[JohnR34231]

... "likely are the favorites to win the Pac-12 (or at least the Pac-12 North) next year?

really?  I'd guess we'd be preseason #2 or #3 in the North in '19 if everyone comes back.

Favorable odd year schedule (UW and Oregon both at home). Plus we have our own capable QB (and possible first round pick in 2020 draft according to Mel Kiper) returning with plenty of offensive targets. DL is improving.

Shaw has won the North the last three odd years. Until Oregon wins at Stanford Stadium, and is able to navigate the rest of their schedule without other blemishes, I like our chances. Washington State also has to prove it can actually win the conference or division for once before I will believe it (it is almost unfathomable how they blew the division this year, at home, against a UW team that underachieved on the whole this year, relative to pre-season expectations).

I also think Oregon's top 5 recruiting class really won't emerge on the field until 2020 and 2021.

Given the weather conditions in Pullman when Washington and Wazzu played, I certainly didn't find it unfathomable. When you have weather like that anything can happen (things become "random" according to the Pirate in his post game debrief). Also conditions like that favor the running team over the passing team.
Washington does seem to have the Pirate's number, though. The Washington DC gave the Cougs a little bulletin board material for next year's game when he said he loves playing against them because they are so easy to defend. You know exactly what they are going to do; they have been doing the same thing for years.

[JohnR34231]

... "likely are the favorites to win the Pac-12 (or at least the Pac-12 North) next year?

really?  I'd guess we'd be preseason #2 or #3 in the North in '19 if everyone comes back.

Favorable odd year schedule (UW and Oregon both at home). Plus we have our own capable QB (and possible first round pick in 2020 draft according to Mel Kiper) returning with plenty of offensive targets. DL is improving.

Shaw has won the North the last three odd years. Until Oregon wins at Stanford Stadium, and is able to navigate the rest of their schedule without other blemishes, I like our chances. Washington State also has to prove it can actually win the conference or division for once before I will believe it (it is almost unfathomable how they blew the division this year, at home, against a UW team that underachieved on the whole this year, relative to pre-season expectations).

I also think Oregon's top 5 recruiting class really won't emerge on the field until 2020 and 2021.

Given the weather conditions in Pullman when Washington and Wazzu played, I certainly didn't find it unfathomable. When you have weather like that anything can happen (things become "random" according to the Pirate in his post game debrief). Also conditions like that favor the running team over the passing team.
Washington does seem to have the Pirate's number, though. The Washington DC gave the Cougs a little bulletin board material for next year's game when he said he loves playing against them because they are so easy to defend. You know exactly what they are going to do; they have been doing the same thing for years.