Pac-12 football preview: Huskies are team to beat and Jake Browning is MVP, but resurgent Trojans will generate the headlines

MVP • Jake Browning, Washington

Despite the preseason hype for USC’s Sam Darnold, Browning enters this season as the defending Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year coming off a season in which he tied the Pac-12 record with 43 touchdown passes. He completed 62 percent of his passes for 3,430 yards and led the conference in passing efficiency (ranked seventh nationally) last season. He’ll have an all-conference left tackle protecting his blind side as well as an all-conference senior center in the middle of the offensive line.

Team success only will bolster his profile as Washington returns 15 starters from a team that won the Pac-12 title and went on to the College Football Playoff. Washington’s defense was the best in the conference last season, and it excelled at creating turnovers (33 in 14 games) and giving the ball back to Browning and his cohorts. Washington could be a national title contender, and Browning could be leading one of the most explosive offenses in the nation for a team that goes undefeated into the late stages of the season.

Household name • Sam Darnold, QB, USC

After winning his final nine games last season, Darnold is well on his way to becoming a media darling with ESPN and Sports Illustrated already worshiping at the altar of the California native. USC seems to be able to defy the so-called East Coast bias when it comes to star quarterbacks (Carson Palmer, Mark Sanchez, Matt Leinert). He’s also got a lot of talent to go with the machine behind him. He threw for for 3,086 yards and 31 touchdowns and completed 67.2 percent of his passes. He ranked ninth in the nation in both completion percentage and pass efficiency.

Most overrated player in the league • Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA

When healthy, he’s put up some gaudy yardage numbers, but part of that comes as a result of a nonexistent rushing attack (ranked 127th in FBS). Availability also is an important ability. Rosen played just six games last season. He’s also been more interception-prone (based on percentage) than either USC’s Sam Darnold or Washington’s Jake Browning. For all his projectable attributes, he’s gone 11-8 as a starter.

Most underrated player in the league • Luke Falk, QB, Washington State

The Logan High grad came to Washington State as a walk-on and has thrown for nearly 11,000 yards and 89 touchdowns while completing 69 percent of his passes in 31 games. His name might not get mentioned as often as Sam Darnold, Josh Rosen or Jake Browning, but Falk has thrown 38 touchdown passes in back-to-back seasons. He’s got both the Pac-12 career passing yards (13,600) and passing touchdowns (116) marks within reach.

Pac-12 Coach of the year • Clay Helton, USC

Helton appears poised to challenge Washington for the conference championship in his third full season. With a Heisman Trophy candidate QB in Sam Darnold along with a returning all-conference running back (Ronald Jones II) to go with seven returning starters on defense, Helton has a tremendous foundation to build on. USC gets Stanford, Utah and UCLA at home and won’t run into Washington unless it’s the conference title game.

Pac-12 coach on the hot seat • Jim Mora, UCLA

The past two seasons have warranted the underachieving label for Mora. UCLA has gone 12-13 overall and 7-11 in Pac-12 play over the past two seasons despite a talented roster. Highly regarded quarterback Josh Rosen has made more headlines for controversial statements than his play, and Rosen had to deal with a revolving door at offensive coordinator. Another lackluster season could have UCLA looking to move in a different direction.

Team to beat • Washington

The Huskies were ranked seventh in the nation in the preseason Amway Coaches Poll, won the Pac-12 title game last season by 31 points and are coming off an appearance in the College Football Playoff. Defending Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year Jake Browning returns to direct what was the highest-scoring offense in the conference last season. The defense brings back four of its top five tacklers and led the conference in pass defense, total defense and scoring defense a season ago.

Don’t sleep on • Colorado

The defending South Division champion will enter the season with a chip on its shoulder, having been picked to finish fourth in the South in the preseason poll one season after going 8-1 in Pac-12 play before losing to Washington in the league title game. The Buffaloes bring back a dynamic running back in Phillip Lindsay and four starters on the offensive line. Coach Mike MacIntyre enters his fifth season, and though tainted by scandal in the offseason, he has the chance to fill the roster with players recruited by his staff.

Team you don’t want to play • Stanford

The Cardinal have failed to win 10 games or more just once in six seasons under coach David Shaw. Stanford brings back 16 starters, including four offensive linemen and five players on its defensive front. Big-play triple-threat Christian McCaffrey has moved on to the NFL, but Bryce Love appears poised to step into a prominent role. He averaged 7.1 yards per carry and rushed for 783 yards last season. Eight starters return from what was the second-stingiest scoring defense in the conference last season.

Team with no chance • California

Justin Wilcox, a first-time head coach, takes over a team coming off a 5-7 campaign. Cal will have to break in a new quarterback as well as replace the top rusher and receiver from last season. Three starters on the offensive line also must be replaced. Wilcox made his name as a defensive coordinator, but Cal’s defense allowed an average of 42.6 points per game as well as 272.8 yards rushing per game last season. The schedule won’t do Cal any favors with trips to USC, Stanford and UCLA along with the elevation of Colorado.