Arizona picked 8th in Pac-10

From Staff Reports Arizona Daily Wildcat
Tucson, AZ (U-WIRE) -- While The Associated Press has picked the Arizona football team to finish eighth in the Pacific-10 Conference this season, the Wildcats can depend on looking like a whole new team on the field.
As head coach Mike Stoops continues to apply his brand to the program, the players will sport new uniforms designed -- literally -- to make opponents see red.
The team will have five color combinations to choose from, including a solid blue uniform and a choice of a red shirt over white pants, according to a news release on www.arizonaathletics.com. The uniforms debuted during the team's media day on Aug. 6 as senior safety Darrell Brooks and senior running back Mike Bell were among Wildcats who modeled for photographers, the release stated.
Here are the AP's picks for the Pac-10 Conference, with teams listed in order of predicted finish:
USC
Toughest replacements could be on the coaching staff, where offensive coordinator Norm Chow, QB coach Carl Smith, OL coach Tim Davis and DL coach Ed Orgeron all left. ... Defensive line could be a question mark after losing Shaun Cody and Mike Patterson to the NFL. ... WR Whitney Lewis and Winston Justice return after sitting out last season.
CALIFORNIA
Cal opens with I-AA Sacramento State, followed by four teams who combined for 12 wins last season, making an easy transition for new QB, likely JC transfer Joseph Ayoob. ... Marshawn Lynch (628 yards rushing, 8.8 yards per carry as a freshman) takes Arrington's place. ... Offensive line is one of conference's best, led by C Marvin Philip and T Ryan O'Callaghan.
UCLA
Four of Bruins' six losses last season were by six or fewer points, including 29-24 to USC. ... QB job will probably either go to senior Drew Olson or BYU transfer Ben Olson -- no relation. Whoever wins the job will rely heavily on TE Marcedes Lewis and RB Maurice Drew. ... Coach Karl Dorrell is 12-13 in two seasons but has played in two bowl games.
ASU
Pressure will be on QB Sam Keller to prove he can replace Walter, the conference's all-time leader in TD passes. Keller threw for 370 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Purdue in the Sun Bowl. ... WR Derek Hagan had 83 catches for 1,248 yards last season. ... Plays at LSU and host USC. ... Sun Devils had a trying offseason. RB Loren Wade was arrested on first-degree murder charges in the March shooting of former ASU player Brandon Falkner.
OREGON
Former BYU coach Gary Crowton was brought in as offensive coordinator to upgrade the passing game and help the team recover from fall from No. 2 in the country in 2001 to 5-6 last season. ... There is talent at the skill positions with QB Kellen Clemens and RB Terrence Whitehead, but Oregon must rebuild offensive line that lost four starters. ... USC, Cal and Oregon State all visit Eugene.
WASHINGTON STATE
After three straight 10-win seasons, Cougars finished 5-6 last year and missed a bowl. ... LB Will Derting should be healthy and might be the conference's top defensive player. ... Josh Swogger and Alex Brink are battling for the starting QB job and the winner will throw often to WR Jason Hill, who had a school-record 12 TD catches last season.
OREGON STATE
UCLA transfer Matt Moore is the leading candidate to replace Anderson, the most prolific QB in school history. ... WR Mike Hass is back after catching 86 passes for 1,379 yards last season. ... Beavers won six of seven to end last season, but play No. 18 Boise State and at No. 12 Louisville in September.
ARIZONA
Wildcats won two of final three games in Stoops' first season but still finished second-to-last in the nation in scoring. ... Team will sport new uniforms this season but question remains if it will be the same old Arizona on the field. Wildcats haven't had winning record since 1998. ... Back-to-back trips to Cal and USC provide a tough opening to the conference season.
STANFORD
Harris goes from coaching in a BCS game with Pittsburgh last season to rebuilding at Stanford. ... Cardinal should be undefeated entering October. Then again, they only play Navy and UC-Davis in the opening month. ... WR Evan Moore, who is 6-foot-7, gave up basketball last season when Harris was hired.
WASHINGTON
Tyrone Willingham will try to restore Huskies from the one-win team last year to the team that won at least a share of the conference title five times from 1990-2000. ... First job is picking a QB between speedy Isaiah Stanback, Oregon transfer Johnny DuRocher, Casey Paus and Carl Bonnell. ... Willingham's former team, Notre Dame, visits Seattle on Sept. 24.