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This is a continuation of our series on our exclusive 2009 college football predictions.  Today, we take an early look at the Pac 10 Conference.

College Football Predictions

Pac 10

1) USC
2008 Record: (12-1, 8-1)
Coach: Pete Carroll, 9th year (88-15 overall)
Off. Coordinator: John Morton (1st year)
Def. Coordinator: Rocky Seto (1st year)
Returning Starters: 12 (9 offense, 3 defense)
Ret. Starting Quarterback: No

Offense: The great programs don’t rebuild; they reload. USC has to replace just two starters on offense, but the one they have to replace is quarterback Mark Sanchez, who’s off to the NFL to play for the NY Jets. Sophomore Aaron Corp (6-4, 195) is expected to take his place, though freshman Matt Barkley (6-3, 220) could push him. Former Arkansas transfer Mitch Mustain is also in the picture. At running back, the Trojans have a ton of talent, but they are still looking for that one back to dominate like Reggie Bush or Marcus Allen. Senior Stafon Johnson is the leading returning runner with 705 yards and there are a ton of talented backs behind him. At receiver, USC returns junior Damian Williams, who had 705 receiving yards last year with 58 catches and nine TDs. The offensive line returns all five starters and they have some serious talent, including junior Kris O’Dowd (6-5, 300), one of the nation’s top centers and senior LG Jeff Byers (6-4, 285), who was granted a sixth year of eligibilty.

Defense: The key on offense is finding a new quarterback. On defense, it’s replacing three superstar linebackers and the entire front seven. Pete Carroll has always been a defensive guy and last season, his defense was simply dominant. They allowed just 9ppg (1st in the nation), 87.4 yards per game on the ground (5th) and 221.8 yards per game overall (2nd in the nation). It will be impossible to repeat those numbers with all the defections, but that doesn’t mean there’s not talent. They will be huge up front after moving DT Armond Armstead (6-5, 290) to defensive end. The other end is more of a speed rusher in junior Everson Griffen (6-3, 265), who recorded 4.5 sacks last year. The interior will feature junior Christian Tupou (6-2, 280), who shares the spot with senior Averell Spicer (6-2, 295). They will be inexperienced at linebacker after losing Clay Matthews, Brian Cushing and Ray Maualuga-the nucleus of last year’s team. Sophomore Chris Galippo (6-2, 255) takes over at middle linebacker and he has all the tools to be a great one. He just lacks experience. The defensive backfield is led by senior All-American FS Taylor Mays (6-3, 230), an absolute beast, who had 53 tackles last year. Cornerback is stacked, even with two starters gone. Junior Shareece Wright, who missed last year with a neck injury, is the team’s fastest player.

Outlook: The schedule features Ohio State on the road, an easy home opener with San Jose State and a contest at Notre Dame. They’ll go as far as their inexperienced defense takes them. Of course, finding a quarterback will be the difference between being a top 10 team and a National Champ.

2) California
2008 Record: (9-4, 6-3)
Coach: Jeff Tedford, 8th year, (59-30 overall)
Off. Coordinator: Andy Ludwig (1st year)
Def. Coordinator: Bob Gregory (8th year)
Returning Starters:17 (7 offense, 8 defense, punter, kicker)
Ret. Starting Quarterback: Yes (Kevin Riley)

Offense: Junior Kevin Riley (6-2, 221) finally has the starting job without looking over his shoulder now that Nate Longshore is gone. He has seven career starters and 277 career passes, but needs to improve his accuracy. If he doesn’t improve over the summer, Ted Tedford can turn to sophomore Brock Mansion (6-5, 237) or redshirt freshman Beau Sweeney. At running back, the Golden Bears have one of the nation’s best in junior Jahvid Best (5-10, 195). Best ran for 1,580 yards despite missing a game due to a concussion and with an insufficient passing game, he still averaged 8.1 yards per carry. There is a hole at tight end after junior Cameron Morrah (8 TDs) left for the NFL early. The receivers lack a proven playmaker, though senior Nyan Boateng (6-2, 211), who had just 439 yards receiving last season, is ready to break out. Sophomore Marvin Jones (6-2, 190) is also coming off a great spring. On the offensive line, the Golden Bears return three starters, but they have to replace All-American center Alex Mack (first-round pick). They’ll move junior Chris Guarnero (6-2, 275) from guard to center and they also get senior LT Mike Tepper (6-7, 319) back from a torn pec muscle that cost him last season.

