WhatIfSports 2016 Pac-12 preview: Projected standings and game-by-game predictions

Which team will be crowned Pac-12 champions? WhatIfSports.com played every game of the 2016 season 101 times to generate game-by-game predictions for each Pac-12 team, as well as projected conference standings.

All games were played using WhatIfSports' college football simulation engine, which uses its highly sophisticated algorithms to simulate every play of the game. The conference standings table displays the most likely outcome for each team, whereas the team-by-team schedules display absolute records.

Three Storylines

Oregon Comes Down to Earth

After seven straight seasons of double-digit win totals, Oregon slipped to 9-4 last year, ending the season with an overtime loss to TCU in the Alamo Bowl. Is the setback an aberration or is the Oregon program heading in the wrong direction? The Ducks begin the year ranked 24th in the AP poll, their lowest preseason ranking since 2007 and their first outside the Top 10 since 2010.

Can Christian McCaffrey Do It Again?

McCaffrey's 2015 season was one of the best in the history of college football. He broke Barry Sanders' 27-year-old record for all-purpose yards, compiling 3,496 yards. Sanders totaled 3,249 yards during his 1988 Heisman season. McCaffrey was denied the Heisman Trophy last year, finishing second in voting to Alabama's Derrick Henry.

College Football Is Back in the State of Washington

The Washington Huskies haven't won 10 games since an 11-1 season in 2000, but voters have the Huskies ranked 14th in the AP preseason poll. Meanwhile, across the state in Pullman, the Washington State Cougars won nine games in 2015, the program's most since a 10-3 season in 2003.

Three Players to Watch

WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, USC

Smith-Schuster led the Pac-12 in reception yardage in 2015, hauling in 89 receptions for 1,454 yards and 10 scores. He'll be working with a new quarterback this year though, as Cody Kessler will be suiting up for the Cleveland Browns.

RB Christian McCaffrey, Stanford

McCaffrey's 2015 season by the numbers: 337 rush attempts for 2,019 yards (6.0 yards per carry) and eight touchdowns; 45 receptions for 645 yards (14.3 yards per catch) and five touchdowns; 37 kickoff returns for 1,070 yards (28.9 yards per return) and one touchdown; 15 punt returns for 130 yards (8.7 yards per return) and one touchdown; 2-for-3 passing for 39 yards and two touchdowns.

RB Royce Freeman, Oregon

Freeman is the latest in a line of talented running backs at Oregon. He followed up a freshman campaign in which he ran for 1,365 yards with an even better sophomore year. Freeman's 1,836 rushing yards were fourth-most in the country last season. He showed some talent as a receiver as well, catching 26 passes for 348 yards.

Three Games to Watch

Stanford @ Washington: Friday, September 30

If preseason rankings hold true, this late-September matchup between Stanford and Washington could go a long way in determining the winner of the North division. It would be unwise to count out Oregon, and Washington State is an up-and-comer, but the Cardinal and Huskies appear to be the teams to beat.

Stanford @ Oregon: Saturday, November 12

Stanford and Oregon have produced a number of memorable games, most recently last season's 38-36 thriller in which unranked Oregon upset No. 7 Stanford and spoiled the Cardinal's College Football Playoff hopes. The rematch in Eugene this season will be must-see theater and will showcase the conferences two best running backs in McCaffrey and Freeman.

USC @ UCLA: Saturday, November 19

The two LA-based schools are the favorites in the Pac-12 South. UCLA was 5-4 in conference play last year, but brings back talented quarterback Josh Rosen. The Bruins will be one of six USC opponents ranked in the preseason Top 25, a group headlined by No. 1 Alabama.

To view a team's game-by-game predictions, select the school below: