The Pac-12 preseason media poll has been released ahead of Friday’s Pac-12 Media Day in Los Angeles. Utah has been selected to repeat as champions in the conference after picking up 26 of the 33 possible first-place votes. Oregon received two of the first place votes and edged out USC, which gained five first-place votes, by just four points to secure the second spot in the preseason poll.
UCLA, Oregon State and Washington round out the top six while Washington State, Stanford, Cal, Arizona State, Arizona and Colorado make up the second half of the preseason poll.
Voters were asked to rank teams regardless of divisions in this year’s poll after the conference previously made the decision to do away with separating the teams into the North and South. Instead, the two top teams will meet up for the Pac-12 Championship at the end of the season.
Outside of just four points separating Oregon and USC, the next closest race was between Bay Area foes Cal and Stanford. The Cardinal edged out the Bears by just five points to secure the eighth spot in the preseason projection.
Should both Oregon and Utah finish as the two top teams this season, it would mean a rematch of the 2021 Pac-12 Championship that was ultimately won by the Utes, 38-10.
The Bruins did not receive any first-place votes but remain among the top projected teams in the conference thanks to a strong group of returners led by running back Zach Charbonnet, a first-team all-conference selection, plus quarterback Dorian Thompson Robinson on offense.
Defensively, newcomer linebacker Darius Muasau is expected to play an important role for the Bruins and is one of the key additions for the team this year. As is receiver Jake Bobo, who made the move from Duke during the offseason. Muasau and Bobo were both recently named second-team all-conference selections.
The Bruins were just one of four teams in the conference to finish 2021 with at least eight wins, and their 8-4 record was good enough for second place in the South Division behind eventual conference champion, Utah.
UCLA will open up the season on Sept. 3 at home against Bowling Green with kickoff set for 11:30 a.m. PT.
Pac-12 Media Day from The Novo theater in Los Angeles will begin at 8 a.m. PT with UCLA's press conference slated to begin at 3 p.m. PT.
Pac-12 preseason media poll
(first-place votes)
1. Utah (26) - 384 points
2. Oregon (2) - 345
3. USC (5) - 341
4. UCLA - 289
5. Oregon State - 246
6. Washington - 212
7. Washington State - 177
8. Stanford - 159
9. Cal - 154
10. Arizona State - 123
11. Arizona - 86
12. Colorado - 58
