The conference of... defense?! (PAC-12 Preview thread 2019)

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Southern California

The first preview segment for the PAC-12 Conference: The Southern California Trojans

Last season: That's right! I'm going straight for the jugular on the very first post on this thread!
Now, my heart is definitely going out to the people that had been affected by the recent earthquakes in California. But honestly, I think Clay Helton is relieved about the attention the earthquakes are getting, because it's getting people off his @$$. He's like "Good, people are ignoring me. Ooo, earthquakes, GOOD! People can leave me alone. Ooo, ooo, problems with Iran, GOOD, good... People not thinking about me..."
This head coach is in MAJOR trouble at USC for what? For what?!? Going 5-7 as he picked the wrong QB and lost to all of his major rivals. ...Yeah, I think that's a good reason.

2019 X-factor: New offensive coordinator Graham Harrell- People are calling this "a Hail-Mary" for Clay to keep his job, but you know what? If Graham can get this Trojan offense up and running, then why not? Let the man work his magic.

Good news: The defensive front SHOULD be more consistent with their play this year, and Clay hired a few more coaches during the offseason that people are calling "good upgrades". Oh, and the WR's the Trojans has could be some of the best in the nation...

Bad news: ...which will be great news for whoever USC chooses at QB. It's Jack Sears vs. JT Daniels, but will either of them spark the USC attack? Oh, and the defense is full of freshmen and sophomores; will they get buried in the PAC-12?

Key games:

Ol' stand-bys:
9/7 vs. Stanford (If it'll make the Trojans feel any better, Stanford will be having their own problems to fix as well.)
10/12 @ Notre Dame (This may be USC' toughest game of the whole year, because A: The Irish could be on a major roll by this time and B: The momentum in this rivalry game is now SQUARELY in the camp of Notre Dame.)
11/23 vs. UCLA (This is a longshot, but I think BOTH the Trojans AND the Bruins will be fighting for a simple bowl spot here.)
Other big games:
9/20 vs. Utah (More on this big contest when I preview the Utes.)
9/28 @ Washington (This game actually doesn't look too bad for USC; they defeated the Huskies the last time they went to Seattle.)
11/2 vs. Oregon (Every time these 2 West-Coast powers meet, it always seems to draw a crowd.)
11/16 @ California (You know... Had the Golden Bears not snapped a 14-year losing streak to the Trojans last November, maybe Clay wouldn't be in this mess.)

Bottom line: ...So, yeah, I just listed 7 "key games" for the Trojans in 2019. That shows that the schedule is gonna be a challenge for USC this year, and they're hoping that the offense can wake the hell up so that they can get through it. Good luck on keeping your job, Clay! I'll be pulling for ya!

 

[AlaskaGuy]

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Utah

Preview segment: The Utah Utes

Last season: I have no idea what that post from @AlaskaGuy was about. Oh well, back to the football; how's about them Utah Utes? In 2018, Utah finally got the breakthrough in the PAC-12 that they've been dying for as they won the South division for the first time ever! Sadly, the injuries that the offense suffered would doom them in the PAC-12 title game and then in the Holiday Bowl.
But hey! With nearly everybody back and 100% healthy, Utah is ready for another run in 2019.

Good news: QB Tyler Huntley is back, and his backups has experience. Also back are RB Zack Moss, a lot of top WR's, and strong defensive players including Jaylon Johnson and Leki Fotu.

Bad news: Oh, there COULD be a couple of iffy areas; over at the offensive line (who is replacing 3 starters from last year) and the kicking game (they're losing BOTH of their award winners: Matt Gay and Mitch Wishnowsky).

Key games:
8/29 @ BYU (This could be the best game on the Week 1 slate. It's the "Holy War", and BYU could derail Utah's dream train before it even gets off the tracks.)
9/20 @ USC (What a way to start the PAC-12 South race! We have it's top 2 contenders slugging it out on a Friday night... with USC desperate to get a big win for their coach.)
10/19 vs. Arizona State (Utah underestimated Herm Edwards and his defense last year, and it costed them in a 38-20 loss.)
11/2 @ Washington (Now, THIS game is the reason why I'm hesitating to make Utah a playoff contender; Utah has only beaten the Huskies once all-time, and Washington will be as tough as ever this season.)

