Since the Pac-12 adopted a conference championship game back in 2011, no team has ever three-peated as champions.
As Utah tries to do just that, it looks like the press is siding with history rather than the Utes.
Utah was picked to finish third in the Pac-12 preseason poll this week, behind USC and Washington.
USC is the heavy favorite to win the league, receiving 25 first-place votes. Utah was the next closest with six. Washington (four) and Oregon (one) also received votes to win the league.
Other notables from around the conference included Deion Sanders and Colorado being picked to finish 11th. He joined fellow new head coach Troy Taylor and Stanford at the bottom of the poll. Stanford was picked last.
Coming into Pac-12 media days on Friday, it isn’t necessarily shocking that Utah would be picked behind USC and Washington. Quarterback Cam Rising’s questionable status for the early part of the season has hung over the Utes’ offseason for the last eight months.
Rising tore his ACL in the Rose Bowl last year and will push his recovery to be ready for a season-opening showdown with Florida on Aug. 31. Rising has publicly stated he plans on playing in Week 1. But the timeline for a traditional ACL recovery will be tight. Utah’s early season chances largely hinge on Rising being available and playing like himself.
Meanwhile, USC doesn’t have nearly as many questions. It returns Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams at quarterback. Lincoln Riley is also going into his second season in Los Angeles and figures to have an improved defense (which held the Trojans back in 2022).
Washington also returns its quarterback in Michael Penix Jr. He is a fringe Heisman Trophy candidate to start the year.
Notably, the other proven, returning quarterback Bo Nix has his team positioned in fourth in the preseason poll. Oregon finished above Oregon State (which just brought in former Clemson quarterback Uiagalelei) and UCLA in the poll.
Pac-12 preseason rankings
1. USC
2. Washington
3. Utah
4. Oregon
5. Oregon State
6. UCLA
7. Washington State
8. Arizona
9. California
10. Arizona State
11. Colorado
12. Stanford