Defense: The defense returns eight starters from a unit that allowed 19.9ppg (23rd in the nation) and 315.2 yards per game (26th). Up front, they return all three starters in the 3-4 scheme. They were a big reason that Cal ranked 14th in the nation in sacks last year. Senior DE Tyson Alualu (6-3, 295) recorded six sacks last year, while junior end Cameron Jordan (6-4, 287) added 11 tackles for loss, despite playing part-time. At linebacker, they return junior Mike Mohammed (6-3, 237), who had 87 tackles despite not starting last season. The secondary is loaded with talent, especially at corner, where senior Syd’Quan Thompson is back (4 picks). This could be the top defense in the Pac-10.

Outlook: The Bears face Maryland and Eastern Washington at home to start the season, and also take on Minnesota on the road. There’s no reason why they should go undefeated in non-conference play before facing USC, though an Oregon road game will be very tough right before they face the Trojans. If Riley can step up this year at quarterback, the Bears have a chance to go along way based on a terrific defense and a strong running game.

3) Oregon
2008 Record: (10-3, 7-2)
Coach: Chip Kelly, 1st year (0-0)
Off. Coordinator: Chip Kelly (1st year)
Def. Coordinator: Nick Aliotti (12th year)
Returning Starters: 10, (5 offense, 5 defense)
Ret. Starting Quarterback: Yes (Jeremiah Masoli)

Offense: Junior Jeremiah Masoli returns at quarterback after throwing for 1,744 yards and 13 TDs, while rushing for 718 yards and 10 TDs. He’ll be back to operate new head coach Chip Kelly’s spread offense. They lose running back Jeremiah Johnson (1,201 yards), but return senior LeGarrette Blount (6-2, 240), who ran for 1,002 yards last season. They hope that senior RB Andre Crenshaw (5-11, 195) can be a strong complement. At receiver, junior Jeff Maehl and Aaron Pflugrad return. Senior TE Ed Dickson (6-5, 240) is the leading returning receiver with 508 yards receiving. The offensive line returns just two starters including junior RT C.E. Kaiser (6-4, 290).

Defense: The defense returns five starters from a unit that allowed just 28.2ppg (78th in the nation) and 389.6 yards per game (82nd in the nation). The Ducks are led by up front by senior end Will Tukuafu (6-4, 279), who was fifth in the pac-10 with 17.5 tackles for loss last season. Unfortunately for the Ducks, he’s the only returning starter. Junior Kenny Rowe (6-3, 230) is expected to move up from linebacker to end to replace Nick Reed, one of the top pass rushers in school history. Juco transfer Terrence Montgomery (6-2, 291) is expected to compete for a tackle spot. At linebacker, they return two of their three starters. In the secondary, they have to replace two first-team all-conference players in SS Patrick Chung and Jairus Byrd. Senior FS T.J. Ward will anchor the secondary, after leading the team with 101 tackles last season.

Outlook: The Ducks open the season playing a tough road game at Boise State, followed by two very tough home games against Purdue and Utah. They host USC and Cal, so the Pac-10 schedule benefits them. The problem is that they don’t quite have the talent level of USC and California, but they are certainly a bowl team. Kelly, the former offensive coordinator at Oregon, takes over for Mike Bellotti, who led the program for 14 years.

4) Oregon State
2008 Record: (9-4, 7-2)
Coach: Mike Riley, 8th year (56-42 overall)
Off. Coordinator: Danny Langsdorf (5th year)
Def. Coordinator: Mark Banker (7th year)
Returning Starters: 11 (6 offense, 3 defense, punter, kicker)
Ret. Starting Quarterback: Yes (Lyle Moevao)

Offense: The Beavers return two potential starting quarterbacks in seniors Sean Canfield (6-4, 220) and Lyle Moevao (5-11, 220). Canfield started in 2007, but missed the end of his sophomore year and beginning of his junior season recovering from surgery on his throwing shoulder. Moevao passed for 2,534 yards and 19 TDs last season and is a playmaker, but lacks the height and is also coming off a shoulder injury thus hampering his ability to win the job. They do return a great running back in sophomore Jacquizz Rodgers (5-7, 193), who ran for 1,253 yards despite missing the last two games of the season with a fractured bone in his shoulder. Older brother James Rodgers is the team’s top receiver, who gained 1,833 total yards and scored 10 TDs between his duties as a back, kick returner and receiver. The offensive line returns two of the five starters and this is a huge key. They have to replace all-leaguers Andy Levitre and Adam Speer.

Defense: The defense returns just three starters from a unit that allowed 23.1ppg and 312.2 yards per game (23rd in the nation). Junior DT Stephen Paea (6-1, 293) anchors the defensive line and is the lone returning starter. He recorded five sacks last year, but they have to find a way to replace ends Victor Butler and Slade Norris, who combined for 22 sacks last year. At linebacker, they are set on the outside with junior Keith Pankey (6-0, 211) and senior Keaton Kristick (6-3, 226). Kristick finished with 82 tackles last year. They have to replace the entire secondary, including two outstanding corners in Keenan Lewis and Brandon Hughes.