Bottom line: With everybody else in the PAC-12 South having issues right now, Utah is the easy choice to win it again. And we have Tyler Huntley and Zack Moss back at 100%, Kyle Whittingham at the herm, and stalwarts on the defense... Oh, I'll be buying a LOT of stock on the Utes in 2019! Watch out, Justin Herbert!

 

[AlaskaGuy]

Utah

Preview segment: The Utah Utes

Last season: I have no idea what that post from @AlaskaGuy was about. Oh well, back to the football; how's about them Utah Utes? In 2018, Utah finally got the breakthrough in the PAC-12 that they've been dying for as they won the South division for the first time ever! Sadly, the injuries that the offense suffered would doom them in the PAC-12 title game and then in the Holiday Bowl.
But hey! With nearly everybody back and 100% healthy, Utah is ready for another run in 2019.

Good news: QB Tyler Huntley is back, and his backups has experience. Also back are RB Zack Moss, a lot of top WR's, and strong defensive players including Jaylon Johnson and Leki Fotu.

Bad news: Oh, there COULD be a couple of iffy areas; over at the offensive line (who is replacing 3 starters from last year) and the kicking game (they're losing BOTH of their award winners: Matt Gay and Mitch Wishnowsky).

Key games:
8/29 @ BYU (This could be the best game on the Week 1 slate. It's the "Holy War", and BYU could derail Utah's dream train before it even gets off the tracks.)
9/20 @ USC (What a way to start the PAC-12 South race! We have it's top 2 contenders slugging it out on a Friday night... with USC desperate to get a big win for their coach.)
10/19 vs. Arizona State (Utah underestimated Herm Edwards and his defense last year, and it costed them in a 38-20 loss.)
11/2 @ Washington (Now, THIS game is the reason why I'm hesitating to make Utah a playoff contender; Utah has only beaten the Huskies once all-time, and Washington will be as tough as ever this season.)

Bottom line: With everybody else in the PAC-12 South having issues right now, Utah is the easy choice to win it again. And we have Tyler Huntley and Zack Moss back at 100%, Kyle Whittingham at the herm, and stalwarts on the defense... Oh, I'll be buying a LOT of stock on the Utes in 2019! Watch out, Justin Herbert!

USC fans know what those pics mean. btw Utah nailed an OT from Marshall via the transfer portal. The Utes aren't deep but if they stay healthy they'll run away with the PAC South this year.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

California

Preview segment: The California Golden Bears

Last season: The same university that gave us Stephan Pastis and "Pearls Before Swine" made some marketable improvements in football in 2018. They rode a stiff defense and the play of QB Ross Bowers to their first winning season in 3 years, but ended up losing their bowl game when their offense crapped out on them. So... why are all of the CFB magazines say that Cal will have a similar season in 2019?

Good news: Much like Michigan State in the Big 10, Cal might have the best defense in their whole conference. The D-line has tackling-machine Earl Weaver, and the secondary has the chance to be the nation's best. On offense, the O-line SHOULD be better with 4 starters coming back. And Cal now has 2 QB's, but Chase Garbers seems to be responding to the pressure. Maybe he'll make an improvement!

Bad news: But if Chase struggles, we might have a QB controversy. And if the O-line struggles again, it'll be bad news for an inexperienced group of RB's and WR's.

2019 X-factor: The schedule- The problem is, Cal's schedule might just wear them out this year. Not just because it's hard, but with their problems on offense every game could be a struggle. They'll have road games against the likes of Oregon and Utah. Their non-conference slate has high-scoring Ole Miss and a North Texas team thinking of a conference title. Not even their FCS game will be easy; UC-Davis is my pick to win the FCS national title.

