The Pac-12 earned plenty of respect during the 2013 season, ending with six teams ranked in the top 25, but the conference cannibalized itself and finished with only one BCS bid.
The same could happen again this season, especially with an unprecedented collection of elite draft prospects either returning to school, including Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota and UCLA quarterback Brett Hundley, or not yet eligible to move on to the next level.
With the backdrop of whether any team can survive such a gauntlet and still earn one of the four seeds in the inaugural college football playoff, the Pac-12 released its 2014 schedule Wednesday. Here is an early look at the top 10 conference games, with an eye toward the 2015 NFL Draft:
10. Washington at Oregon
When: Oct. 18
The skinny: New head coach Chris Petersen gets his first crack at breaking the Ducks' 10-game winning streak in the rivalry and will need defensive tackle Danny Shelton to come up with a huge showing to disrupt that three-headed Oregon running attack. Shelton (6-foot-1, 327 pounds) must overpower center Hroniss Grasu (6-3, 297) in a battle of two of the more underappreciated interior linemen nationally, but that should change by August.
9. Arizona State at Arizona
When: Nov. 28
The skinny: Junior-college transfer Jaelen Strong was overshadowed in the conference by Brandin Cooks' record-setting season and Marqise Lee's struggles, but Strong (6-4, 205) turned in 1,122 yards and seven touchdowns. Paired again with quarterback Taylor Kelly, Strong should continue to post strong numbers, including this shootout between high-powered spread offenses.
8. Oregon State at USC
When: Sept. 27
The skinny: Beavers quarterback Sean Mannion's downward spiral to close the regular season started with a three-interception meltdown against the Trojans. USC again has plenty of talent in the secondary, led by Josh Shaw and Su'a Cravens. If Mannion can deliver on the road while adjusting to life without Cooks, it could show scouts he has a real future at the next level.
7. Washington at Washington State
When: Nov. 29
The skinny: The Cougars have plenty of talent at wide receiver, including Gabe Marks and Dom Williams, as one might expect in Mike Leach's Air Raid spread passing offense. That means the coverage skills of hybrid linebacker/safety Shaq Thompson (6-2, 225) will be challenged in the Apple Cup.
6. Stanford at Washington
When: Sept. 27
The skinny: Cardinal quarterback Kevin Hogan could end up right there with Hundley and Mariota as far as pro prospects, with measurables (6-4, 228) and skills comparable to his more well-known counterparts. However, Hogan needs to refine his accuracy as an intermediate passer. Finding a tight end capable of running those routes would help his cause.
5. Stanford at UCLA
When: Nov. 28
The skinny: Stanford creates pressure, and Hundley has struggled against said pressure in his career, meaning his home finale will be a measuring stick of how much improvement he has really made. Only the potential for another set of back-to-back games between the two teams to close out the regular season and the following Friday in the Pac-12 championship game, as happened in 2012, dulls the appeal.
4. USC at UCLA
When: Nov. 22
The skinny: Steve Sarkisian's first taste of the crosstown showdown as USC head coach should see him rely heavily on running back Javorius Allen, whose breakout performance after Lane Kiffin's midseason firing helped carry the team to 10 wins. With Allen in the feature back role Bishop Sankey held for Sarkisian at Washington, that means plenty of collisions with Bruins linebacker Myles Jack are ahead.
3. Stanford at Oregon
When: Nov. 1
The skinny: The Cardinal defense has derailed the Ducks' national championship hopes in each of the last two seasons, but it has to show it can slow down Mariota without departed linebackers Trent Murphy and Shayne Skov.
2. USC at Stanford
When: Sept. 6
The skinny: Scouts will be salivating to see Trojans junior defensive end Leonard Williams face off with the Stanford offensive line once more. Williams (6-5, 290) was everywhere, asserting himself as one of the most disruptive defenders in college football with 74 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and six sacks. Keep an eye on his snaps against Cardinal junior left tackle Andrus Peat (6-7, 312), who is there with Williams as a potential top-10 pick in the 2015 draft, for a matchup that could continue into Sundays for years to come.
1. Oregon at UCLA
When: Oct. 11
The skinny: The top two quarterback prospects not named Jameis Winston share the field for the first of two possible meetings. Little went right for the standouts when they faced off at Autzen Stadium last season, as Mariota's season would be derailed by the knee injury he suffered in the second half, while Hundley (13 of 19 for 64 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions, three sacks) delivered the worst performance of his career. How each fares this time should give a great indication of where Mariota and Hundley fit into the '15 quarterback crop.
Follow Dan Greenspan on Twitter @DanGreenspan.
