National consensus is 7-5, so looks like the hometown fans are about a game more optimistic, with predictions here starting at 8-4. Pay attention to those fearless predictions too – some of us used our connections to help give insight into what to expect come fall, while some of us really went out on a limb.
| Predictor | Andy Drukarev, recruiting reporter | Daniel Novinson, editor | Matt Squeri, recruiting guru |
| Final record, Pac-10 finish | 8-4 (6-3), 3nd | 8-4 (5-4), 4th | 8-4 (6-3), 3rd |
Game-by-game | Sac St.: W
at UCLA: W
Wake: W
at ND: L
at ORE: L
USC: L
WSU: W
at WASH: W
ZONA: W
at ASU: W
at CAL: L
OSU: W
| Sac St.: W
at UCLA: W
Wake: W
at ND: W
at ORE: L
USC: L
WSU: W
at WASH: L
ZONA: W
at ASU: W
at CAL: W
OSU: L
| Sac St.: W
at UCLA: W
Wake: W
at ND: L
at ORE: L
USC: W
WSU: W
at WASH: L
ZONA: W
at ASU: W
at CAL: W
OSU: L
|
| Pac-10 order of finish |
1. Oregon
2. USC
3. Stanford
4. Oregon State
5. Cal
6. Washington
7. UCLA
8. Arizona
9. Arizona State
10. WSU |
1. Oregon State
2. USC
3. Oregon
4. Stanford
5. Washington
6. Cal
7. UCLA
8. Arizona
9. Arizona State
10. WSU |
1. Oregon State
2. Oregon
3. Stanford
4. USC
5. Washington
6. Cal
7. UCLA
8. Arizona
9. Arizona State
10. WSU |
| Offensive MVP | Andrew Luck | David DeCastro | Luck |
| Defensive MVP |
Shayne Skov | Skov | Skov |
| Newcomer of the Year | Anthony Wilkerson | Devon Carrington | Levine Toilolo, Keanu Nelson |
| Predictor | Scott Cooley, feature writer | Jim Rutter,
co-founder | W. Makowsky, beat reporter | Lars Ahlstrom, co-founder |
| Final record, Pac-10 finish | 9-3 (6-3), 1st | 9-3 (6-3), 2nd | 9-3 (6-3), 4th | 9-3 (7-2), 2nd |
| Game-by-game | Sac St.: W
at UCLA: W
Wake: W
at ND: W
at ORE: L
USC: W
WSU: W
at WASH: L
ZONA: W
at ASU: W
at CAL: W
OSU: L
| Sac St.: W
at UCLA: W
Wake: W
at ND: W
at ORE: L
USC: W
WSU: W
at WASH: L
ZONA: W
at ASU: W
at CAL: W
OSU: L |
Sac St.: W
at UCLA: W
Wake: W
at ND: W
at ORE: L
USC: L
WSU: W
at WASH: W
ZONA: W
at ASU: W
at CAL: W
OSU: L
|
Sac St.: W
at UCLA: L
Wake: W
at ND: L
at ORE: L
USC: W
WSU: W
at WASH: W
ZONA: W
at ASU: W
at CAL: W
OSU: W
|
| Pac-10 order of finish | 1. Stanford
2. Arizona
3. OSU
4. Washington
5. Oregon
6. USC
7. UCLA
8. Cal
9. ASU
10. WSU |
1. Oregon
2. Stanford
3. OSU
4. USC
5. Cal
6. ASU
7. Washington
8. Arizona
9. UCLA
10. WSU |
1. Oregon
2. USC
3. Arizona
4. Stanford
5. OSU
6. Cal
7. Washington
8. UCLA
9. ASU
10. WSU |
1. Oregon
2. Stanford
3. UCLA
4. USC
5. Washington
6. OSU
7. Arizona
8. Cal
9. ASU
10. WSU |
| Offensive MVP | Luck | Luck | Luck | Luck |
| Defensive MVP | Delano Howell | Skov, Thomas Keiser | Skov | Skov |
| Newcomer of the Year | Usua Amanam | Amanam, Blake Lueders, Stepfan Taylor | Carringon, Amanam | Lueders |
Finally, we close with some fearless prediction(s). We have been uncannily good here: most notably, in this spot in 2007, we said Stanford would “come out of nowhere to win one they really should not… in dramatic, fourth-and-game, 25-yard touchdown Sportscenter-highlight fashion. Memories of that game linger for months and give the fans reason to keep on believing after an otherwise unremarkable season.” This was off a 2-9 season, but three months later came Stanford 24, USC 23.So a lot of these will be strikeouts, but there will be a home run or two in the bunch. Remember, you heard it here at TheBootleg.com first.
Andy: Skov will be First Team All Pac-10. Owen Marecic won't see more than 50 snaps on D the entire season. Anthony Wilkerson will lead the team in rushing.
Daniel: 1. Offensive linemen seemingly always get injured. How good our backups are will go a long way in determining whether Stanford wins six or ten. Similarly, the swing factor on D is Richard Sherman. Athletically, he should be the best cornerback on the field. Performance-wise, he has been anything but. Whether Stanford’s secondary, and thus, entire defense, gets better is on his shoulders as much as anyone’s.
2. A lot of attention will be paid, rightfully, to the Notre Dame/Oregon/USC gauntlet, but by virtue of its late date, Stanford-Oregon State might end up being the Pac-10’s Game of the Year. It’s unfortunate for Stanford that Oregon State seems to improve annually by the week, but from a drama perspective, by scheduling the game for the last week, I think there are better odds than not that the game has Rose Bowl implications, much like last year’s Civil War did (and also proved to be the league’s Game of the Year).
Matt: The Civil War will determine the Pac-10 champion and Oregon State, after getting stronger through the adversity of their non-conference schedule, will prevail at home.
Shayne Skov will rank at least as high as Andrew Luck on the post-season all-conference team.
Boise State will play in the national championship game and, in retrospect, the September 25 Boise State-Oregon State game will be seen as the game of the year in college football.
Scott: Stanford will lead nation in scoring/total offense. Luck will lead nation in passing efficiency.
Jim: We smoke Wake by 14-plus! Plus a bowl win, so 10-3 baby!
Wyndam: Luck undresses Locker in Seattle and ends the "best QB in the country" debate.
Lars: Taylor and Gaffney score a combined 18 TDs. We beat Texas in the Holiday Bowl. Cal finishes below .500 in conference play.
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