Key games:
9/7 @ Washington (It was a proud moment for the Bears in 2018 when they defeated the Huskies 12-10. Wait... That means Washington's gonna be angry in this PAC-12 opener, and I'll bet they'll put up more points this time.)
9/21 @ Ole Miss (The Washington game is just one of MANY hard road games Cal will have this year. And over here, Cal's secondary will be tested.)
11/16 vs. USC (The undisputed highlight for Cal last year was the 15-14 stunner they laid on USC, ending a 14-game losing streak to the Trojans.)
11/23 @ Stanford (Okay! Now that Cal broke their USC jinx, let's see if they can break the "Stanford jinx" and take back the "Stanford Ax" THIS year!)

Bottom line: After talking for so long, I'll keep this part brief. With their great defense, Cal will be able to make another bowl in 2019. If their offense makes an improvement, expect them to win even more.

 

[jwolt92]

ended up losing their bowl game when their offense crapped out on them

One of the ugliest bowl games ever. No weather issues, played indoors, and both offenses just historically bad. The O/U on this game was like.. 33? I want to say and I jumped all over it and then this happened..

California vs. TCU - Box Score - December 26, 2018 - ESPN

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

One of the ugliest bowl games ever. No weather issues, played indoors, and both offenses just historically bad. The O/U on this game was like.. 33? I want to say and I jumped all over it and then this happened..

California vs. TCU - Box Score - December 26, 2018 - ESPN

I didn't wanna say it in my post, but... you did.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

UCLA

Preview segment: The UCLA Bruins

Last season: In 2018, UCLA was the Nebraska of the West Coast; they got off to a terrible start under a 1st-year head coach (UCLA went through it's worst start in 70 years) before we saw some noticeable improvements as the season went on. Now after a 4-8 record, Nebraska is surprisingly optimistic about the 2019 season. And after a 3-9 record, UCLA is... still rebuilding?!

Bad news: Both lines are having their own set of problems. Andre Jones's departure to the NFL will hamper the O-line, and losing Jaelan Phillips and Chigozie Nnoruka to Miami will NOT help a pass-rush that was one of the worst in the PAC-12 from a year ago. Oh, and recruiting was a bit of a disappointment last winter for the Bruins.

Good news: Dorian-Thompson Robinson was actually OK as a freshmen, and if he finds a new top WR he'll continue to improve. The linebackers and secondary will help carry the UCLA defense, and how about the discovery of RB Joshua Kelley? Chip Kelly has had great success at Oregon with his running game, and Joshua could be his next great work-horse.

Key games:
8/29 @ Cincinnati (More credit for Phil Steele: Last year he said that UCLA's schedule would be the toughest in the country, and it was [Oklahoma, Fresno, and Cincinnati all won 11+ games]! UCLA must face Cincy again this year, but at least Chip Kelly will take the Bearcats seriously this time.)
9/21 @ Washington State (Ooooo! Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think this will be the first time that Chip Kelly and Mike Leach will face each other!)
10/17 @ Stanford (UCLA has not beaten Stanford since 2008... way back when Rick Neuheisel was coaching the Bruins.)
11/23 @ USC (Beating the Trojans was a happy surprise for UCLA last year. If they do it again, Chip could get Clay Helton fired in L.A.)
11/30 vs. California (Hmmm... Questions on offense, solid defenses... First to 17 wins?)

Bottom line: Another miserable schedule (UCLA must deal with Oklahoma and Utah, too) combined with depth problems could make this another tough year in Chip Kelly's 2nd year in Pasadena. Unless an upset occurs, the Bruins will not be bowling in 2019... which you know will NOT make ANYBODY happy in Pasadena.

 

[Deep Creek]

One of the ugliest bowl games ever. No weather issues, played indoors, and both offenses just historically bad. The O/U on this game was like.. 33? I want to say and I jumped all over it and then this happened..

California vs. TCU - Box Score - December 26, 2018 - ESPN

It definitely was. TCU's offense was horrible last year.

Rumor had it when they went good vs good in practice the offense couldn't get a first down.