Outlook: Their non-conference schedule features Portland State and Cincinnati at home and UNLV on the road. They also have to face USC and California on the road, which is extremely tough, especially when you have to replace your entire secondary. The offense will have to carry the team as the defense will likely have its issues, especially early in the season.

5) Arizona
2008 Record: (8-5, 5-4)
Coach: Mike Stoops, 6th year (25-36 overall)
Off. Coordinator: Sonny Dykes (3rd year)
Def. Coordinator: Mark Stoops (6th year)
Returning Starters: 15 (7 offense, 7 defense, punter)
Ret. Starting Quarterback: No

Offense: Arizona returns seven starters from a unit that averaged a whopping 36.6ppg (16th in the nation) and 402.4 yards per game (33rd). The problem for the Cats is that they have to replace Willie Tuitama, the school’s all-time leader in most passing categories. Sophomore Mark Scott (6-3, 190) and Nick Foles (6-5, 235) will attempt to replace Tuitama, as neither really stepped up during the spring. They do return junior RB Nic Grigsby, who rushed for 1,153 yards last season. They also return one of the most talented tight end/H-backs in the nation in juionr Rob Gronkowski (6-6, 265), who caught 16 TD passes in two seasons. Senior WR Terrell Turner (6-2, 190) and juinor Delashaun Dean (6-4, 202) are both lanky receivers who return as starters, but neither was effective as Mike Thomas, one of the most prolific receivers in the school’s history. The offensive line returns two starters, but lose top tackle Eben Britton.

Defense: The defense returns seven starters from a unit that allowed 21.3ppg (33rd in the nation) and 313 yards per game (24th). While the offense should be down, this unit has a chance to be very strong. They return the entire front four, including junior DE Brooks Reed (6-3, 255), who recorded eight sacks last year after switching from H-back. They have great size on the interior and tremendous depth overall up front. At linebacker, they return just one starter-senior Xavier Kelly (5-11, 215). The secondary returns senior CB Devin Ross and senior FS Cam Nelson, who recorded 67 tackles last year. Sophomore CB Trevin Wade picked off four passes last year in limited action and now get the job full-time.

Outlook: The Wildcats’ non-conference schedule features Central Michigan and Northern Arizona at home, before they take on Iowa on the road. They take on USC and Cal on the road, along with rival Arizona State. Mike Stoops appears to have a good thing going, but has to keep up the momentum.

6) UCLA
2008 Record: (4-8, 3-6)
Coach: Rick Neuheisel, 2nd year (4-8 at UCLA, 70-38 overall)
Off. Coordinator: Norm Chow (2nd year)
Def. Coordinator: Chuck Bullough (1st year)
Returning Starters: 14 (7 offense, 6 defense, kicker)
Ret. Starting Quarterback: No

Offense: Rick Neuheisel has his work cut out from him, as he must replace most of his offensive line and a quarterback off a 4-8 team. Redshirt freshman QB Kevin Prince (6-2, 226) gets the nod after beating out Kevin Craft, last year’s starter. Craft was very erratic last season, tossing for 20 interceptions. At running back, they turn to junior Christian Ramirez (6-2, 220), who was academically ineligible last season. They have their most talent at receiver and tight end. Sophomore Taylor Embree (531 yards receiving), senior Terrence Austin (53 catches) and TE Robert Moya (38 catches) are quality players, but they lack a downfield threat, which has been an issue for years. Watch out for true freshman TE Morrell Presley, who was the consensus No. 1 tight end recruit in the country. The offensive line returns LT Jeff Baca (6-4, 305)- the line’s lone returning starter – who might end up at guard. Colorado transfer Kai Maiava (6-1, 322) is settled in at center.

Defense: The defense returns six starters from a unit that allowed 29ppg (85th in the nation) and just 167.7 yards per game in the air (8th in the nation). First-year coordinator Chuck Bullough takes over for DeWayne Walker. The key is the defensive line, where they return senior DE Korey Bosworth (6-1, 244), who led the team with 7.5 sacks. Junior DT Brian Price (6-2, 295) should be a force. They’ll need help at the other tackle and end spot. At linebacker, this should be a strength as senior Kyle Bosworth (6-1, 236) returns from a knee injury to join senior Reggie Carter (83 tackles). Sophomore Rahim Moore returns at free safety, after picking off three passes as a true freshman. Finding another corner to complement senior Alterraun Verner is important.

