UCLA football favored to win Pac-12 South division in media poll
UCLA is the preseason favorite to win the Pac-12 South division. The Bruins finished last season 5-4 in conference play. (Daily Bruin file photo)
By TuAnh Dam
July 14, 2016 2:01 p.m.
The Bruins are the favorites again. Almost.
Pac-12 media members picked UCLA to win the Pac-12 South with 19 of 33 first-place votes. USC received 12 first-place votes and Utah grabbed the remaining 2 votes.
“(This conference) is more talented than probably any time in the Pac-12’s history,” said Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez. “I think the winner of our league will be in the playoff, but maybe not. They might have two losses because we beat each other up. I don’t think that points to strength or lack of strength in our league. I think our league is way better than it’s been and it will continue to get that way.”
For the first time in 56 years, Stanford is the favorite to win the Pac-12 North behind last year’s Heisman runner-up Christian McCaffrey.
Perennial powerhouse Oregon finished third in the preseason media poll for the Pac-12 North behind Stanford and Washington with just one first-place vote.
The Cardinal is also the overwhelming favorite to win the Pac-12 championship – it would be their fourth championship in five years and sixteenth overall.
“They deserve to be (picked No. 1),” said USC coach Clay Helton at the Pac-12 media day Thursday. “They’re the defending Pac-12 champions.”
Only three voters picked the Bruins to win the championship game in Santa Clara – 17 votes behind the Cardinal and 2 behind the Trojans.
