Eight Pac-12 teams are bowling, but four are home for the holidays with losing records. Here's a look at their seasons and a take on their futures.
California (5-7, 3-6 Pac-12)
The good: The Golden Bears improved from their dreadful 1-11 mark in 2013 to 5-7 in 2014, and they continued the successful development of an explosive offense. The Cal attack finished the season second to only Oregon in the Pac-12, averaging 38.2 points per game. Quarterback Jared Goff (35 touchdowns, seven interceptions) took the next step, and there's plenty of reason to believe he'll be even better his junior year. Emerging running back Daniel Lasco (1,115 yards, 5.3 yards per carry) is a big part of the puzzle: Cal now has a truly dangerous, multifaceted offense.
The bad: Yes, the Bears' defense improved, but the final tally was still horrendous. Cal surrendered a conference-worst 39.8 points and 511 yards per game -- more than 50 yards worse than the Pac-12's 11th-place defense. That being said, the "eye test" certainly confirmed Cal made strides under new defensive coordinator Art Kaufman. There's just so much work still left to do, and it starts with tackling. The Bears were also the most penalized team in the Pac-12.
2015 outlook: Cal has a legitimate shot to break through in Sonny Dykes' third season there. Goff will be a junior, and he'll likely return his trio of talented veteran receivers (Chris Harper, Bryce Treggs and Kenny Lawler). Lasco will be a senior, so the offense will be armed and ready to go. Meanwhile, the only possible trajectory for the defense is up.
Oregon State (5-7, 2-7 Pac-12)
The good: Sean Mannion became the Pac-12's all-time passing leader, surpassing Matt Barkley's mark late in the season. The Beavers avoided what would have been a completely disastrous seven-game losing streak to finish the season by stunning Arizona State at home. Mannion played well in that game, but Oregon State gained initial separation because of dual 100-yard rushing performances from Storm Woods and Terron Ward. With Mannion and Ward graduating, Woods will likely be asked to shoulder a heavy offensive load in his senior season.
The bad: Without explosive receiver Brandin Cooks, the Oregon State attack lost its bite. The Beavers finished ranked last (tied with Stanford) in the Pac-12 at 25.7 points per game. After a strong start, the defense also slipped to ninth in the conference (31.6 points per game). Given that stalling statistical performance, it's not hard to see why Oregon State lost six of last seven games and missed out on bowl eligibility.
2015 outlook: It's a new era in Corvallis. Gary Andersen has taken Mike Riley's place as head coach, and the Pac-12 will watch with keen interest to see exactly how the Beavers evolve. Andersen hasn't delved all too specifically into what type of offense he wants to install at Oregon State, but he will have to find a way to replace Mannion, the school record holder in every passing category. Luke Del Rio is the early favorite to start at quarterback next season. The rest is up in the air until more data points can be gathered.
Washington State (3-9, 2-7 Pac-12)
The good: To be bluntly honest, there wasn't much of it in Pullman this season. The Cougars never recovered from losses to Rutgers and Nevada to begin the year, and they later lost senior quarterback Connor Halliday in horrific fashion. If there's any silver lining to this disappointing season, it's the emergence of redshirt freshman quarterback Luke Falk. He led Wazzu to a road win over Oregon State with 471 passing yards while completing 72 percent of his throws in that game.
The bad: Early on, it appeared Washington State might have turned a corner defensively -- particularly with its pass rush. The Cougars harassed future Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota to the tune of seven sacks in a close loss to Oregon and held sturdy the following week in a 28-27 upset win at Utah. Matters then quickly deteriorated. The Cougars surrendered 60 points at home to Cal and lost despite the fact that Halliday threw for an NCAA-record 734 yards. Wazzu dropped six of its final seven after that devastating loss, which was sealed by a missed 19-yard field goal in crunch time.
2015 outlook: With Halliday gone, Mike Leach will run his offense through Falk. The youngster obviously has talent, but the Cougars must keep him clean to avoid a disappointing 2014 repeat. Leading receiver Vince Mayle will be gone, but productive target River Cracraft will be back. At the end of the day, defense may be the critical variable here: Washington State gave up 38.6 points per game. To give themselves a legitimate chance at a winning season, the Cougars will need to cut that number by at least a touchdown.
Colorado (2-10, 0-9 Pac-12)
The good: The goose egg in their conference record doesn't show this, but the Buffs made competitive strides in the Pac-12 this season. Colorado lost four Pac-12 games that were decided by five points or fewer. They dropped two of those contests in double overtime. Quarterback Sefo Liufau was productive, but he must cut down on his interception rate -- he threw 15 picks this season. His favorite target, Nelson Spruce, finished tied with Mayle for the Pac-12 lead with 106 catches.
The bad: Statistically, Colorado still found itself in the Pac-12 cellar in some key metrics by a relatively massive margin. The Buffs surrendered 6.5 yards per play on defense, worse than even Cal. They allowed 5.6 yards per rush, a full yard worse than 11th-place Oregon State. That number is an indication that Colorado just couldn't yet physically win the necessary battles up front against conference foes.
2015 outlook: It appears Mike MacIntyre has this train rolling in the right direction, and he returns Spruce next season. The Liufau-led offense, then, should pack some punch. Offseason strengthening will be of paramount importance for the Colorado defense, which must stiffen up against the run. If the Buffs can improve there, they'll turn some of 2014's close losses into 2015 wins.