Outlook: The non-conference schedule features San Diego State and Kansas State at home, and then they face a rematch against Tennessee on the road with their second game of the season. They also host Cal and Oregon and play USC on the road. This is a program that is still rebuilding, with some good players on both sides of the ball, but they need more impact players who can change the game.

7) Stanford
2008 Record: (5-7, 4-5)
Coach: Jim Harbaugh, 3rd year (9-15 overall)
Off. Coordinator: David Shaw (3rd year)
Def. Coordinator: Andy Buh (1st year) and Ron Lynn (2nd year)
Returning Starters: 16 (8 offense, 7 defense, punter)
Ret. Starting Quarterback: No

Offense: Jim Harbaugh enters his third season with some hope as he’s moved the program in the right direction. The big issue is at quarterback where freshman Andrew Luck (6-4, 225) takes over as the starter, after throwing for five TDs in the spring game. He takes over for Tavita Pritchard, who threw for 1,633 yards in 2008. The anchor of the offense is big senior RB Toby Gerhart (6-1, 237), who is also a baseball prospect. Gerhart is a bruiser with some speed, as he tallied 1,136 yards and 15 TDs last year. At receiver, junior Ryan Whalen (508 yards receiving) is reliable, while junior Doug Baldwin adds speed. Up front, Stanford has to replace three starters including all-league performers in center Alex Fletcher and tackle Ben Muth.

Defense: Stanford returns seven starters from a unit that allowed 27.4ppg and 379.6 yards per game. The pass defense has to improve after they allowed 226.7 yards per game and generated just seven pick. They do have a strong pass rush led by sophomore Tom Keiser (6-5, 253), who recorded six tackles in a part-time role last year. They are pretty solid up front led by senior Ekom Udofit (6-2, 322). At linebacker, they return just one starter-Clinton Snyder (6-4, 231), who moves to the middle from the outside. The secondary has some major issues, with questions at three of the four spots. Former receiver Delano Howell is projected as one of the starters at corner.

Outlook: The Cardinal open with a road conference game (Washington State), before taking on Wake Forest on the road. That’s a fairly tough start, but afterwards, they face San Jose State at home and end the season with Notre Dame at home. They also take on conference stalwarts California and Oregon at home, along with USC on the road. This is a team that is not close to a threat to win the Pac-10, but they have a bright young quarterback that could take them to a bowl game.

8 ) Arizona State
2008 Record: (5-7, 4-5)
Coach: Dennis Erickson, 3rd year (15-10 at Arizona State, 163-75-1 overall)
Off. Coordinator: Rich Olson (3rd year)
Def. Coordinator: Craig Bray (3rd year)
Returning Starters: 15 (7 offense, 6 defense, kicker, punter)
Ret. Starting Quarterback: No

Offense: The Sun Devils return seven starters on offense, but have to replace Rudy Carpenter, a four-year starter who started 43 consecutive games. Dennis Erickson would probably not want to rely too much on a young quarterback and rely heavily on a running game that ranked 113th nationally last season, averaging just 89 yards per game. Senior Dimitri Nance (5-10, 218) is a powerful runner, who ran for 410 yards last season, but sophomore Ryan Bass could add some flash and quickness. At quarterback, senior Danny Sullivan (6-5, 238) has sat for three year and has played sparingly behind Carpenter, so he’s eager to prove his worth. Samson Szakacsy and freshman Brock Osweiler could challenge Sullivan. At receiver, surehanded Chris McGaha returns along with speedy Kyle Williams and Kerry Taylor. The offensive line had some major issues, so returning three starters is not necessarily a good or bad thing. Senior Shawn Lauvao (6-3, 305) will lead a line that has been re-aligned with taller more physical players.

Defense: The defense brings back six starters from a unit that allowed 22.7ppg and 335.2 yards per game (44th in the nation). They return two of the four linemen, including senior DE Dexter Davis (6-2, 255), who is a pass rushing specialist, who recorded 11 sacks last year. Sophomore tackle Lawrence Guy (6-5, 293) made 44 tackles last season, including 10 for losses. At linebacker, the catalyst is a 25-year old former minor-league baseball player named Mike Nixon (6-3, 224). He’s a senior, who led the team in tackles last year with 90 and in interceptions with five. In the secondary, they return both corners including senior Terell Carr, who runs a 4.4 40. They need to replace both safeties though senior Ryan McFoy (6-1, 209) is considered a ball hawk at strong safety.

Outlook: The Sun Devils open up with two soft opponents in Idaho State and Louisiana-Monroe, and then face Georgia on the road. They also host USC and California, along with rival Arizona at the end of the year. That won’t mean much unless they can find a consistent quarterback to replace Carpenter.

