Pac-12 Media Days: USC picked to win the Pac-12 in preseason poll
Let the hype train roll on! At the start of Pac-12 Media Days, USC was picked to win the conference, edging out Washington by six votes.
More: Live stream Pac-12 Media Days or view the full schedule
The Pac-12, like many conferences in college football, figures to be a bit top-heavy in 2017. Those suspicions were confirmed when Washington and USC were nearly unanimously voted to win their respective divisions by the media on Wednesday. That sets up for what could be another riveting Washington vs. USC Pac-12 title game.
When it came to tabbing a title favorite, USC edged the Huskies 28-22 in first place votes. That makes them the official preseason favorites and puts a target on their back. The Trojans don’t have a bye week in 2017. That will make it all the more difficult to run the gauntlet once more.
In their release, the Pac-12 vote totals were as follows:
Pac-12 North
| Rank | Team | Votes |
| 1 | Washington (49) | 309 |
| 2 | Stanford (1) | 247 |
| 3 | Washington State (1) | 206 |
| 4 | Oregon (1) | 163 |
| 5 | Oregon State | 101 |
| 6 | California | 64 |
Pac-12 South
| Rank | Team | Votes |
| 1 | USC (49) | 309 |
| 2 | Utah (1) | 220 |
| 3 | UCLA (1) | 209 |
| 4 | Colorado (1) | 182 |
| 5 | Arizona State | 109 |
| 6 | Arizona | 61 |
What was most interesting was the six first place votes that found their way outside of the dynamic USC v. Washington pairing. Some daring voters picked somewhat under-the-radar programs like Oregon and Washington State to give Washington some trouble in the Pac-12 North.
In the South, Utah has yet to win a Pac-12 title. They’re going to be facing tough odds in 2017, but at least one voter believes in the Utes. Is that crazy? Sure seems like it right now.
Next: 5 reasons Washington won't repeat as Pac-12 champs
The Trojans and Huskies are on a sure-fire collision course to meet in the Pac-12 championship game. At this point it’s hard to feel to confident about any other team making a run. But after all, that’s why they play the games. Watch out for Josh Rose and a talented UCLA team. If he stays healthy USC might have their work cut out for them in the Pac-12 South.