College football conference media days preview

Pac-12 media days

When: July 26-27

Where: Hollywood, California

TV Coverage: Pac-12 Network

LA story

For years the heartbeat of the Pac-12 has involved USC and UCLA. The 2017 season will be no different as one team looks to take the next set forward while the other looks to finally fulfill a promise that seems to be fading away as the seasons change. Both USC and UCLA have gunslingers that will light up the scoreboard and stat sheets in 2017. It’s quite possible that the showdown with Sam Darnold from USC and UCLA’s Josh Rosen will have Heisman and conference title game appearances on the line.

Valley of the hot seat

Both Arizona and Arizona State had 10-win seasons in 2014, including an appearance for the Arizona Wildcats in the Fiesta Bowl, after that things seem to go downhill. In 2016, both programs hit free fall as the Sun Devils and Wildcats combined for 3-15 conference record. Both Rich Rodriguez and Todd Graham have seen their programs slip while seeing the emergence of both Utah and Colorado. It’s quite possible that we may not see either coach at the 2018 Pac-12 Media Days if they don’t turn it around in 2017.

Next: 10 QBs with the best chance to win the Heisman in 2017

Northern exposure

A year ago, the Washington Huskies burst back onto the college football scene by laying waste to everybody in their path in the Pac-12 North. One of those teams they left in their path of purple and gold destruction was Stanford. The Cardinal struggled during 2016 but did have a good end to the season by beating North Carolina in the Sun Bowl. Two other teams that look to wreck the chances of the Huskies and Cardinal are Oregon who begins a new era with Willie Taggert and Washington State that came close to fighting it out for the Pac-12 North title.