9) Washington
2008 Record: (0-12, 0-9)
Coach: Steve Sarkisian, 1st year (0-0 overall)
Off. Coordinator: Doug Nussmeier (1st year)
Def. Coordinator: Nick Holt (1st year)
Returning Starters: 16 (7 offense, 9 defense)
Ret. Starting Quarterback: Yes (Jake Locker, Ronnie French)

Offense: The Huskies return two capable quarterbacks in junior Jake Locker (6-3, 222) and sophomore Ronnie Fouch (6-1, 203), who threw for 1,339 yards last season. Locker returns after missing the final eight games last year due to a broken thumb. Steve Sarkisian’s task as a first-year coach will be to get the best out of Locker, who has great potential. Last season, the Huskies’ offense produced just 13.3ppg, 263.2 yards per game and were near the worst in the nation. At running back, freshman Chris Polk could have a slight edge over sophomore Willie Griffin. He started the first two games last season before suffering a shoulder injury. At wide receiver, junior D’Andre Goodwin (5-11, 175) led the tam with 60 catches last season for 692 yards and is one of the team’s fastest players. The line has three returning starters, including junior C Ryan Tolar (6-5, 321), who can play guard or center.

Defense: The defense returns nine starters from a unit that allowed a whopping 38.6ppg (116th in the nation) and 451.8 yards per game (110th in the nation). The offense was dreadful and the defense wasn’t much better. Sarkisian’s best move was adding Nick Holt from USC, to become defensive coordinator. He was DC in name at USC, but Pete Carroll called the defensive plays. They do return nine starters including DE Daniel Te’o-Nesheim (6-4, 263), who led the team with eight sacks last year. They also return junior MLB Mason Foster (6-1, 229), who led the team in tackles with 105. All three return at linebacker, including senior E.J. Savannah (6-1, 230), who was the team’s leading tackler in 2007, but was not on the team last season. The secondary returns two of four starters led by junior SS Nate Williams (6-0, 207).

Outlook: The Huskies face LSU, Idaho and USC to starter their season at home. They also take on Notre Dame on the road and California at home to end the season. This will be a rebuilding season for Washington, but they could be a lot more competitive if Locker lives up to his potential and they start putting points on the board.

10) Washington State
2008 Record: (2-11, 1-8)
Coach: Paul Wulff, 2nd year (2-11 at Washington State, 55-51 overall)
Off. Coordinator: Todd Sturdy (2nd year)
Def. Coordinator: Chris Bell (2nd year) and Jody Sears (2nd year)
Returning Starters: 15 (8 offense, 5 defense, kicker, punter)
Ret. Starting Quarterback: Yes (Kevin Lopina)

Offense: The Cougars return Kevin Lopina (6-3, 228), a senior quarterback who came back from a broken neck but threw for no touchdowns and 11 interceptions in eight starts last year. Sophomore QB Marshall Lobbestael (6-3, 199) should also be in the mix if he’s recovered from knee surgery. He’ll need to be mobile considering the Cougars gave up 43 sacks last year. At running back, they are stacked with five experienced backs including senior Dwight Tardy (5-10, 210), who ran for 481 yards last year. He was coming off a knee injury in 2007, so he should be completely healthy this season. At receiver, speedy junior Joshua Anderson (6-2, 186) could be a huge factor, but working with the track team has slowed his progress. The offensive line returns three starters including C Kenny Alfred (6-2, 293), though the rest of the line is a major concern.

Defense: The defense returns five starters from a unit that allowed 43.9ppg (118th in the nation) and 443.4 yards per game (108th in the nation). Up front, they return just one starter, which is not necessarily a bad thing since they finished 119th (last) in the nation against the run, allowing 247.6 yards per game last season. Juco transfer Bernard Wolfgramm (6-3, 288) will be a huge key, but he’s coming off back surgery that kept him out of spring ball. At linebacker, they return senior Andy Mattingly (6-4, 241) from defensive end to linebacker, where he was much more comfortable. He recorded 91 tackles as a linebacker when he was a sophomore in 2007. Strong safety Xavier Hicks (6-0, 196) leads the secondary and is the leading returning tackler with 79 last year and also added two picks.

Outlook: The Cougars open with Stanford at home, then face Hawaii (in Seattle), followed by SMU at home. After that, the schedule is brutal as they have to face USC, Oregon and Cal on the road in three of their next four games. They also face Notre Dame in San Antonio of all places. This will be an extremely tough season for Paul Wulff in his second season at the helm. He has to get some consistency at the quarterback spot and find some impact players on defense.

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