Pac-12 Football 2016: Season preview and predictions

Here’s a complete season preview and predictions for the upcoming 2016 Pac-12 Football season.

The Pac-12 Conference failed to make the College Football Playoff last year. However, it wasn’t for a lack of talent. The schools in the conference beat up on each other so much, that they ended up knocking themselves out of any chance of representing the conference. In the Rose Bowl, the Stanford Cardinal showed the strength of the conference, as they ran all over the Iowa Hawkeyes.

This year, the conference could look a little different with teams losing players to the draft, but it should be the usual suspects that dominate things. The Stanford Cardinal are set for a big year with Christian McCaffrey at running back and he is one of the favorites to win the Heisman this season. In the South, USC and UCLA are primed to have an inner-city rivalry for the crown.

As for the dark horses in the conference, Chris Petersen is poised to have his first big year with the Washington Huskies. The team is a favorite among many to contend with Stanford in the North this season. At the same time, in-state rival Washington State has plenty of returning players that could very well give themselves a chance as well.

The conference is full of personalities at coach and the talent level is fantastic. The team that walks away as Pac-12 Champions will have earned their crown. Whether or not they cannibalize the conference out of a playoff spot remains to be seen.

Next: Dark Horse