The Stanford Cardinal are coming off of another strong season, and they’re set to enter 2013 as one of the favorites to rip a national championship away from the SEC. Head coach David Shaw is 23-4 during his two years with the team, and he’s coming off of a 12-2 record, which includes wins in both the Pac-12 championship and the Rose Bowl.
The Washington State Cougars entered 2012 with high hopes following the hiring of Mike Leach. The return of the head coach to college football was supposed to bring the team a new flair, and while the exciting offense was certainly there at times, the success that followed was underwhelming to say the least.
The Utah Utes entered the 2012 season with high expectations after a successful first season in the Pac-12. Unfortunately for them, injuries and inconsistency plagued the team throughout the year, meaning they’ll enter 2013 a bit more under the radar than they were a year ago.
The California Golden Bears went just 3-9 during the 2012 college football season, and as a result, head coach Jeff Tedford was relieved of his duties just a few days after the year came to an end. Now roaming the sidelines will be former Louisiana Tech coach Sonny Dykes.
The 2012-13 Colorado Buffaloes were one of the worst teams in all of college football, and it’s not an exaggeration to say that. Head coach Jon Embree led his team to a 1-11 season, and as a result, he saw himself kicked to the curb when the year finally came to an end.
The Washington Huskies are full of potential, but they can’t quite get over the hump. Steve Sarkisian and his squad have gone 7-6 the last three years, and while they’ll look to improve upon that mark, they’ll also have to prove people wrong who believe they’ve hit their ceiling.
In 2012, the USC Trojans were named the preseason No. 1 team in all of college football. Unfortunately for them, they ultimately finish unranked after earning those honors. A six-loss season was beyond disappointing, and as a result, head coach Lane Kiffin has been looked at as potential hot seat candidate in 2013.
In 2011, the UCLA Bruins made the Pac-12 championship game because of a formality. The USC Trojans were banned from postseason competition, meaning that UCLA was given the spot without truly earning it.
The 2012 Arizona State Sun Devils laid a solid foundation for the program moving forward. In Todd Graham’s first year as head coach, he helped improve the team to 8-5. The season was called an “unquestioned success” by ESPN’s Ted Miller (Pac-12 blogger), and it’s tough to argue anything else.
Second-year head coach Rich Rodriguez is coming off a season that saw him go 8-5 with the Arizona Wildcats. That campaign was the first time he had put together a winning record in a season debut, as well as the first time his team went to a bowl game in a debut.
The Oregon Ducks have taken the NCAA by storm over the past few seasons, and 2013 should prove to be no exception. The fast-paced, up-tempo offense has been too much for most Pac-12 teams to handle, and even though head coach Chip Kelly has departed for the NFL, Mark Helfrich should be ready to carry forward the winning ways of the past.
The Oregon State Beavers shocked the world with their performance for much of the 2012 season. Because of a weather-influenced delay against Nicholls St., Mike Riley’s crew opened up the year against the No. 13 Wisconsin Badgers.
