The college football season is coming closer. Oregon State and Stanford, both members of the Pac-12 North Division, get the season started on August 26 before the first full weekend on Saturday, September 2. What will the Pac-12 North look like this season? The same balance between contenders and pretenders should exist, but the order of teams might be different. The odds are what they are, but those are preliminary assessments. Things can change once the season starts and teams take on a unique character.
Washington is in the catbird seat after winning both the division and the Pac-12 Conference championship last year, making the College Football Playoff as well. Stanford and Washington State should battle for second. Oregon is the wild card, a team which could be terrible again… or could rebound and win eight or nine games.
Odds:
California +5,000
Oregon State +1,000
Oregon +800
Washington State +500
Stanford +250
Washington -125
Team On The Rise:
The Oregon State Beavers might be marginally better, but they will still finish in the lower half of the division, probably in fifth place. The team in the upper half of the division which should be better than last year is Stanford. The Cardinal’s offense was horrible in the first half of last season, dogged by quarterback troubles. Ryan Burns has had a full offseason in which to make adjustments and become prepared to handle the workload needed to carry the Stanford offense. It should be better. Running back Bryce Love should be able to step in and replace Christian McCaffery. He won’t replicate all of the production McCaffery provided, but he will come close enough to give the Cardinal adequate functionality. The Stanford defense got stronger as last season continued. The Cardinal will be the kind of team which can shut down other offenses. Stanford lost three games early last season. The Cardinal will be in the division hunt in November, and if they beat Washington at home – which they have a very good chance of doing – they could walk away with a win. Beating USC in September will put them in very good position to win the division.
Team In Decline:
The California Golden Bears were not very good last year, but with a new head coach and new coordinators, this year looks like a painful transition year. In 2018, the program might take strides forward under head coach Justin Wilcox, defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter, and offensive coordinator Beau Baldwin, as they learn what they are up against and make strides in recruiting, but 2017 figures to be a rough ride for three coaches who are entering one of the tougher divisions in college football.
Hot Seat:
This division has no real hot seat. Washington, Oregon State, Stanford, and Washington State have popular coaches. Oregon and California have first-year coaches. The only remote possibility which could lead to a coach firing is if California goes 0-12. Justin Wilcox could get a quick hook if that happens, but that is not likely to happen at all.
Outlook
The Huskies aren’t as heavily favored to win their side of the Pac-12 as the USC Trojans (-650) are in theirs, but the two teams are expected to meet in the Pac-12 Championship Game. Washington is one of the best teams in the country and there really aren’t many opponents of that caliber inside of their division. California and Oregon State are in full-on rebuilding mode, so neither will be a factor other than possibly pulling an upset somewhere. Oregon is looking to rebound but they’re not ready to be competitive just yet. If they are, it would be a big surprise.
This division is really a three-horse race. Washington is the proven team, Stanford is the decent team that could surprise and Washington State could be in the mix too. They’re on the fringe but they are capable of winning the division if things go right for them. Overall, Washington is the soundest team as of right now, so we’ll bank on them winning it this year.
Prediction: Washington to win the Pac-12 North
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