College football preview: Pac-12 Conference

To the north stands a national power, Oregon, and a program that has recently had the Ducks' number, Stanford. Both are deserving of preseason benefit of the doubt; Oregon has earned that trust, while Stanford will soon prove last year's eight-win finish to be a brief blip on the radar.

To the south lie the finest top-four collection of teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision, with all due respect to the Southeastern Conference's West Division. Arizona, Arizona State, Southern California and UCLA present a murderer's row of in-conference, in-division competition, with only one distressing drawback: three very good football teams will fall short of their Rose Bowl goals.

Great teams beat elite teams in the Pac-12 Conference, good ones beat great ones, average ones beat good ones, and so on down the line. It's the equivalent of the SEC, without the chest-thumping braggadocio, and very clearly stands alongside that to-the-east doppelganger as the top leagues in college football.

The pain of watching would-be championship contenders fall to the wayside during the course of a specific regular season is painful to the Pac-12, but that pain is temporary — besides, each example supports the league's overall case to the College Football Playoff selection committee, which has shown through one season of existence to place enormous emphasis on strength of schedule and strength of conference.

"The signal has been sent very clear from the commissioners to the committee: we're going to be looking at who did you play and who did you beat," Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott said at conference media days in July.

"I like the difficulty. I like having probably the toughest division, maybe along with the SEC West, in the Pac-12 South. I love that with our conference we have nine conference games. I love that I can look anyone in the eye and say we've got as strong a schedule as anyone, if not the strongest, and that our champion will have had a tougher road to the Playoff than anyone else."

For one more season, at least — the Big Ten Conference adds a ninth league game in 2016 — the Pac-12 champion will be the only team in the country to be able to say the following: We played 10 league games, nine during the regular season and a 10th in early December — and not only that, but we came out atop what is no worse than the second-best league in the country.

Keep this in mind as you attempt to evaluate the future logic used by the selection committee, which may introduce new data and metric into its equation but will remain firmly rooted to the basics. Won-loss record. Strength of schedule. Strength of conference. Quality of victories. Quality of defeats.

"I think that if there's a comparable one-loss team we'll get the benefit of the doubt," Scott said.

I'd take that one additional step: A two-loss Pac-12 champion, much like a two-loss SEC champion, would have a tremendous case for the Playoff against one-loss champions from the Atlantic Coast Conference or Big 12 Conference, for example.

As several leagues drag their feet over adding a ninth game, nothing would impact coast-to-coast change more than a two-loss Pac-12 winner being rewarded for its road to the top, even as one-loss winners make their case from other major conferences.

"If it happens the way I think it will happen, over time more often than not teams will get punished for weaker schedules," Scott said. "And weaker schedules are eight games rather than nine in conference, and weaker non-conference slates.

"They'll lose out on those judgment calls, and that will force them to reconsider how they're scheduling non-conference and conference. It's so competitive and there's so much at stake that if teams and if conferences lose out, they're going to adjust."

NORTH

1. Oregon (No. 7)
2. Stanford (No. 10)
3. California (No. 49)
4. Washington (No. 72)
5. Washington State (No. 84)
6. Oregon State (No. 98)

SOUTH

1. Arizona State (No. 8)
2. UCLA (No. 11)
3. Southern California (No. 17)
4. Arizona (No. 19)
5. Utah (No. 43)
6. Colorado (No. 92)

By reading this sentence, you have agreed to a strict no-Googling rule in finding your answer.

The Pac-12 has had many great coaches. The Pac-12 has also had some bad coaches. Can you name the coach who spent at least three seasons in the conference and compiled the lowest career winning percentage in Pac-12 history? Remember that the league was founded in 1915 and didn't expand past eight teams until 1978.

1.
2. Pac-12 Conference
3. Big Ten Conference
4. Big 12 Conference
5. Atlantic Coast Conference
6. Mountain West Conference
7. American Athletic Conference
8. Conference USA
9. Mid-American Conference
10. Sun Belt Conference

Oregon

Best case: Oregon rallies around a new starting quarterback — likely Vernon Adams, when all is said and done — to win another Pac-12 championship and again reach the Playoff.

Worst case: The Ducks fail to win 10 games in a season for the first time since 2007.

StanfordBest case: Stanford rediscovers its groove in beating Oregon, Notre Dame and everyone else to finish the regular season unbeaten and in the Playoff.

