2010 Pac-10 Preseason Power Rankings 1
LaMichael James and Oregon will look to retain their place at the top of the Pac-10.
With perennial conference champion USC serving a two-year bowl ban and defending conference champ Oregon looking to overcome the loss of their starting quarterback, the Pac-10 conference is up for grabs as others look to capitalize on potential weaknesses at the top of the league.
1. Oregon – With nine starters returning on offense and eight on defense, the defending league champion Ducks look poised for another big season. The dismissal of starting quarterback Jeremiah Masoli probably will keep Oregon from competing for a national championship, but the Ducks are still the favorite to claim a second straight conference title. The team still includes two quarterbacks with big-time experience in Darron Thomas and Nate Costa, but they are both a slight step down from Masoli. Sophomore LaMichael James rushed for 1,546 yards last season and is one of the best running backs in the conference. Defensively, the Ducks allowed 24 points per game in 2009 and appear to have enough solid performers returning to improve those numbers this season. Read the rest of this entry →
