College football rankings: Pac-12 predicted order of finish for 2022 season
We'll see the current iteration of the Pac-12 for just two more football seasons, if all goes according to plan and USC and UCLA jump ship for the Big Ten in 2024.
But there's plenty of football to be played between now and then, especially with the conference bringing on two new head coaches to lead its flagship programs.
And with the launch of Pac-12 Media Days, that means it's the unofficial start of the college football season, and the official kickoff for prediction and talkin' season.
Pac-12 media members recently cast their votes in the annual preseason poll. Let's see where each team ended up this summer.
College football rankings: Pac-12 predicted order of finish in 2022
First-place votes in parentheses
12. Colorado. The second-worst overall defense and pass defense in the Pac-12 last year loses five important pieces, but the Buffs return quarterback Brendon Lewis, and he gets some help in the portal to revive an offense that scored fewer than three TDs in conference games last fall.
11. Arizona. The Wildcats might be coming off their worst stretch ever, but there are major signs of hope, like Jedd Fisch's solid recruiting class that includes 5-star receiver Tetairoa McMillan and a portal haul led by quarterback Jayden de Laura and wide receiver Jacob Cowing.
10. Arizona State. A transfer exodus this offseason threw the Sun Devils out of rhythm, and while there's no discounting the losses of key skill at starting positions, there were also some additions: quarterback Emory Jones and receiver Cam Johnson from the SEC and former Wyoming running back Xazavian Valladay, a thousand-yard rusher in 2021.
9. Cal. This team has played some decent defense over the last several years, ranking fourth overall in the conference, third in scoring, and tops in yards per play allowed. But the Golden Bears went a paltry 1-5 on the road last fall behind an inconsistent offensive attack and has openings at quarterback and receiver.
8. Stanford. The Cardinal ranked 122nd and 114th in total offense and defense, respectively, last year, numbers that boggle the mind when considering how David Shaw started off with this program. Tanner McKee returns under center, but leads an attack that lacks a consistent downfield threat.
7. Washington State. Expect an increase in offensive production with former Incarnate Word quarterback Cameron Ward coming over. He threw 47 touchdowns last season — at least four in seven games — while surpassing 4,600 passing yards total. And he'll have continuity with his former coach Eric Morris calling plays as Wazzu's first-year offensive coordinator.
6. Washington. Kalen DeBoer steps in as head coach to right the ship after the 13-game Jimmy Lake experience came to an abrupt end. Offense was DeBoer's calling card at Fresno State, where he went 9-3 a year ago with wins against two ranked teams, including at UCLA, and a seven-point loss to No. 11 Oregon. Just what the doctor ordered for a Huskies offense that placed third-worst in the Pac-12.
5. Oregon State. OSU put a decent product on the field offensively in 2021, ranking fourth in the Pac-12 in total yards and scoring with just over 31 points per game on average. But the Beavers need to plug in two new blockers on an otherwise veteran front line and find a swap for NFL-bound rusher B.J. Baylor to complement quarterback Chance Nolan.
4. UCLA. Dorian Thompson-Robinson is back after a 21 TD, 6 INT performance in 2021, as is Zach Charbonnet, a 1,100-yard rusher with 13 TDs a year ago. That one-two punch should keep the Bruins in most games — provided Chip Kelly can find alternatives at receiver and repair his 107th ranked pass defense.
3. USC (5). If a team can "win" an offseason, USC certainly did. Lincoln Riley is in at head coach, with Caleb Williams following at quarterback, Jordan Addison and Mario Williams at receiver, and Travis Dye at running back. But the Trojans can only get somewhere by patching up an 89th ranked defensive unit.
2. Oregon (2). Dan Lanning moves west after engineering a historic defense with national champion Georgia a year ago, and inherits some important pieces on the Ducks' starting unit, in addition to Auburn transfer quarterback Bo Nix to plug in with some solid perimeter speed at the skill positions.
1. Utah (26). Losing the likes of Devin Lloyd in the middle of this defense doesn't help, but retaining quarterback Cameron Rising and lead rusher Tavion Thomas certainly does. The two combined for 41 touchdowns a year ago and played Ohio State's No. 1 ranked offense to the wire in a classic Rose Bowl.
(h/t Pac-12 Preseason Football Poll)
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