Pac-12 Football Power Rankings: Week 1 edition

In a move only those in Utah saw coming, head coach Kyle Whittingham named sophomore quarterback Tyler Huntley starter instead of senior Troy Williams. Utah is the toughest team in the Pac-12. It always feels like Utah is so close to winning the Pac-12, then the bottom falls out in the last weeks of the season. This will be a feast or famine move for the Utes.

The Cougars have Luke Falk under center, and he is pro ready. Falk is capable of throwing the ball efficiently 50-plus times per game. When teams have quarterbacks of his caliber, they always have a chance to win. Washington State is at No. 3 because Utah and Stanford have questions at the quarterback position.

Some may argue that Washington should be No. 1 because quarterback Jake Browning is returning and they are fresh off a trip to the College Football Playoff. Did you see they game 26-13 game against USC last year? Browning struggles versus quality defenses last year. The blame was placed on his injured throwing arm. Since he is now healthy, the Huskies should have no excuses.

The Trojans are the clear No. 1 team in the Pac-12 coming into the 2017 season. Last season, Sam Darnold proved he is legit and that USC can beat anyone. Only their tough schedule could trip them up. The Trojans play 12 straight games with no bye week. Moreover, 11 of those games are against Power 5 teams. You won’t find many other schedules that can compete with USC in terms of difficulty.

Next: College Football: Top 50 breakout candidates for 2017

Check back next Wednesday to get Wrighster’s Pac-12 power rankings. If you disagree, you are wrong.