Sonny Cumbie's butt is probably getting warmer and warmer. And I hate to see that because he is a good guy and from my hometown.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Oregon State

Preview segment: The Oregon State Beavers

Last season: A miserable 2-10 in Jonathan Smith's 1st year.

Good news: There may be a QB battle between Jake Luton and Tristan Gebbia, but at least BOTH of the quarterbacks can sling the football downfield. The skill positions are rock-solid (especially the RB's), and Oregon State coaches are optimistic about their linebackers making a big improvement.

Bad news: Line play will be a mystery on both sides of the ball, as the D-line was awful last year and the O-line is replacing it's entire right side. Oh, and the kicking game could stand to do better.

Key games:
8/30 vs. Oklahoma State (The Cowboys were erratic last year and will come into 2019 with a new QB. If the Beavers defense shows up here, then maybe...)
9/28 vs. Stanford (Perhaps Oregon State can catch the Cardinal here; Stanford will be bruised up from starting the season with 4 hard games in a row.)
10/19 @ California (This conference game looks winnable.)
11/30 @ Oregon (It all depends on how well the Ducks are doing, but Oregon State will be hard pressed to win in Eugene for the first time since 2007.)

Bottom line: It's getting better over in Corvallis, and expect the positive momentum to keep going in 2019 thanks to a potentially potent offense. Just don't expect it to show in the standings, as the PAC-12 North is just too strong for OSU at the moment.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Stanford

Preview segment: The Stanford Cardinal

Last season: David Shaw and the Cardinal had another fine 9-win season in 2018, including a Sun Bowl win. But injuries to Bryce Love and the O-line hampered the Cardinal offense, and a stretch where they lost 4 out of 5 games would ruin any grandiose plans. Now in 2019, the coaching staff has a tough choice to make; Persist with the power running game, or just give the ball to K.J Costello and ride him all year long?

Bad news: ...And I see K.J winning this little argument. Why, you ask? Because Stanford's running game ranked 122nd last year, and it might not get much better with Bryce now gone. But the biggest problem might be on defense; the linebackers might struggle to stop the run again.

Good news: If and when K.J gets the keys to the offense, he and his WR's WILL put up some points (K.J led the PAC-12 in passing efficiency last year) along with TE Colby Parkinson. The secondary has the talent to carry the Stanford defense.

2019 X-factor: The offensive line and Stanford's schedule- Despite it being almost completely new, Lindy's magazine is still saying that Stanford's O-line will be good. We'll find out soon if that's true, because the first 4 games Stanford has are HARD. There's the "Protractor Bowl" against Northwestern, the annual slugfest with desperate USC, a visit to the leader of the "Group of Five" schools [UCF], and then they host Oregon in a likely prime-time contest. Yeesh.

Other key games:
10/5 vs. Washington (Once Washington bypassed the Cardinal last year, they took that win all the way to the Rose Bowl. Now what will happen in the rematch?)
11/16 @ Washington State (And by the way, the last 3 games of Stanford's season will be tough as well; the Cardinal have lost their last 3 meetings with Mike Leach and the Cougars.)
11/23 vs. California (No pressure, Stanford, but Wisconsin just lost THEIR Ax last year to Minnesota. Be careful!)
11/30 vs. Notre Dame (Yes, Notre Dame will contend for the playoff again, but look on the bright side, Stanford! You haven't lost to the Irish at home since 2007!)

Bottom line: This will be an epic clash in 2019! It's one of the toughest schedules in the country vs. the consistent brilliance of David Shaw and his Stanford program.
I feel that Stanford's line play will be the key; if the D-line finds answers at linebacker and if the O-line holds up like Lindy's says it will, then Stanford should be okay. Plus, they get Washington and Oregon at home!

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Oregon

Preview segment: The Oregon Ducks

Last season: So after a iffy moment with my laptop, I'm back with you guys. The question I now have on my mind is "Is Oregon back?". I mean, they finished 4th in the PAC-12 North last year, so why is everyone excited for the Ducks to return to prominence? Hmmm... could Justin Herbert returning to Eugene be a reason why?