Worst case: Last year's offensive woes carry into the fall, forcing the Cardinal to take a long look in the mirror on the heels of a seven-win finish.

California

Best case: The Golden Bears team an outstanding with an improved defense, which leads to nine wins and a second-place finish in the North Division.

Worst case: While the Bears score points, the defense again wilts in league play. A season-ending rivalry loss to Stanford spells another 5-7 finish.

Washington

Best case: The Huskies shock Oregon and hang tight with Stanford, finishing the year at 9-3 and in a major bowl. We are all reminded that yes, this Chris Petersen guy can coach.

Worst case: There's just too much youth and inexperience for UW to go better than 4-8.

Washington State

Best case: As in Berkeley, the Cougars are able to unite offensive potency with a stronger defense; this leads to eight wins and a validation of Mike Leach's vision for the program.

Worst case: Another three-win seasons raises a few eyebrows.

Oregon State

Best case: Gary Andersen leads OSU to six wins, which would be somewhat close to a miracle.

Worst case: The Beavers go winless in Pac-12 play and win just once overall.

Arizona State

Best case: The best team of Todd Graham's tenure loses once in the regular season, wins the Pac-12 title game and makes the Playoff.

Worst case: While still a very good team, the Sun Devils get chewed by the South Division and finish 7-5.

UCLA

Best case: Led by freshman phenom Josh Rosen, the Bruins go 11-1 and win the Pac-12. A trip to the Playoff follows, obviously.

Worst case: Shoddy quarterback plays wastes an otherwise loaded roster, dropping the Bruins to seven wins during the regular season.

USC

Best case: Stronger numbers and more experience in the staff's system propels USC back to the top of college football — as in a national championship, which despite some of my misgivings is clearly possible for this year's Trojans.

Worst case: The Trojans lose four games in divisional play — everyone but Colorado — and lose to Notre Dame.

Arizona

Best case: I know this sounds crazy, but last year's South Division champs are even better in 2015 — say, to the tune of 11 wins and another divisional crown.

Worst case: The Wildcats struggle to match last year's breakthrough in a 6-6 finish.

Utah

Best case: Utah rides physicality and a superb defensive front to 10 wins and a second-place finish in the division.

Worst case: The Utes lose six league games and finish at the bottom of the South.

Colorado

Best case: All that progress comes to fruition in a seven-win season.

Worst case: The Buffaloes fall back to 2-10.

Offense

QB: Jared Goff, California
RB: Devontae Booker, Utah
RB: Royce Freeman, Oregon
WR: Nelson Spruce, Colorado
WR: D.J. Foster, Arizona State
TE: Austin Hooper, Stanford
OL: Kyle Murphy, Stanford
OL: Josh Garrett, Stanford
OL: Max Tuerk, USC
OL: Isaac Seumalo, Oregon State
OL: Tyler Johnstone, Oregon

Defense

DL: DeForest Buckner, Oregon
DL: Kenny Clark, UCLA
DL: Eddie Vanderdoes, UCLA
DL: Hunter Dimick, Utah
LB: Myles Jack, UCLA
LB: Scooby Wright, Arizona
LB: Su'a Cravens, USC
CB: Lloyd Carrington, Arizona State
CB: Adoree' Jackson, USC
S: Jordan Simone, Arizona State
S: Budda Baker, Washington

Specialists

K: Andy Phillips, Utah
P: Tom Hackett, Utah
RET: Adoree' Jackson, USC

Quarterback: USC. I think Jared Goff will be the best quarterback in the conference, but it's hard to look past the Trojans' overall depth at the position.

Running back: Oregon. This is without Thomas Tyner, who will miss the upcoming season with a shoulder injury, but the Ducks have enough depth and experience to more than overcome his absence. Royce Freeman is one of the best in the nation.

Wide receiver and tight end: Oregon. As many have suggested, this is the finest receiver corps in program history. The Ducks' unit will get even deeper once Darren Carrington returns from suspension at some point during the second month of the regular season.

Offensive line: Stanford. The Trojans' front is nothing to sneeze at, but I think Stanford's line sits very comfortably among the best in college football.

Defensive line: Utah. The Utes have two leading stars, Hunter Dimick and Lowell Lotulelei, but the strength of this group is its overall depth. Many teams talk about going eight deep up front, but Utah will do just that.

