2017 offseason workouts with several question marks. The offense averaged only 24.8 points per game last year and was hit hard by injuries at the quarterback position. Three passers received significant snaps, including Brandon Dawkins (1,345 passing yards and 944 rushing yards). Dawkins is the likely frontrunner to take the first snap in 2017, but he will face competition from Khalil Tate. Dawkins needs to show more consistency as a passer after completing 53.6 percent of his throws in 2016. When healthy, Nick Wilson and J.J. Taylor form an effective one-two punch at running back. Three of Arizona’s top four receivers are gone from last season, with Shun Brown (521 yards) the team’s most-established target returning in 2017. Despite an overhaul on the staff prior to the season, Arizona’s defense struggled once again in 2016. The Wildcats gave up 38.3 points a game and 6.1 yards per play. This unit did not have a player receive all-conference or honorable mention honors last season and must replace arguably its top two performers last year in linebackers Michael Barton and Paul Magloire.
Prediction: The Trojans of Southern California (USC) will claim the Pac-12 South division title. Clay Helton was the right guy for this job and with Sam Darnold under center, they will look to finish what they’ve started last year. They were the best team in the entire conference over the final three months of the season in 2016 and Darnold will be operating behind a rebuilt offensive line.