Good news: NFL Draft prospect Justin Herbert, with his top 2 RB's from a year ago and a awesome offensive line: A DEADLY COMBINATION! New defensive coordinator Andy Avalos inherits veteran players all over the roster, including tackling machine Troy Dye. Oh, and last winter Oregon got maybe it's best recruiting class EVER...

Bad news: ...Wait a minute. If Avalos is defensive coordinator, then where did Jim Leavitt go?! Will the defense be poorer for Leavitt's absence? Oh, and wide-receiver is gonna be a question mark for me until Juwan Johnson and his crew proves that they can stop dropping catches!

Key games:
8/31 vs. Auburn [in Arlington, TX] (Well, here we go again. It's Auburn vs. the PAC-12 for the second year in a row. And the PAC-12 is REALLY hoping that this encounter goes better for them than the last one.)
9/21 @ Stanford (Be careful, Ducks. Stanford is still gonna be Stanford, no matter HOW tired they are.)
10/19 @ Washington (Hey! I'm having "deja-vu" over here; this is gonna be the 2nd year in a row that Oregon play Washington...)
10/26 vs. Washington State (...and Washington State in consecutive weeks.)
11/23 @ Arizona State (Apologies to Oregon State, but this looks to me like the bigger game in November for the Ducks. Justin Herbert could get smacked if he underestimates ASU's defense.)

Bottom line: After a good 9-4 season last year, Oregon is REALLY hoping that Herbert's return will also signal their return to the big time. Herbert will have a good squad at his disposal; maybe all he needs is the WR's to get better so he can win at places like Arlington, Seattle, and Palo Alto.
So, will Oregon win the PAC-12 North? Uh... I need to preview Washington first before I make that call. Please be patient...

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Colorado

Preview segment: The Colorado Buffaloes

Last season: Oh, how the mighty have fallen. A few years ago, Mike MacIntyre was the AP Coach of the Year after leading Colorado to the PAC-12 championship game. And after the Buffaloes started 5-0 in 2018, we all thought that Mike had the chance to do it again.
...Then the collapse happened. The Buffaloes went from 5-0 to not even making a bowl, and worst, MacIntyre was fired even before the season ended! Now Colorado has to start all over again with a new coach... some guy named Mel Tucker that's taking his first head-coaching job.

Good news: Wait... Maybe Colorado doesn't HAVE to start all over; QB Steven Montez is back for one more year, and when his top WR [Laviska Shenault Jr.] was healthy his offense was tearing it up! With Laviska back and a veteran O-line guarding him, it bodes well for Colorado's point numbers.

Bad news: The lack of depth on the Buffaloes defense is appalling, especially on the D-line. And the running game was bad even WITH Travon McMillian there; what's gonna happen to Colorado when he's NOT there?

Key games:
8/30 vs. Colorado State [in Denver] (Colorado starts their season off with their 2 oldest rivals: Their in-state enemies in Colorado Springs...)
9/7 vs. Nebraska (...and their old tormentors from Nebraska.)
10/5 vs. Arizona (Coughing up a double-digit lead to Arizona was just part of Colorado's stunning collapse last year.)
11/30 @ Utah (Another edition of the "Rocky Mountain Showdown".)

Bottom line: Mel DOES have some experience coaching at "Power 5" schools (most noticeably at Georgia), and the PAC-12 South could be unpredictable this year. So expect the Buffaloes to surprise someone in 2019... but if the defense doesn't improve, don't expect them in a bowl game.

 

[jwolt92]

Their in-state enemies in Colorado Springs

Colorado State is in Fort Collins, Air Force is in Colorado Springs

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Colorado State is in Fort Collins, Air Force is in Colorado Springs

That's what happens to me when I do CFB posts on 4 hours sleep.

 

[jwolt92]

That's what happens to me when I do CFB posts on 4 hours sleep.

It's okay, my mom lives in the Springs and I had to double check and actually look it up to make sure I wasn't going crazy lol

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Arizona State

Preview segment: The Arizona State Sun Devils

Last season: Year 1 of the Herm Edwards era at Arizona State can be interpreted in 2 ways. If you're a glass-half-full person, you liked the fact that ASU had a winning season and was competitive in every game they played. But if you're a glass-half-empty person, you were aggravated over nearly all of ASU's losses coming by a TD or less.

