Are you buying or selling Southern Cal hype?

[WhiteMamba]

Yep. Right now, I see the South as:

1. UCLA
2. USC
3. ASU
4. 'Zona

with the Utes waiting in the wings in case those 4 screw up. Even if the Utes don't win it, I expect them to beat at least 1 and maybe 2 of that top 4.

I have flopped between the four.

I really have a hard time discounting Zona with Solomon and their RBs. And I know ASU will be tough, but as of now I have Zona over ASU.

I think UCLA will actually improve. USC again, I have no idea.

 

[OregonDucks]

It really could go anyway.

1. UCLA 2. Arizona state 3. Usc 4. Arizona could easily be 1. Usc 2. Arizona 3. Arizona state 4. UCLA

 

[RegentDenali]

They'll still have depth issues, especially on defense this year. Selling. They aren't playoff caliber yet. Give them 2 more years with the recruiting they're doing and they will be ready, roster talent wise.

But they have a legit shot at the PAC12 south crown this year. If so, they could end up PAC champs and have a shot at a playoff bid. But if they got there, they would be in big trouble facing an opponent like Ohio State or Alabama.

 

[4down20]

Not really, but it wouldn't be the biggest shock in the world if they won the Pac12 and made it to the playoffs.

 

[TheRobotDevil]

Btw, @Ducks fans making threads like this. We smell your fear.

Shouldn't this be on the usc board

 

[TheRobotDevil]

The potential is there. Top tier quarterback, great young wr's, upgraded defense, had a great signing day. But I'll wait to see how it translates on the field first

 

[tech_iceman]

They'll be good, but I still see them losing 2-3 games

Arizona State
Oregon/Utah

If they can get past Arizona State, look out

 

[LucklessPadresFan]

This is a tough one to call. Is the talent there for a playoff run? Absolutely. But my biggest concern has to do with the coaching. There were two games lost last year--Arizona St. and Utah--where the defense completely fell apart and allowed the opponents to come back and win the game; not to mention there were games we won where the defense let the opponents get back into the game. I was not happy to see Clancy Pendergast not return for the 2014 season, and I think our defense actually took a step backward last year. Finally, we need to establish a consistent ground game.

 

[RaidaDave]

I gotta sell for the upcoming season. Anything after that though...

 

[RaidaDave]

He cheats when he plays good teams.

"Lane Miffin is a liah and a cheatuh"

~ Al Davis

Truer words were never spoken Al.

 

[RaidaDave]

You Ducks fans know that I don't think Oregon is going to be around for awhile. I'm definitely looking forward to our teams seeing each other in the CCG a few times in the coming seasons. I think there's the potential for a great rivalry.

There is definitely going to be a great rivalry here. Oregon is loaded this year with the only real question mark being in replacing Marcus Mariota. With that said, Oregon fans have heard that they were in for down years with the replacement of Dennis Dixon...Jeremiah Massoli...Darron Thomas....I'm not really looking for a down year from the Ducks.

 

[socaljim242]

This is a tough one to call. Is the talent there for a playoff run? Absolutely. But my biggest concern has to do with the coaching. There were two games lost last year--Arizona St. and Utah--where the defense completely fell apart and allowed the opponents to come back and win the game; not to mention there were games we won where the defense let the opponents get back into the game. I was not happy to see Clancy Pendergast not return for the 2014 season, and I think our defense actually took a step backward last year. Finally, we need to establish a consistent ground game.

Not to give the coaches a pass but the defense was gassed at the end of many games last year. No matter how good your players are if you gotta run them out there when normally you give them a series or plays to rest they are not going to hold up. I was as frustrated as anyone at some of the collapses but it was Sarks first year dealing with a team where he had at the end about 54 scholarship players available. This year he should have closer to 70. I just don't see UCLA being better and they werent as good as advertised. I think Solomon was exposed to having some serious accuracy issues if you take him out of his comfort zone. I think USC is the only team that has the potential to be much better than they were last year.

 

[WhiteMamba]

If you are wondering where hype comes from I figured it out. Just listen to the fight song and you believe.

It is/was annoying. But damn it is the best in cfb. Other fight songs hear this and they run and hide.

 

[LucklessPadresFan]

I also love the Notre Dame fight song. SC and ND have the best.

 

[trojanfan12]

It really could go anyway.

1. UCLA 2. Arizona state 3. Usc 4. Arizona could easily be 1. Usc 2. Arizona 3. Arizona state 4. UCLA

Yep. I see the South as pretty interchangeable. I also think Utah will have a say in who wins. I think they will knock off at least one and maybe 2 of the top 4.

 

[TexasExes98]

Selling......big time. People bitch and moan about the media overrating and over ranking SEC teams in the preseason, but outside the SEC, the #2 media darling that has been overrated and overhyped the last 5 years is easily USC (although my Longhorns are not far behind). USC did nothing last year to warrant playoff talk, but the media has a major, major hard on for the Trojans. Like a previous poster mentioned, they're not even the best team in LA.....I still like their fight song though; probably the #2nd greatest fight song next to the Domers.

Oh and P.S. Sark is nowhere near the coach that Carroll is. People seem to forget that.

 

[trojanfan12]

This is a tough one to call. Is the talent there for a playoff run? Absolutely. But my biggest concern has to do with the coaching. There were two games lost last year--Arizona St. and Utah--where the defense completely fell apart and allowed the opponents to come back and win the game; not to mention there were games we won where the defense let the opponents get back into the game. I was not happy to see Clancy Pendergast not return for the 2014 season, and I think our defense actually took a step backward last year. Finally, we need to establish a consistent ground game.

I think those comebacks had more to do with depth than coaching. It's hard to coach guys to not get tired, especially with the uptempo offenses that are so popular now. Look at the Holiday Bowl. That game was a blowout for awhile, but by the end, the defense was gassed and barely hanging on. If Su'a Cravens didn't come up big late in the game, we'd have probably lost.

 

[LucklessPadresFan]

You're right on that point, and I forgot about the fact that we were unable to rotate defensive players out. I still wish we had hung on to Clancy P. That guy knows defense and the players really liked him.

 

[trojanfan12]

You're right on that point, and I forgot about the fact that we were unable to rotate defensive players out. I still wish we had hung on to Clancy P. That guy knows defense and the players really liked him.

Yeah, I'd have liked to see Clancy stick around, but Sark knows Wilcox and is comfortable with him, which is important. Plus, he's considered one of the better young DC's out there. But I really did like what Clancy did with the defense on that 2013 team.

I'm excited to see what this team can do, now that we'll have something that resembles depth. It's gonna be young depth, so there will be some growing pains, but at least guys can rotate out now.

 

[BeaverShaver]

A Lane Kiffin coached USC beat Oregon.

Correction.....Lane Kiffin youface beat Oregon

A whole different ball game