USC topped the Pac-10 media day poll yet again, grabbing a near unanimous 38 out of 39 votes for top dog. The only wayward #1 vote went to…Cal? That must have been a mistake meant for Southern Cal. Or that voter had sand in his eyes when filling out the ballot sheet. Or brain damage. Likely brain damage. Either way USC is the media favorite to win its share of the conference title for an unprecedented seventh year in a row.

The Pac-10 Media poll goes as follows:

1. USC (38)
2. Arizona State
3. Oregon
4. California (1)
5. UCLA
6. Oregon State
7. Arizona
8. Washington
9. Stanford
10. Washington State

Follow the jump for Trojan DePo’s predictions, including projected conference records.

Trojan DePo 2008 Pac-10 preseason poll:

1) USC, 8-1
2) ASU, 7-2
3) OSU, 5-4
4) Oregon, 5-4
5) CAL, 5-4
6) Washington 4-5
7) UCLA, 4-5
8) Arizona, 3-6
9) Stanford, 3-6
10) Washington State, 1-8

Just like a growing number of American children, I expect the Pac-10 to be bulging in the midsection this season. With a number of key losses and some rising stars, you may find a whole host of mediocre Pac-10 teams in 2008.

1) Despite my reservations about the upcoming season, USC brings back the top talent in the Pac-10 in just about every position on the field. Couple the raw talent with a tough but manageable schedule (all the toughest conference games are at home: Oregon, ASU, Washington and Cal) and the Trojans have a clear path to Pac-10 championship. And no, USC’s one loss won’t be to Stanford…

2) The Arizona State Sun Devils bring back the most consistent starters as any team in the Pac. Now the embarrasing Holiday Bowl loss to Texas aside, ASU finished last season with a 7-2 conference record (same as SC) and a 10 win season under first year coach Dennis Erickson. Senior quarterback Rudy Carpenter is the most proven quarterback in the conference. Last season Carpenter threw for 3,202 yards and 25 touchdowns, and that’s with 55 sacks allowed! He’s a tough mother. Senior running back Keegan Herring will get the majority of carries, busting for over 800 yards last season including three 100+ games (although he managed a mere 5 yards against USC). And Junior defensive end Dexter Davis, on the Nagurski watch list, will prove a force to be reckoned with.

3) How do you take nothing and make turn it into something? I’m not sure but Oregon State has been doing it. For the last several years Oregon State has trended towards the bottom of the Pac-10 recruiting classes, yet finished in the AP-25 the last two seasons. Solid players. Solid coaching. The turn around? Snapping USC’s 38 game win streak in 2006. Bastards. But the Beavers have defied logic and excelled in the conference. Yes, they’ve lost their very, very good front-seven on defense. And yes, they lost the most underrated 1200+ yard rusher, Yvenson Bernard, to the NFL. But that’s why I’m placing them at the top of the pudgy midsection of the Pac-10. Out of all the teams with key losses (aside from SC), the Beavers have proven the most likely to bounce back. Look out for WR Sammy Stroughter to bounce back after an injury plagued 2007.

4) Can Oregon lose both QB Dennis Dixon (2136 passing, 583 rushing) and RB Jonathan Stewart (1722 rushing, 145 receiving) and still come out on top of the Pac-10? Not likely. Don’t expect the prolific offensive stats of last season. With 800+ yards last season, senior Jaison Williams will be the go-to receiver. But for a change in pace, the Duck defense will most likely become their strongest asset. Oregon returns seven starters including DB Patrick Chung, who led the team with 117 tackles last season.

5) Collapse. That’s the one word that best describes Cal’s 2007 season. After beating a very good Tennessee team and a #12 Oregon team to kick the season off 5-0, the then #2 Cal underwent a complete meltdown losing 6 of its next 7 regular season games. After a dismal 2007, I expect QB Nate Longshore to prove himself with a competent season. Only problem: now there’s no more RB Justin Forsett, WR DeSean Jackson or Lavelle Hawkins to help him out. It’s now the young guys’ turn to break out and Cal has a good history of landing star recruits. Not to mention Cal’s strong trio of line-backers in Williams, Follett and Felder, who will test the strength of any young offense.

6) I like underdogs and I like Jake Locker. As a freshman Locker passed for over 2000 yards and rushed for close to another 1000. True, Locker threw more interceptions than touchdowns. But the freshman had guts and toughness, and lost five of last season’s games by a touchdown or less. Now the Huskies lost their top running back, and their top 6 receivers to graduation…so basically…there’s nobody left on offense. Aside from Locker himself, only back Brandon Johnson had 100+ yards under his belt. But once again, freshmen are on their side. The incoming 2008 class is Top-15 as rated by Scout (#14). The class includes three 4-star receivers including Chris Polk who switched his commitment from USC, and a five star tight-end in Kavario Middleton. While I expect this year to be another shaky one at Washington, a dominant offense should form over the next couple seasons.

7) With Neuheisel and Chowder-head, UCLA would have automatically jumped up on my list, as they did on everyone else’s. UCLA lost its best receivers and one of its lead tailbacks to graduation, but retained their top back in Kahlil Bell. Now get ready for the guys that have been waiting patiently for their time, like WRs Dominique Johnson, Marcus Everett and TE Logan Paulsen. Only…there’s nobody to throw them the frickin’ ball. Ever since UCLA’s two starting quarterbacks, Patrick Cowan and Ben Olson, went down in back to back non-contact drills things haven’t been looking so dandy. Cowan’s out for his career and Olson is still in therapy and only running partial drills.

The bottom three are the bottom three because they have been so in the past and are trending towards a continuation in the future. Questions, comments, hate-mail? Post your own Pac-10 predictions in the comments section below.

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