The Pac-10 has had a big offseason shakeup with the additions of Colorado and Utah for the 2011 season. USC will welcome in a new head coach in Lane Kiffin, as former boss Pete Carroll has left to coach the Seattle Seahawks in the National Football League. The Oregon football program has to be somewhat disgusted by the fact that QB Jeremiah Masoli has been suspended for the season, and RB LaMichael James has been suspended for the season-opener. Not to mention former head coach and first-year athletic director, Mike Bellotti, has stepped down.
With all that's gone on, all that really matters right now is what happens on the field. I give my 2010 Pac-10 football predictions below to show you where these teams finish in the final standings. Also be sure to check out my 2010 college football predictions article which shows which teams will finish inside the Top-10 come season's end. Will any Pac-10 teams make it? Find out with my selections.
2010 Pac-10 Predictions:
1.) USC - The Trojans may only return 11 starters, but what they have coming back and coming in makes them the most talented team in the Pac-10. And talent usually wins out, plus QB Matt Barkley is a year older and ready to lead this offense in his sophomore campaign. Head coach Lane Kiffin has instilled a new hunger in this team with an emphasis on hard work. And they get Oregon at home, which is likely the game that decides which team wins the conference.
2.) Oregon - The questions are quarterback are the reason I am not picking the Ducks to win the Pac-10, because they certainly have plenty of talent everywhere else. Senior Nate Costa or sophomore Darron Thomas have the daunting task of replacing the suspended Masoli. The defense returns 8 starters and plenty of speed, and this unit will have to carry them. The offense also returns all 9 starters, including their electrifying RB LaMichael James and all 5 offensive linemen. A road loss at USC will have the Ducks finishing second.
3.) Washington - QB Jake Locker and RB Chris Polk lead an experienced offense with 9 returning starters. The Huskies will put up plenty of points to win, but whether or not they make a bowl game depends on a defense that returns 6 starters. They lost two players to the NFL in Donald Butler and Daniel Te'o-Nesheim, and both Kalani Aldrich and Everrette Thompson who are projected starters each missed spring ball with injuries. The questions surrounding their defense will keep the Huskies from finishing in the Top-2.
4.) Oregon State - It's hard to count this team out considering their have two of the biggest playmakers in the conference returning in RB Jacquizz Rodgers and WR James Rodgers, who are brothers. In fact, the Beavers return 17 starters in all, but one position they do not return anyone is at quarterback. They will get USC and Oregon at home late in the season, but I don't think their QB play will be up to par and it will ultimately cost them a chance to win the Pac-10.
5.) California - The offense should do its job with QB Kevin Riley and all 5 offensive linemen returning from a year ago. Head coach Jeff Tedford has no problem finding running backs, and Shane Vereen should adequately replace Jahvid Best in the backfield. The Bears will need playmakers to step up at WR, because Cal only put up 24 points or more three times in conference play last year. They also have big questions at all three levels of the defense with only 6 starters returning to the stop unit. A middle-of-the-pack finish for the Bears is inevitable.
6.) Stanford - The Cardinal will have to replace 1,800-plus rusher Toby Gerhart which will not be easy. They do have QB Andrew Luck back from an offense that was solid threw the air at 225.2 PYPG while putting up 35.5 PPG in the process. They have 8 starters returning offensively, but the defense only has 6 players back from a unit that gave up 402.7 YPG. Stanford will score points, but it won't do them a whole lot of good when they won't be able to stop anybody.
7.) Arizona - The Wildcats put up 27.4 PPG last season and welcome back 9 starters on offense. QB Nick Foles and RB Nate Grigsby, two key pieces, are each returning. Arizona should score points, but what once was a reliable defense season after season has several question marks entering 2010. Only 4 starters return, and the Wildcats will have to replace five starters along the front seven which will likely having them losing the battle at the line of scrimmage against some very good offensive lines in the Pac-10.
8.) UCLA - The Bruins did make progress in Rick Neuheisel's second year, going from 4-8 in 2008 to 7-6 in 2009 while beating Temple in the EagleBank Bowl. Expectations from the third-year coach are to win at least 8 games this year, but the schedule is daunting. They'll have to face Texas, Houston and Kansas State in non-conference play. The Bruins return just 7 starters on offense and 5 on defense. They need QB Kevin Prince to finally blossom, and they will be looking for a better running game courtesy of the newly-installed Revolver offense by OC Norm Chow, who stole the idea from Nevada's Pistol scheme. UCLA's backbone last year was their defense, but they lose too much talent to be able to perform up to the level they did a year ago, allowing 21.2 PPG.
9.) Arizona State - The same problem that arose a year ago is back to bite the Sun Devils again in 2010. They aren't going to be able to improve on the 22.3 PPG they scored last season with only 4 starters back on offense. They have to break in a new QB, and offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone has a tall task ahead in trying to get this unit to put more points on the scoreboard. ASU should stay competitive thanks to a defense that returns 7 starters from a unit that gave up 297.6 YPG and 21.6 PPG last season. Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year, MLB Vonaze Burfict, is back to lead the defense along with DT Lawrence Guy.
10.) Washington State - Paul Wulff is just 3-22 in his first two seasons with the Cougars. He does appear to have as much depth and experience as he's had in his three years heading into 2010, but unfortunately the talent isn't quite there to yield positive results just yet. There are no proven playmakers on offense, and the defense has holes everywhere. QB Jeff Tuel is their best hope as he flashed his potential by throwing for 354 yards against California, but the offensive line couldn't keep any QB upright as the Cougars allowed 53 sacks last season. The defense couldn't stop anyone either, giving up 2,837 rushing yards in 2009. The good news is that this team can't get much worse, but the bad news is that even a slight improvement won't get them out of the Pac-10 cellar.
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