Good news: For the 2019 season, Herm has playmakers at all but one position (more on that later). Let's start with RB Eno Benjamin, who set a school rushing record last year and could have another great year with a veteran O-line protecting him. ASU also have defensive stars like CB Chase Lucas (who heads up a great secondary) and LB Merlin Robinson.

Bad news: Depth on the D-line is not great, but the only position that's really a worry just so happens to be THE MOST important one: Quarterback. There's a real lack of experience over there, and whoever wins the starting job won't have N'Keal Perry to bail them out anymore.

Key games:
9/14 @ Michigan State (ASU played the slowdown game against MSU last year, and it worked in Tempe. Try that trick in East Lansing, however, and I think the Sun Devils will get their head kicked off.)
9/27 @ California (Looks weird, I know, but this may be a perfect way to see how well Arizona State can do on offense.)
10/19 @ Utah (Oh! I just remembered: The Sun Devils actually had a shot to win the South division when they defeated the Utes last year.)
11/23 vs. Oregon (That was, until the Ducks went and defeated them 31-29 to run the dream for ASU.)
11/30 vs. Arizona (Last year's "Territorial Cup" was an absolute doozy, as ASU defeated 'Zona in a wild 41-40 affair.)

Bottom line: As I said last year, ASU would be fine in Year 1 of the Herm Edwards regime, but 2019 and beyond will tell the tale of how this regime will go. Excluding Utah, the PAC-12 South is wide open, so Arizona State has a chance to move upwards with a veteran team coming back. All they have to do is make sure the QB position DOESN'T suck.

 

[Dolgevillefootballfan]

Washington

Preview segment: The Washington Huskies

Last season: Right now, the epicenter of college football on the West Coast is in the "Evergreen State" of Washington. I'll get to Washington State tomorrow, but for now it's about the Huskies. With a strong defense and a offense led by QB Jake Browning and RB Myles Gaskin, Washington grabbed their 2nd conference title this decade. So on the West Coast, they're standing tall.
On the national level, though... not so much (thanks to Washington losing their opener to Auburn and the Rose Bowl to Ohio State).

Good news: That's weird... Despite no longer having Gaskin and Browning, nobody in Seattle is panicking. Maybe that's because Washington was able to grab QB Jacob Eason off the transfer wire, and Jacob has maybe the best arm in the PAC-12. Also, Salvon Ahmed is stepping in at RB and can assist in the offense in a number of ways. On Washington's defense, we have a ton of talent...

Bad news: ...but not a lot of experience. The secondary should be fine, but Washington's D-line is lacking proven playmakers. Oh, and more production from the WR's wouldn't hurt, either.

Key games:
9/21 @ BYU (This could be a big "trap-game" for the Huskies, especially since they'll host USC the following week.)
10/5 @ Stanford (Washington was on the brink of irrelevancy in 2018... until they defeated Stanford 27-23. For this encounter, expect another slug-fest.)
10/19 vs. Oregon (Last year's Washington-Oregon game went to OT, and now these two rivals will meet in Seattle with their strong-armed QB's ready to go. )
11/2 vs. Utah (A rematch of last year's PAC-12 championship game, and maybe a preview of this year's.)
11/29 vs. Washington State (As long as Washington keeps the "Apple Cup" away from Washington State, the state will always be theirs.)

Bottom line: Jacob Eason is coming back to play football in his home state amidst a whirlwind of hype. But in order for Washington to defend their PAC-12 championship [and/or get a "New Year's Six" bowl berth], Jacob now has to deliver the goods. That goes double for that talented but unproven defense.

