Pac-12 Football: The MVP for every Pac-12 team for 2015
By Gabe Encinas
November 14, 2015; Stanford, CA, USA; Stanford Cardinal running back Christian McCaffrey (5) scores a touchdown against the Oregon Ducks during the second quarter at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
In one of the most competitive years in Pac-12 football history, we select the most valuable players for each team for the 2015 season.
In 2015, we saw one of the most brutal, and competitive conferences hold itself out of the College Football Playoff. While there were disappointing seasons for some, there were also teams with high aspirations this season, brutally beaten down week in and out week in the Pac-12 conference schedule. Still, the Pac-12 was able to send off 10 teams to bowl season, proving the depth from top to bottom
Still, the Pac-12 was able to send off 10 teams to bowl season, proving the depth from top to bottom
The Arizona schools both had disappointing seasons, with the Arizona Wildcats plagued with injury, and the Arizona State Sun Devils failing to execute in what Todd Graham called his best team he’s ever had at ASU. Arizona was without Scooby Wright the entirety of their season, and ASU’s defense fell a bit short of expectations. Both fell to 6-6 on the season, and both had visions of winning the Pac-12 South for the second time.
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California Berkley had a surprising 5-0 start, and things were going great for the Golden Bears. But on the big stage in one of the toughest road games in all of college football, Jared Goff threw the game away, along with five interceptions. Hitting a rough patch, California bounced back, and Goff kept things going for a 7-5 season.
Colorado didn’t have a lot to cheer for, but they did have Nelson Spruce, who served as the main source of their offensive production.
The Oregon schools were on complete opposite sides of the spectrum. Although the Ducks struggled early, and everyone thought it was the fall of Oregon, they worked their way back into the Pac-12 North hunt, powered by their spread offense. Meanwhile, Oregon State failed to win a Pac-12 game, and didn’t have much more to cheer for than Colorado.
Stanford was left out of the College Football Playoffs, and the offense was fueled by Christian McCaffrey. Many could make the argument that he should have won the Heisman, but he still has another two years at hand to make that happen.
Then you head down to the southern California Schools, who battled it out for a trip to the Pac-12 Championship Game. While UCLA had some glaring weaknesses on both sides of the ball, with the inconsistencies of their true freshman quarterback, and the defense hampered with injuries, they had Paul Perkins carry the load. Meanwhile, USC had many talented playmakers, but none seemed to make the splash that JuJu Smith-Schuster made.
Utah’s season started out similarly to California’s, and once the Utes hit the brunt of their schedule, things started to fall apart. After losing the heart and soul of the offense, Devontae Booker, things weren’t looking good.
We saw Washington State emerge as a threat, led by their passing attack with Luke Falk. And the Washington Huskies hosted a stout defense, led by a few all-conference selections, with a few coming from the secondary.