The 2002 football season featured many surprises for the Pacific-10 Conference, but the surprise for the 2003 season is there is no clear-cut way to rank the conference beyond USC winning it. The only team that has lived up — or down — to its hype is USC, which was 3-0 and ranked No. 4 nationally after three weeks of play.
Oregon has had success with a quarterback-by-committee system, while the Pac-10’s four first-year coaches have at least one win and one loss each.
And there are still four teams that haven’t been mentioned.
Without further ado, here are some Pac-10 predictions for the 2003 season with results through Sept. 15.

1. USC (2002 record: 11-2, 2003: 3-0)
The Trojans are everyone’s pick to win the Pac-10, as well as a candidate for the Sugar Bowl.
The loss of Carson Palmer, the 2002 Heisman Trophy winner, has gone somewhat unnoticed as Matt Leinart has been flawless.
That offense, which averaged 35.8 points per game, has picked things up to average 39.7 points per game through the Trojans’ first three wins.
At the helm for USC is third-year coach Pete Carroll, who brought NFL experience into Los Angeles with positive results.

2. Arizona State (8-6, 2-0)
The Sun Devils have their conference test when they host the Trojans on Oct. 4, but if anyone in the Pac-10 is up to the challenge, it’s Arizona State.
With two non-conference wins and the Pac-10’s No. 2-rated quarterback, Andrew Walter, the Sun Devils can’t sneak up on teams this season.
Coach Dirk Koetter joins USC’s Carroll and Arizona’s John Mackovic as the conference’s big dogs behind Oregon’s Mike Bellotti.

3. Washington State (10-3, 2-1)
A priceless Cougar team has little change on the coaching front other than Bill Doba moving into the top spot.
Quarterback Matt Kegel, who has accounted 692 yards in three games, has stepped in to fill the hole left by Jason Gesser.
Luckily for Washington State, Doba has many returning players to work with and the 29-26 overtime loss to Notre Dame on Sept. 6 was a closer result than expected.

4. Oregon (7-6, 3-0)
The Ducks are looking more like waterfowl every season, this time with lightning yellow uniforms.
If Oregon is going to be successful in the Pac-10, the Ducks have to stay healthy — the loss of Haloti Ngata alone is one injury too many — and stay alert. An incomplete pass here, a missed block there and that yellow is going to be shades of 2002.
Leading Oregon is Bellotti. In his ninth season, Bellotti is the dean of Pac-10 coaches as every other coach in the division was hired after 2000.

5. Washington (7-6, 1-1)
The Huskies have the scandal of the offseason in former coach Rick Neuheisel, who was fired for participating in NCAA basketball tournament pools.
Although, Washington has Heisman long shot Cody Pickett and his favorite target, Reggie Williams, but has begun the season on shaky footing. The opening loss to Ohio State may have done more hurt than good.
Now led by Keith Gilbertson, Washington has a lot of work to do to not let a last-minute coaching change and slow start shake up its plans.

6. Oregon State (8-5, 2-1)
With Mike Riley back in Beaverland after a hiatus in the NFL, things such as football games may be on the upswing for Oregon State.
Even with 16 players still on the roster from Riley’s days, the majority are long gone as are the winning seasons with Dennis Erickson.
Oregon State’s successes will have to wait for a season or two until Riley can weed through Erickson’s recruits and put his program back together.
The Beavers’ bright spots will come from junior quarterback Derek Anderson, who has more passing yards through three games than any other Pac-10 arm, and running back Steven Jackson.

7. UCLA (8-5, 1-1)
The Bruins are quickly losing sight of what they hoped would be a successful season. Four player suspensions in two months, as well as a pattern of incomplete passes, have taken UCLA down a different road.
With first year coach Karl Dorrell, the Bruins will need a season to fix academic problems and familiarize themselves with their new coach.

8. California (7-5, 1-3)
Jeff Tedford did the unthinkable with California in 2002: He led the Golden Bears to their first winning season since 1993.
The former Oregon offensive coordinator may have to do the impossible this season, as only nine of Cal’s starters return. The loss of quarterback Kyle Boller and 1,000-yard rusher Joe Igber were the Bears’ biggest losses.
Only two starters return to defense and the punter returns to take over place-kicking also, leaving plenty of holes to be filled.

9. Stanford (2-9, 1-0)
The Cardinal is the only team that could challenge Arizona for last place in the conference.
Stanford’s Nov. 29 game against Notre Dame will likely end the season on a sour note for a team that returns 13 starters and plays 11 games. Only three of those 13 return to the offense, which will need help if the Cardinal wants to improve on 2002’s win total.
Coach Buddy Teevens is in his second year leading Stanford with 13 years of experience.

10. Arizona (4-8, 1-2)
The Wildcats appear destined for the Pac-10 cellar again this season, despite three new coordinators, a new defense and a new quarterback.
Arizona is another team that has lost its quarterback as well an All-Pac-10 wide receiver. It may be a positive though, as Nic Costa and Ryan O’Hara should battle this year and to be in position for a starting job and Pac-10 success in 2004.
For John Mackovic, his third season at the helm will be another rebuilding year.