2023 P12 Football Thread

[utenation]

I think Utah picked 3rd this year is accurate. USC and Washington will be very good. Not looking forward to playing them on the road. Yikes. But this is what makes this conference fun. Glad we have Oregon in SLC.  Oregon State will be a tough game for Utah as well in Corvallis. Utah has Florida at home and Baylor on the road for OOC. Tough slate this year. 
 

We ended with 6 teams ranked last year and should have 5-6 pre season ranked teams this year. 

[Mano]

Utah has by far their most difficult schedule ever. 11 P5 games with Baylor, OSU, USC and Washington on the road. Hard to see how they don't drop a couple. 

[PAC MAN]

Got the preseason media poll off of CBS Sports:

 

2023 Pac-12 Preseason Media Poll 

1. USC (25)
2. Washington (4)
3. Utah (6)
4. Oregon (1)
5. Oregon State
6. UCLA 
7. Washington State 
8. Arizona 
9. California 
10. Arizona State 
11. Colorado 
12. Stanford 

 

If the PAC is going to die after this season, it looks like it will go out with a blaze of glory.

USC...they are picked to win the PAC but the last six games could have something to say about that.  Win out and they are in the CFP.

UW at #2...that November schedule looks brutal.  Win that out and they are in the CFP.

Utah at #3...we shall see with Rising's injury and road trips to USC, UW, and OSU.  The Utes should beat Florida at home and Baylor on the road (picked #6 in the B12 media poll).  

The Ducks have a difficult schedule and Texas Tech just announced today that the UO-TT game is sold out.  The Red Raider fans do not have Oklahoma or Texas coming to Lubbock so they will be amped for the UO game...UO announcing a move to the B12 will amp game up further.  TT was picked to finish #4 in the Big 12 preseason media poll behind UT, OU, and KSU.  At least the Ducks have a bye week before going to Seattle and Autzen will be amped for USC if UO isn't headed to the B1G next year.  The Ducks have the second easiest route to the CFP assuming they get past TT in Lubbock.

I feel like Oregon State is being underrated this year given how close they were to an 11-1 season before counting CCG & bowl games.  They could be 10-0 before hosting UW and then traveling to Eugene for the Civil War.  But who is going to be the QB?  I think OSU has the easiest road to the CFP for the P12.

I might swap UCLA for WSU due to the QB situation but the Bruins have a good QB transfer from Kent State.

Arizona is probably too high...I'd only feel comfortable with saying that UA wins their conference opener at Stanford.

I think California is pretty much where they could be at.

Colorado...Coach Prime upgraded the roster through necessary attrition and the Buffs could be dangerous in the second half of the season.  It could all come down to the interior lines...if the DL can slow running games down, a bowl game is doable.  The schedule feels like 11 conference games and one FCS game in CSU.  CSU isn't anywhere close to being as talented as CU and that has been that way since the Buffs joined the PAC.  An 0-3 start is highly unlikely but a 1-4 start is possible with the lone win coming against CSU.  I have CU's ceiling at seven wins this season and there is no way CU matches last season's 1-11 record.

Stanford...that was a good hire at the HC position but there is going to be some work to be done there.  The work he done at Sacramento State was impressive.

[utenation]

On 8/2/2023 at 12:15 PM, PAC MAN said:

 

Colorado...Coach Prime upgraded the roster through necessary attrition and the Buffs could be dangerous in the second half of the season.  It could all come down to the interior lines...if the DL can slow running games down, a bowl game is doable.  The schedule feels like 11 conference games and one FCS game in CSU.  CSU isn't anywhere close to being as talented as CU and that has been that way since the Buffs joined the PAC.  An 0-3 start is highly unlikely but a 1-4 start is possible with the lone win coming against CSU.  I have CU's ceiling at seven wins this season and there is no way CU matches last season's 1-11 record.

CU is picked way too high at 11. One thing we can count on every year is you either picking CU to go bowling or to win the conference. How has that worked out for the last 12 years?
 

The fact is, the jury is still out if CU has upgraded their roster and calling CSU an FCS team after your turd team just finished 1-11 is laughable. 

[Buff_Fan]

On 8/2/2023 at 12:27 PM, utenation said:

CU is picked way too high at 11. One thing we can count on every year is you either picking CU to either going bowling or to win the conference. How has that worked out?
 

The fact is, the jury is still out if CU has upgraded their roster and calling CSU an FCS team after your turd team just finished 1-11 is laughable. 

