Golden Nuggets: Sports Illustrated Picks Cal to Go 6-6, Finish Third in Pac-12 North

Stewart Mandel of Sports Illustrated ran an in-depth preview of the Pac-12 and predicted where each team will finish in the conference standings. The conference features 8 bowl-eligible teams, but it looks like a brutal finish for Cal and UW.

How They'll Finish

NORTH Conference Overall Oregon 8-1 11-1 Stanford 6-3 9-3 Cal 4-5 6-6 Washington 4-5 6-6 Washington State 4-5 6-6 Oregon State 3-6 4-8 SOUTH Conference Overall USC 8-1 11-1 Utah 6-3 9-3 UCLA 5-4 7-5 Arizona 3-6 4-8 Arizona State 2-7 4-8 Colorado 1-8 3-9 Championship Game: Oregon beats USC

I don't buy the Stanford hype. They lost Andrew Luck, two starters on the O-line, their top two receivers, and their best tight end. I can see their season looking much like Cal's 2008 season: a great defense, a solid running game, and a maddeningly inconsistent passing game. I'd be surprised if the Lobsterbacks finish ahead of Cal and UW, let alone two games better in the conference standings.

Sandy Barbour and Vice Chancellor John Wilton address the Cal community regarding Cal Athletics' latest financial opportunities and challenges.

Football

• It's not Cal-related, but Ted Miller's Best Case/Worst Case for WSU is his finest work yet. I can't wait until he gets to the Bears.
• MSG earns a spot on Sports Illustrated's All-Pac-12team.
• The depth chart has been released. Notable updates include Isi Sofele and C.J. Anderson co-listed as the starting running back, Vince D'Amato as the only placekicker, Dasarte Yarnway as the second-string fullback, and Bryce Treggs as the starting WR opposite Keenan Allen. The starting OLBs are Chris McCain and Brennan Scarlett while the ILBs are Robert Mullins and J.P. Hurrell.
• Tedford provides his thoughts on the depth chart. Freshman WR Kenny Lawler will redshirt and Cedric Dozier requested to move to CB. It sounds like freshmen linebackers Michael Barton and Hardy Nickerson will redshirt.
• Faraudo has more on the depth chart. Austin Hinder won the third-string QB position, although Zach Kline will travel with the team.
• Keenan Allen comes in at #8 in Uncle Ted's rankings of the top-25 players in the Pac-12.
• Fox accidentally revealed its college football programming schedule for this fall. They admitted the mistake but did not dispute its accuracy.