2005 PAC 10 Football Preview

2005 Pacific 10 Predictions

This weekend we banged out another conference preview for our readers. Today Maddux Sports is proud to bring you the 2005 Pac 10 conference preview and predictions. Listed below is our team by team rank of how we project the Pacific 10 conference will play out in 2005. For individual team break downs, scroll to the section entitled 2005 Pac 10 Football Previews and click on the team links. These links will give you a more thorough look at each university and will also include the 2005 College football schedule for each program.

The 2005 version of the Pac 10 is a very simple one; there is USC at the top and than 9 other pretenders. After USC the conference is a toss up and it wouldn’t surprise us to see a team like Oregon State, who we predict to finish 7th in conference, be a runner up to the Trojans come late November. The Pacific 10 could only have 2 teams ranked in the top 25 at seasons end, but still could realistically have 7 teams bowl eligible and playing in the post season. Onto to the Pac 10 conference predictions…

PAC 10

1) USC - Hands down, the best team in the country. The scaring thing is, the offense could be even better than 2004. Loss of Norm Chow and several key assistants may be a tiny cause for concern, but there is just too much talent and veteran leadership to keep this team from winning another Pac10 Title.
Trojans Full football preview

2) Oregon - Good football team just doesn’t have as many play makers on both sides of the ball to compete with the Trojans. As long as transition from west coast to spread offense is smooth, expect the Ducks to get back to a bowl game for the eight time in nine years.
2005 Oregon Ducks football

3) UCLA - Have solid combination of talent and experience. If Olson advances and is a 100% healthy Bruins could win 7 games in conference. Home games against Cal and Arizona St. will ultimately decide UCLA’s rise or fall in the standings.
2005 UCLA Bruins

4) California - The Golden Bears lost a lot on defense and the quarterback position and only return 8 starters. If QB play is just adequate, rushing attack will be awesome, due to great offensive line and sophomore standout Marshawn Lynch.
Cal Golden Bears College preview

5) Arizona St. - Big questions at running back due to starting tailback Loren Wade charged with murder, one week into spring practice. Have a ton of returning talent, including 14 starters, as well as lost the fewest lettermen in conference. Talent is there, but focus isn’t.
Arizona State 2005 College football preview

6) Washington St. - The Cougars should be respectable on the offensive side of the ball, but are very thin on the defensive side. Early schedule is very easy which could be enough to get them to a bowl game. Good enough to finish fourth in the conference but not higher.
Washington St. Preview

7) Oregon St. - Just like Washington St. the Beavers are rebuilding and refining, and are good enough to finish fourth in the conference but not higher. Holes at quarter back and in the secondary, spell trouble for Oregon State. Will need to improve on nations worst rushing attack if they wish to climb to the top of the Pac10.
Oregon St. Beavers 2005 preview and schedule

8) Washington - Have a new coach in Ty Willingham. 19 starters do return, but those 19 starters are from a 1-10 team. Improvement is expected but talent level is just not there for the Huskies.
2005 Wash Huskies football preview

9) Arizona - Mike Stoops is making progress, but still has a long way to go. Cats fans are eager to contend for a bowl birth, but Arizona is still a year away for a return trip to the post season.
Arizona Wildcats football schedule

10) Stanford - New Head coach Walt Harris takes over a team with 10 returning starters from an offense that wasn’t that bad last year. Schedule is tough and we only see 1 or 2 winnable ball games for the Cardinal football program in 2005.
2005 football season preview for Stanford