Colorado has upgraded talent.  You can look at where kids went and came from.  Heck, we even have a qb that can throw a forward pass.  That said, the install of a new O and D is scary.  You can be better, but if you can’t execute it doesn’t matter.  

[utenation]

On 8/2/2023 at 12:15 PM, Mano said:

Utah has by far their most difficult schedule ever. 11 P5 games with Baylor, OSU, USC and Washington on the road. Hard to see how they don't drop a couple. 

I just heard a stat on Florida. It’s been since 1991 that they traveled outside the SEC footprint for an OOC game. We need to pound this team this year. Give them an idea of what playing at 4700 ft feels like for 4 qtrs.

[Orange]

On 8/2/2023 at 11:15 AM, Mano said:

Utah has by far their most difficult schedule ever. 11 P5 games with Baylor, OSU, USC and Washington on the road. Hard to see how they don't drop a couple. 

That schedule is terrible.  Utah may end up being the best 9-3 team in the country.

[PAC MAN]

On 8/2/2023 at 12:27 PM, utenation said:

CU is picked way too high at 11. One thing we can count on every year is you either picking CU to either go bowling or to win the conference. How has that worked out for the last 12 years?
 

The fact is, the jury is still out if CU has upgraded their roster and calling CSU an FCS team after your turd team just finished 1-11 is laughable. 

Again, I think you are thinking too highly of CSU.  

[utenation]

On 8/2/2023 at 12:43 PM, PAC MAN said:

Again, I think you are thinking too highly of CSU.  

Yeah. Sorry. I don’t wear CU goggles. 1-11 is not a good resume.  You guys have been worse than an FCS club. 

[Buff_Fan]

On 8/2/2023 at 12:47 PM, utenation said:

Yeah. Sorry. I don’t wear CU goggles. 1-11 is not a good resume.  You guys have been worse than an FCS club. 

Yup.  This is a different team/staff.  Time will tell how different.  Having a decent coaching staff and some talent matters.

[utenation]

On 8/2/2023 at 12:57 PM, Buff_Fan said:

Yup.  This is a different team/staff.  Time will tell how different.  Having a decent coaching staff and some talent matters.

All unproven at this level. Lots of talented dudes hit skid row being in the wrong system. 
 

And Prime isn’t playing Mississippi Middle Tech School of Mines this year. 

[Buff_Fan]

On 8/2/2023 at 1:00 PM, utenation said:

All unproven at this level. Lots of talented dudes hit skid row being in the wrong system. 

Oh I don’t disagree.  It’s why the range of outcomes is so high.  There is a world where cu is a good team, and one where they are no better than last year.  The odds are they will be better, but predicting how much is a fools errand imo.

[Trojan209]

On 8/2/2023 at 11:37 AM, utenation said:

I just heard a stat on Florida. It’s been since 1991 that they traveled outside the SEC footprint for an OOC game. We need to pound this team this year. Give them an idea of what playing at 4700 ft feels like for 4 qtrs.

Yup. Last non-conference game they played outside of Florida was 9/21/1991 in a 21-38 lose at Syracuse. I believe both were ranked in the top 25 at the time.

To pile it on more their last non-conference win outside the state was 9/23/1989 38-13 to Memphis. Except Memphis finished with a record of 2-9.

Their last non-con win outside state with a team with a winning record was 10/18/1947 against NC State 7-6.

IMO they’re kind of a fraud program in my eyes. A lot of passion from fans. But it’s easy to pile on wins when they’re always in your home state.

[utenation]

On 8/2/2023 at 6:22 PM, Trojan209 said:

Yup. Last non-conference game they played outside of Florida was 9/21/1991 in a 21-38 lose at Syracuse. I believe both were ranked in the top 25 at the time.

To pile it on more their last non-conference win outside the state was 9/23/1989 38-13 to Memphis. Except Memphis finished with a record of 2-9.

Their last non-con win outside state with a team with a winning record was 10/18/1947 against NC State 7-6.

IMO they’re kind of a fraud program in my eyes. A lot of passion from fans. But it’s easy to pile on wins when they’re always in your home state.

That was our only bad loss in 2022.  Richardson had the game of his life and we stunk it up defensively. We rarely lose in SLC. So I’m hoping we thump these guys. Our fanbase will be ready. 
 

Early line is Utah -9. 
 

I really do think altitude in hot late August will affect these guys. 