Linebacker: USC. Playing Su'a Cravens on the second level — albeit in some sort of hybrid role — gives USC's linebacker corps one of the nation's most explosive and electric defenders. Getting a healthy season out of Lamar Dawson is a must, however.

Secondary: USC and UCLA (tie). USC has better individual talent — Adoree' Jackson is, in a word, insane — but I think UCLA's numbers are stronger.

Special teams: Utah. Without question, Utah houses the league's best kicker and punter. Recent history suggests the Utes will be able to replace an all-conference returner in Kaelin Clay without too much of a hiccup.

As you may know, California's Sonny Dykes has a knack for conducting prolific offenses. Last year's team tied or set 12 single-season school records, including for passing yards, passing touchdowns, yards per game, points, points per game and total touchdowns.

Chris Petersen brings a career record of 100-18 into his second season at Washington. That winning percentage, 84.7%, sits behind just three other coaches in the history of major-college football in Knute Rockne, Frank Leahy and Doyt Perry, and decimal points ahead of Urban Meyer. Ten of those 18 defeats have come during the past seasons, with last year's 8-6 finish with the Huskies joined by an 8-4 mark in Petersen's final season at Boise State.

January's national championship game only reinforced what many knew already: Ohio State owns Oregon. The Buckeyes are now 9-0 against the Ducks, with three of those victories coming in postseason play — the 1958 and 2010 Rose Bowl joining this winter's victory at AT&T Stadium. If you're looking for a silver lining, the most recent loss marked the first time the Ducks scored more than 17 points against the Buckeyes.

The highs of the Todd Graham era at Arizona State has come in large part as a result of defensive aggressiveness, a Graham calling card throughout his successful coaching career. Since the start of the 2011 season, the Sun Devils are third nationally in tackles for loss and second in sacks, and have held a remarkable 35.6% of offensive plays to negative or zero yardage.

Devontae Booker's production alone — 1,512 rushing yards and 43 receptions in his first season as a junior-college transfer — underscores his importance to Utah. It's not a stretch to say his physical running style sets the tone for the entire offense, however. Among his total yardage output a year ago were 815 yards gained after contact, which was nearly 200 yards more than his next-closest competitor in the Pac-12.

There are markers of Colorado's growth during Mike MacIntyre's two seasons, even if the Buffaloes remain mired behind the curve in the Pac-12 standings. Consider: CU showed improvement in 33 major statistical categories in 2014, after improving in 29 categories in 2013; last year's team topped four yards per carry for the first time 2006; has scored on 85.7% of its red-zone trips during the past two seasons, the program's best two-year mark since 1994-95; and has lost fumbles just times during the past two years, the lowest two-year total in the recorded history of the program.

Heisman Trophy: Cody Kessler, USC; Royce Freeman, Oregon; and Devontae Booker, Utah (tie). Kessler might not end up the most productive quarterback in the Pac-12 — my money's on Jared Goff — but he'll be firmly in the Heisman mix should USC make a strong run at the Playoff. Both Freeman and Booker can say the same, though Booker's candidacy will rest largely on his own production.

Doak Walker Award (best running back): Booker and Freeman (tie). It might be fair to add UCLA's Paul Perkins to this list, but Booker and Freeman bring greater name recognition into the 2015 season — which isn't fair, but still.

Davey O'Brien Award (best quarterback): Kessler and Jared Goff, California (tie). Goff's numbers will place him in the conversation. Kessler, meanwhile, is also in the running for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, given to the top senior quarterback.

Biletnikoff Award (best wide receiver): Nelson Spruce, Colorado. His team won't be great, but Spruce is deserving of some national acclaim as he heads into his senior season.

Lombardi Award (outstanding lineman): DeForest Buckner, Oregon. The standout Oregon end who opted to remain in college for his final season – teammate Arik Armstead left a year on the table — Buckner might be the most physically imposing down lineman in the country.

Rimington Trophy (best center): Max Tuerk, USC. I don't think Tuerk is mentioned enough among the best centers in college football.

Butkus Award (best linebacker): Scooby Wright, Arizona. That he didn't take home the award last year remains a travesty.

