Editor's note: This article was adapted from Phil Steele's college football preview magazine, which is available here.
Oregon and Washington have their sights set on a Pac-12 North division title, and Utah appears to be the class of the South. But the Utes might have a chance for much bigger things. We project how the conference will play out.
Pac-12 North
1. Oregon Ducks
The Ducks are 11-16 in Pac-12 play the past three seasons and only 4-12 in Pac-12 road games in that span. They have to face Auburn, Stanford, Washington and USC away from home this season. This is one time when my forecast is not influenced by the schedule, as Oregon is the most talented team in the North, with the nation's top offensive line (153 career starts return). Quarterback Justin Herbert (3,151 yards, 19-8 TD-interception ratio in 2018) turned down the NFL draft and is one of 10 returning starters on offense.