[Buff_Fan]

On 8/2/2023 at 6:31 PM, utenation said:

That was our only bad loss in 2022.  Richardson had the game of his life and we stunk it up defensively. We rarely lose in SLC. So I’m hoping we thump these guys. Our fanbase will be ready. 
 

Early line is Utah -9. 
 

I really do think altitude in hot late August will affect these guys. 

Have you heard anything about their new qb?  Richardson seems tough to replace.

[utenation]

On 8/2/2023 at 6:47 PM, Buff_Fan said:

Have you heard anything about their new qb?  Richardson seems tough to replace.

Nah. I haven’t done any homework yet. Now that Fall Camp is here, I’ll start looking at Florida.
 

 One good thing, I feel much better about our back up QB situation this year. A kid named Brandon Rose is the #2 right now followed by another young stud named Nate Johnson. Rose tore up spring ball. 
 

Cam is the man but he’s a little injury prone.  Last year, we had Bryson Barnes as the back up and as you saw in the Rose Bowl, he’s not a P5 QB. 

[HLB]

On 8/2/2023 at 11:34 AM, utenation said:

I think Utah picked 3rd this year is accurate. USC and Washington will be very good. Not looking forward to playing them on the road. Yikes. But this is what makes this conference fun. Glad we have Oregon in SLC.  Oregon State will be a tough game for Utah as well in Corvallis. Utah has Florida at home and Baylor on the road for OOC. Tough slate this year. 
 

We ended with 6 teams ranked last year and should have 5-6 pre season ranked teams this year. 

I think Utah beats Florida at home.  Florida is a team trying to find a QB, and they have a lot of holes to fill.  Florida is two recruiting classes away from being relatively competitive - particularly in games like this one.

I think Baylor is also very winnable for Utah.

It would be a good start for Utah to open with wins over Fla. and Baylor.

UCLA, Cal, Colorado, ASU and AZ should all be wins for the Utes.

I think OSU and USC are losses (particularly because they are road games).  I think the OSU game is a trap game after going 4-0 to start the season.  It's one of those wins that gets away, for Utah, for reasons that aren't always explainable.

I think - at worst - Utah splits with Washington and Oregon.  They won't lose both, but they could win both.

I'm going with a 9-3 pre-season prediction.  Good luck.

I think Washington is beatable, for Utah, but USC is not.  I think Utah will be 

[HLB]

On 8/2/2023 at 1:37 PM, utenation said:

I just heard a stat on Florida. It’s been since 1991 that they traveled outside the SEC footprint for an OOC game. We need to pound this team this year. Give them an idea of what playing at 4700 ft feels like for 4 qtrs.

A big reason is because they have FSU, Miami, USF, UCF, FAU, FLA&M and FIU tugging on their shirt tails for games, along with political pressure.  They are mandated to play FSU every year.  It's not much different than Utah playing BYU every year, along with Utah State and Southern Utah tugging at them to play.

That being said, Utah has traveled outside the PAC12 footprint for OOC games, four times in the last 20 years:  At Michigan (08, 14), @NIU (18) and @Florida (last year).

If there was another P5 OOC opponent in the state of Utah, that would probably come before OOC opponents like Michigan.  It's what Florida is faced with, with Miami, where at one point, they were mandated to play them every year.  When you have two P5 OOC opponents (quality opponents at that) that are right in your back yard, it's hard to add a third P5 OOC opponent, that requires a team to travel.

FSU used to play both Florida and Miami, when they were an Independent.  And as an Independent, they traveled to play teams like Michigan, Auburn, ND, etc., because "all" of their games were OOC games, and they needed a schedule of quality opponents.

[HLB]

On 8/2/2023 at 7:47 PM, Buff_Fan said:

Have you heard anything about their new qb?  Richardson seems tough to replace.

Florida is relying on a transfer to be their starting QB.  They are hurting at QB.  Richardson left, and their #1 backup is doing time for watching little girls online.

Florida is struggling right now, trying to build a quality team.

Utah should win this game.

[PAC MAN]

On 8/2/2023 at 6:31 PM, utenation said:

That was our only bad loss in 2022.  Richardson had the game of his life and we stunk it up defensively. We rarely lose in SLC. So I’m hoping we thump these guys. Our fanbase will be ready. 
 

Early line is Utah -9. 
 

I really do think altitude in hot late August will affect these guys. 

Im stunned that the line is only -9…that should be at least -20.