2013 PAC-12 CONFERENCE PREVIEW

                                                                                                By Brett Ciancia
August 1st, 2013

This time last year the only real questions were, "USC or Oregon?" and "sweep or split."  Neither team held up their end of the bargain, as neither made it to the Conference Title.  USC was especially a disappointment, going just 7-6 after a #1 Preseason rank. Stanford quietly dominated the conference yet again, proving the doubters wrong again. After losing Gerhart, Coach Harbaugh, and Andrew Luck in consecutive years, 'The Farm' simply reloads annually.
The South Division is wide-open; I am calling for Arizona State to win it behind their stingy D-Line and potent offense that will improve even more in Year 2 of the Todd Graham era.  USC has the talent, but clearly lacks the coaching, and I am selling UCLA.  The big question this year is: "Stanford or Oregon?" as both are Top-5 caliber but play together in the North Division.  As mentioned in one of my previous tweets, the Stanford-Oregon matchup will be one of the biggest Thursday Night games of All-Time.  The winner of that game could very well finish undefeated and play for it all.  My pick to do so is Stanford with the strongest O-Line,  and best defense in the nation!


Click on the Division Names for our team-by-team previews:

NORTH

1. STANFORD

2012 Record: 12-2
Defensive Returning Starters: 8
Offensive Returning Starters: 6
Head Coach: David Shaw

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2. OREGON

2012 Record: 12-1
Defensive Returning Starters: 7
Offensive Returning Starters: 8
Head Coach: Mark Helfrich*

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3. WASHINGTON

2012 Record: 7-6
Defensive Returning Starters: 8
Offensive Returning Starters: 10
Head Coach: Steve Sarkisian

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4. OREGON STATE

2012 Record: 9-4
Defensive Returning Starters: 7
Offensive Returning Starters: 8
Head Coach: Mike Riley

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5. CALIFORNIA

2012 Record: 3-9
Defensive Returning Starters: 6
Offensive Returning Starters: 5
Head Coach: Sonny Dykes*

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6. WASHINGTON STATE

2012 Record: 3-9
Defensive Returning Starters: 9
Offensive Returning Starters: 7
Head Coach: Mike Leach

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SOUTH

1. ARIZONA STATE

2012 Record: 8-5
Defensive Returning Starters: 7
Offensive Returning Starters: 8
Head Coach: Todd Graham

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2. USC

2012 Record: 7-6
Defensive Returning Starters: 8
Offensive Returning Starters: 7
Head Coach: Lane Kiffin

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3. UCLA

2012 Record: 9-5
Defensive Returning Starters: 5
Offensive Returning Starters: 7
Head Coach: Jim Mora

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4. ARIZONA

2012 Record: 8-5
Defensive Returning Starters: 11
Offensive Returning Starters: 6
Head Coach: Rich Rodriguez

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5. UTAH

2012 Record: 5-7
Defensive Returning Starters: 6
Offensive Returning Starters: 6
Head Coach: Kyle Whittingham

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6. COLORADO

2012 Record: 1-11
Defensive Returning Starters: 9
Offensive Returning Starters: 7
Head Coach: Mike MacIntyre

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