Which teams will win, surprise and disappoint in the Pac-12?

Writers from around the Tribune Co. predict what will happen in the Pac-12 during the upcoming college football season. Feel free to join the conversation with a comment of your own.

Chris Dufresne, Los Angeles Times

WINS: USC. The Trojans likely have to beat Oregon twice but senior quarterback Matt Barkley gives USC a decided experience edge. The addition of transfer Silas Redd from Penn State provides the Trojans depth at a position that last season was remarkably thin.

SURPRISES: Washington State. Mike Leach inherited a talented cast of passers and catchers for his spread offense and his team will shock somebody, somewhere. Leach could make an immediate statement on opening Thursday if he can go into Provo and defeat his alma mater, Brigham Young.

DISAPPOINTS: California. Jeff Tedford arrived as a QB guru but lately the position’s been shakier than Barney Fife. Senior quarterback Zach Maynard improved the second half of last year but is not a player who strikes fear into opposing secondaries. Tedford is 79-48 in 10 years at Cal but front-loaded a lot of those wins early when he had Aaron Rodgers at quarterback. The Bears have only been ordinary the last few seasons.

Matt Murschel, Orlando Sentinel

Fresh off its two-year postseason bowl ban, USC is primed and ready to make a run at the Pac-12 championship. Quarterback Matt Barkley, a preseason Heisman Trophy favorite, is surrounded by so much talent the Trojans are tabbed by many to be the preseason No. 1 team in the country.

Many people felt that with Andrew Luck’s departure, so went Stanford’s chances of success. Not true. Sure, the Cardinal will start a virtually unproven quarterback, but the team still has a 1,000-yard rusher in Stepfan Taylor and a strong defense that could make Stanford one of the surprise teams in 2012.

Todd Graham said the Arizona State job was his dream, but it could end up being a nightmare. The Sun Devils lost talented quarterback Brock Osweiler to the NFL and will have several inexperienced players on both offense and defense making 2012 a long shot for a successful season.

David Teel, Newport News Daily Press

Any program progressive enough to include players’ Twitter handles on the depth chart is all right by me, so here’s a nod to Southern California winning the Pacific 12. That the Trojans return most key players from a 10-2 squad that finished No. 6 in the AP poll also helps, especially when central-casting quarterback Matt Barkley is among that group.

Oregon also is a top-five preseason squad, but with redshirt freshman Marcus Mariota at quarterback and four road tests, including at USC, in the final six games, here’s guessing the Ducks fall short of expectations.

Utah isn’t among the AP top 25, but with 18 starters back from an 8-5 team that closed strongly, the Utes could surprise in their second Pac-12 season.

ALSO:

Bruins know opener against Rice won’t be a dry run

The Times’ college football countdown: USC is No. 1

Billboard near UCLA featuring USC’s Matt Barkley is covered over