Welcome to a new feature on the Hotline — an assessment of the eight teams in the rebuilt Pac-12 as if they were competing in the conference this season. We’ll even recognize one lucky team as the regular-season champion. The power rankings will be published each Sunday throughout the regular season.

(Here are last week’s rankings.)

The most significant off-the-field news for a conference that doesn’t yet exist has unfolded in the courtroom, where the Pac-12 has successfully pulled the Mountain West into a lengthy, costly lawsuit over $55 million in poaching penalties.

A second development, not quite as costly, is worth monitoring: turnover at the head coaching level.

Colorado State became the second member of the rebuilt Pac-12 to initiate an in-season change. The Rams dismissed Jay N

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