Jim Thorpe Award (best defensive back): Adoree' Jackson, USC. When all is said and done, Jackson will go down as one of the great cornerbacks at one of the proudest programs in college football.

Lou Groza Award (best kicker): Andy Phillips, Utah. Phillips is one of the top specialists in the country.

Ray Guy Award (best punter): Tom Hackett, Utah. And the same can be said of Hackett, another Australian import dominating the position on the FBS level.

Paul Hornung Award (most versatile player): Jackson. He probably can't play the offensive line and defensive line — and I say probably, since Jackson can do everything else at a high level.

Have 1,000 yards receiving: Nelson Spruce, Colorado. He's going to put up ridiculous numbers despite drawing enormous attention from every defense in the Pac-12.

Throw for 3,500 yards: Jared Goff, California. He won't be the only Pac-12 quarterback to get to 3,500 yards, but Goff will get there first.

Get an extension: Sonny Dykes, California. That the university hasn't already given Dykes an extension is laughable, embarrassing and potentially dangerous. It'll come during or right after the season.

Be coaching in the NFL in 2016: Jim Mora, UCLA. I'd put the odds at somewhere between slim and none, but Mora's success with the Bruins will place him on the NFL's radar every offseason.

Have 1,500 yards rushing: Devontae Booker, Utah. Remember that he hit this total last fall despite being used sparingly for much of September.

Be a first round pick in 2016: Myles Jack, UCLA. The league doesn't lack for first-round talent, but here's guessing a productive junior season and a tear through team workouts puts Jack high on draft boards.

Lead the conference in scoring offense: Oregon. Surprised?

Lead the conference in scoring defense: Stanford. Were you expecting someone else?

Exceed expectations: Stanford and UCLA (tie). I think the Cardinal will be outstanding. Likewise with the Bruins, who only need stellar quarterback play — hello, Josh Rosen — to be right in the mix for the Pac-12 title.

Disappoint: Oregon. There's always a chance that Oregon loses the best player in program history and, you know, takes a step back.

Not every program in the conference has a clear-cut starter in advance of fall camp. Bonus points for those schools without a major competition, let alone those with an accomplished and trustworthy returning starter.

1. Jared Goff, California. Barring injury, he will start every possible game of his Bears career. Goff and his coach both say he made his greatest improvement as a quarterback this offseason.

2. Cody Kessler, USC. He's not going to crack the pantheon of great USC quarterbacks, but Kessler should be remembered for his work keeping the Trojans' program afloat during a few learn years.

3. Mike Bercovici, Arizona State. With all due respect to his predecessor, Taylor Kelly, it's obvious that Bercovici should've been the Sun Devils' starter in October and November. After patiently waiting his turn, the senior is poised for a monster season.

4. Vernon Adams, Oregon. Adams' skill set fits wonderfully into what Oregon demands from the position. There will be some learning moments in September and October, but his numbers will eventually be worthy of all-conference consideration.

5. Kevin Hogan, Stanford. A subtle shift toward a more fast-paced offense played right to Hogan's strengths, allowing the senior to gain confidence heading into a crucial year for David Shaw and the Cardinal.

6. Anu Solomon, Arizona. Solomon needs to bounce back from a disastrous bowl performance against Boise State, but he's going to develop into the most productive quarterback in program history.

7. Josh Rosen, UCLA. He's going to be a superstar, all-everything, retired-number, All-America quarterback for UCLA. You'll see signs of future greatness during Rosen's true freshman season.

8. Sefo Liufau, Colorado. Only in the Pac-12 would a quarterback of Liufau's production and promise sit in the bottom half of the conference. As good as he has been — and as good as he can become — Liufau does have to work on cutting down on his mental missteps under pressure.

9. Travis Wilson or Kendal Thompson, Utah. I'm not in love with either option, though both would do a fine job turning around and handing off to Booker.

10. Luke Falk, Washington State. He's going to put up numbers in bunches, but Falk could use another year of seasoning to get a better feel for what Pac-12 defenses will bring to the table.

11. Jake Browning, Washington. This is just an assumption, because Chris Petersen and Washington could just as easily go ahead and hand Browning a redshirt. But with this smelling like a building year for the Huskies, I'd go ahead and let Browning learn the ropes.

12. Seth Collins or Marcus McMaryion, Oregon State. It's going to be a long year for everyone in Corvallis, but for these young and untested quarterbacks in particular.