 

[AlaskaGuy]

Washington

Preview segment: The Washington Huskies

Last season: Right now, the epicenter of college football on the West Coast is in the "Evergreen State" of Washington. I'll get to Washington State tomorrow, but for now it's about the Huskies. With a strong defense and a offense led by QB Jake Browning and RB Myles Gaskin, Washington grabbed their 2nd conference title this decade. So on the West Coast, they're standing tall.
On the national level, though... not so much (thanks to Washington losing their opener to Auburn and the Rose Bowl to Ohio State).

Good news: That's weird... Despite no longer having Gaskin and Browning, nobody in Seattle is panicking. Maybe that's because Washington was able to grab QB Jacob Eason off the transfer wire, and Jacob has maybe the best arm in the PAC-12. Also, Salvon Ahmed is stepping in at RB and can assist in the offense in a number of ways. On Washington's defense, we have a ton of talent...

Bad news: ...but not a lot of experience. The secondary should be fine, but Washington's D-line is lacking proven playmakers. Oh, and more production from the WR's wouldn't hurt, either.

Key games:
9/21 @ BYU (This could be a big "trap-game" for the Huskies, especially since they'll host USC the following week.)
10/5 @ Stanford (Washington was on the brink of irrelevancy in 2018... until they defeated Stanford 27-23. For this encounter, expect another slug-fest.)
10/19 vs. Oregon (Last year's Washington-Oregon game went to OT, and now these two rivals will meet in Seattle with their strong-armed QB's ready to go. )
11/2 vs. Utah (A rematch of last year's PAC-12 championship game, and maybe a preview of this year's.)
11/29 vs. Washington State (As long as Washington keeps the "Apple Cup" away from Washington State, the state will always be theirs.)

Bottom line: Jacob Eason is coming back to play football in his home state amidst a whirlwind of hype. But in order for Washington to defend their PAC-12 championship [and/or get a "New Year's Six" bowl berth], Jacob now has to deliver the goods. That goes double for that talented but unproven defense.

 

[michaeljordan_fan]

Washington

Preview segment: The Washington Huskies

Last season: Right now, the epicenter of college football on the West Coast is in the "Evergreen State" of Washington. I'll get to Washington State tomorrow, but for now it's about the Huskies. With a strong defense and a offense led by QB Jake Browning and RB Myles Gaskin, Washington grabbed their 2nd conference title this decade. So on the West Coast, they're standing tall.
On the national level, though... not so much (thanks to Washington losing their opener to Auburn and the Rose Bowl to Ohio State).

Good news: That's weird... Despite no longer having Gaskin and Browning, nobody in Seattle is panicking. Maybe that's because Washington was able to grab QB Jacob Eason off the transfer wire, and Jacob has maybe the best arm in the PAC-12. Also, Salvon Ahmed is stepping in at RB and can assist in the offense in a number of ways. On Washington's defense, we have a ton of talent...

Bad news: ...but not a lot of experience. The secondary should be fine, but Washington's D-line is lacking proven playmakers. Oh, and more production from the WR's wouldn't hurt, either.

Key games:
9/21 @ BYU (This could be a big "trap-game" for the Huskies, especially since they'll host USC the following week.)
10/5 @ Stanford (Washington was on the brink of irrelevancy in 2018... until they defeated Stanford 27-23. For this encounter, expect another slug-fest.)
10/19 vs. Oregon (Last year's Washington-Oregon game went to OT, and now these two rivals will meet in Seattle with their strong-armed QB's ready to go. )
11/2 vs. Utah (A rematch of last year's PAC-12 championship game, and maybe a preview of this year's.)
11/29 vs. Washington State (As long as Washington keeps the "Apple Cup" away from Washington State, the state will always be theirs.)

Bottom line: Jacob Eason is coming back to play football in his home state amidst a whirlwind of hype. But in order for Washington to defend their PAC-12 championship [and/or get a "New Year's Six" bowl berth], Jacob now has to deliver the goods. That goes double for that talented but unproven defense.

TBH, even if WSU won 3 consecutive Apple Cups, the state would still belong to UW.

Same goes for OSUw trying to take ownership of Oregon, Oklahoma State trying to take ownership of Oklahoma, Cincy trying to take ownership of Ohio, etc...