Stanford RB Christian McCaffrey. There's something to be said for a first impression: McCaffrey made his at one of Stanford's first practices in preparation for last season, when the then-freshman took a hard hit during a non-contact drill, stood up, dusted himself off and continued his sprint into the end zone. For a program that prides itself on toughness, McCaffrey's attitude spoke volumes within the Cardinal's coaching offices. After accounting for 796 all-purpose yards last fall, the sophomore is ready to assume a huge role in Stanford's push for the Pac-12 title.

Stanford RB Bryce Love. McCaffrey's going to be a good one, but Love's play during fall camp may ensure some role within the offense for the true freshman. The same could be said for rookie receiver Trent Irwin, the highest-rated member of Stanford's recruiting class.

Utah DE Kylie Fitts. It's hard to crack the Utes' deep line rotation, but Fitts — a former transfer from UCLA — is too talented to keep off the field.

Colorado DT Samson Kafovalu. After making four starts as a freshman and two as a sophomore, Kafovalu sat out last season after encountering issues with academics and a violation of team rules. Now back in Colorado's good graces, Kafovalu has transitioned inside from end to tackle, where he's expected to grab one of the two starting spots. The Buffaloes could use a burst of disruptiveness along the interior of the defensive line.

California RB Vic Enwere. The Golden Bears played 42 newcomers last fall, including 23 freshmen, and should remain defined by this younger corps in 2015. One upperclassmen assured of a major role is running back Daniel Lasco, who cracked the 1,000-yard mark as a junior. But after gaining 193 yards on 5.68 yards per carry as a freshman last season, look for Enwere to get added touches as Lasco's top reserve.

USC LB Lamar Dawson. Breakout candidates abound for USC, but let's go with Dawson, who missed all of last season and the second half of 2013 with a knee injury. Before the injury, Dawson cracked the starting lineup during the final stages of 2011 and throughout the 2012 season. Now back to full strength, he'll be an on-field leader for the Trojans' defense.

Oregon C Matt Hegarty. While the coaching staff has yet to make an official decision, it would be surprising to not see the graduate transfer from Notre Dame in the center spot previously held by Hroniss Grasu.

Stanford offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Mike Bloomgren. His dream offense features 11 offensive linemen, even if the pesky NCAA has rules in place to prevent such a wonderful offensive alignment from becoming a reality.

Oregon defensive line coach Ron Aiken. There are trendier Oregon assistants on Mark Helfrich's staff — see Scott Frost or Matt Lubick — but Aiken's work with the defensive front has bordered on outstanding.

Washington defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski. At both Boise State and with the Huskies, Kwiatkowski puts together aggressive, physical defenses led by strong individual performances.

USC defensive backs coach Keith Heyward. Heyward has done well at three different Pac-12 stops, with Oregon State and Washington joining USC. He's already had a strong impact on young Adoree' Jackson through one season with the Trojans.

Arizona State offensive coordinator Mike Norvell. Other up-and-coming coordinators get more attention, but Norvell is on the fast track toward getting a shot with his own program.

Oregon State offensive line coach T.J. Woods. It'd be easy to pinpoint a number of assistants on Gary Andersen's strong debut group with the Beavers, from defensive coordinator Kalani Sitake through quarterbacks coach Kevin McGiven. I'll go with Woods, who has earned strong reviews for his work under Andersen at Utah State and Wisconsin.

Washington at Boise State, Sept. 4. Chris Petersen, who now coaches at Washington, once did the same at Boise State. That makes this game a homecoming of sorts, if you think about it.

Arizona State vs. Texas A&M (in Houston), Sept. 5. Perhaps more than any other game of the opening weekend, this neutral-site affair has kept me awake at night thinking about the start of the season.

Oregon at Michigan State, Sept. 12. This is a huge game for the Ducks, individually speaking, but also an enormous game for the reputation of the Pac-12 as a whole.

Stanford at USC, Sept. 19. Few conference games carry this much meaning this early in the season. It's a statement-making opportunity for both teams, with the Cardinal looking to avenge last season's sloppy loss at home.

California at Texas, Sept. 19. I'm highly, highly intrigued by the Golden Bears, who could ride a victory in Austin into a strong conference season.

USC at Arizona State, Sept. 26. This is one of several games that will determined a hard-to-peg South Division. Bet on temperatures hitting triple digits in Tempe.

UCLA at Stanford, Oct. 15. I have a strong suspicion that UCLA will improve with each passing week, as Josh Rosen grows more and more comfortable in his starting role. But Stanford's defense will be up to the challenge.

USC at Notre Dame, Oct. 17. The Trojans have the great fortune of meeting a Notre Dame team coming off a matchup with Navy, which always seems to sap a little bit out of life from the Irish heading into their following Saturday.

Oregon at Stanford, Nov. 14. Once again, this will decide the North Division. The loser is out of the Playoff conversation.

Arizona at Arizona State, Nov. 21. The annual rivalry has become one of the more entertaining games across all off college football. ASU will benefit from hosting the Wildcats, but it'd be nice if the Sun Devils could figure out an answer for Rich Rodriguez's offense and Scooby Wright on defense.

USC at Oregon, Nov. 21. To be honest, there's a chance that this game won't have as much meaning as expected once we get to the second half of November.

Oregon State at Oregon, Nov. 27. Welcome to the rivalry, Gary Andersen. It's not going to be fun at first.

Notre Dame at Stanford, Nov. 28. Notre Dame has plans on entering the season finale within one victory of securing a spot in the top four; Stanford has similar aspirations, not to mention home-field advantage.

UCLA at USC, Nov. 28. If things play out as both teams expect, this rivalry game will decide the South Division and a potential spot in the Playoff.

For the efforts of this exercise, let's play under the following rules:

While the Pac-12 hasn't seen extensive change during the past century, the league has added four teams since 1978: Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah. As such, this all-time team won't include Wildcats and Sun Devils from before 1978 or Buffaloes and Utes from before 2011.

The question, in shortened form: Can you name the coach who spent at least three seasons in the conference and compiled the lowest career winning percentage in Pac-12 history?

The answer is former Oregon State coach Joe Avezzano, who won 12.7% of his games from 1980-84 (6-47-2).

I'll make you a promise: The winner of the Pac-12 Conference is reaching the College Football Playoff. The lone caveat is that this winner exits the regular season with three losses, which even in a league overflowing with depth and parity seems hard to believe. Two losses, however … The two-loss Pac-12 champion is still making the Playoff.

If you don't believe that, you clearly don't believe the selection committee values strength of schedule and overall conference strength; it does, and it will in 2015. A two-loss Pac-12 champion has as much a claim to a Playoff berth as a two-loss SEC champion, and I think we can all agree that a two-loss SEC champion is playing into January.

Without exaggeration, there are at least six Pac-12 teams with a realistic shot at winning this conference and playing for the national championship. Two come from the North Division — the usual suspects: Oregon and Stanford.

The Ducks no longer have

Marcus Mariota

, which is as big of a concern as one might expect, but should nonetheless lead the Pac-12 in most major offensive categories. The defense isn't without flaws, but another full offseason digesting coordinator

Don Pellum'

s vision should help offset any lingering personnel concerns.

I think Stanford might be the most underrated team in college football. The offense found its identity during the final weeks of last fall, thanks to a small system tweak that allowed Kevin Hogan to flourish; the defense is rowdy and ready to roll, giving the Cardinal a baseline of competitiveness against every team on the schedule.

There are four teams in the South Division with the wherewithal to win the conference: Arizona State, UCLA, USC and Arizona. I'm curious if Arizona will be able to build off of last fall, though the program's growth in each of Rich Rodriguez's first three seasons paints the Wildcats as on a steady climb toward national contention.

This is the best team of Todd Graham's tenure in Tempe, which is saying something: ASU's been pretty good so far, to put it lightly, and has embraced with both arms the unique and orthodox styles Graham and his staff espouse on both sides of the ball. The Sun Devils are poised to contend for the national championship, though the schedule does them no favors.

UCLA only needs Josh Rosen to play up to his potential to be in the same category. Everything else is loaded, from offense to defense, and Jim Mora and his staff have accumulated enough depth to survive the wear and tear of league play. USC doesn't have the Bruins' numbers, but the Trojans — stop me if you've heard this before — have more front-end talent than any team in the Pac-12, if not in the entire country.

So there you go: The Pac-12 has six teams capable of winning the conference. Win the conference, reach the Playoff, play for the national championship.