News/Commentary

PAC-12 Media Pick USC To Win Title; Utah Leads All-Preaseason Player Selections

July 22, 2023 by pac-12.com

USC has been chosen as the favorite to win the 2023 Pac-12 Conference Championship, presented by 76®, in a vote of 36 media members who cover the league. The Trojans received 25 of the 36 first-place votes to earn the preseason selection.

WASHINGTON, which received four first-place votes, finished second to edge two-time defending champion UTAH, which actually received more first-place votes (six) than the Huskies.  OREGON, which finished fourth in the poll, was the only other school to receive a first-place vote.

This will be the second season that the Pac-12 Football Championship Game will be played between the two teams with the highest conference winning percentage.  This change came about following the NCAA Division I Council decision in May 2022 to deregulate the rule that had limited an individual conference's autonomy to determine their football championship game participants.  It was based on a motion brought by the Pac-12 and unanimously supported by all FBS conferences

The media has correctly selected the Conference Champion in 33 of 62 previous preseason polls, including six times in the 12-year FCG era.

2023 Pac-12 Football Media Day will be held in Las Vegas on Friday, July 21.  For all materials needed during media day please go here.

Following are the results of the preseason media poll (points 12-11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 with first-place votes in parentheses): 

School Total Points
1.  USC (25) 413
2.  Washington (4) 367
3.  Utah (6) 359
4.  Oregon (1) 344
5.  Oregon State 309
6.  UCLA 248
7.  Washington State 186
8.  Arizona 176
9.  California 132
10.  Arizona State 122
11.  Colorado 98
12.  Stanford 54

The 2023 Pac-12 Football Championship Game, presented by 76, featuring the two teams with the highest conference winning percentage, will take place on Friday, Dec. 1 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, NV. The game will be telecast to a national audience on ABC.

The 2023 Pac-12 football season kicks off in Week Zero on Saturday, Aug. 26 when USC and reigning Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams host San Jose State at 5 p.m. PT on Pac-12 Network. The first Conference showdown features Stanford at USC on Saturday, Sept. 9 at 7:30 p.m. PT on FOX. Click here for the complete Pac-12 Football schedule.

Preseason Teams

The preseason All-Pac-12 team, as selected by the media who cover Pac-12 football, is led by two-time defending Pac-12 champion Utah with six First Team selections. Oregon State and USC are next with five each.

Kyle Whittingham's squad split their First Team selections evenly with three on the offense and three on the defense.  TE Brant Kuithe was selected to the first team for the second straight year while two Utes were selected on the offensive line in Sataoa Laumea and Keaton Bills.  The defense is represented at each level with DL Junior Tafuna, LB Karene Reid and DB Cole Bishop.  

Oregon State also has three representatives on offense with running back Damien Martinez joined by a pair of offensive linemen in Joshua Gray and Taliese Fuaga.  Kitan Oladapo was selected to the First Team Defense while All-American Anthony Gould is the return specialist.

Heisman trophy winning quarterback Caleb Williams leads the USC contingent on the First Team alongside WR Dorian Singer on offense.  DB Calen Bullock represents the defense joining punter Eddie Czaplicki with Raleek Brown on All-Purpose/Special Teams.

Colorado's Travis Hunter is the only player to appear twice on the First Team as both a defensive back and at All-Purpose/Special Teams.  Hunter was also selected as an honorable mention at wide receiver.

Pac-12 Football Media Day was held in Las Vegas on Friday, July 21.

Click here to see the full Pac-12 football schedule, which kicks off on Saturday, August 26th.  

2023 PRESEASON ALL-PAC-12 CONFERENCE FOOTBALL TEAM

  First Team Offense     Second Team Offense
QB Caleb Williams, USC   QB Michael Penix, Jr., Washington
RB Damien Martinez, Oregon St.   RB Jaydn Ott, California
RB Bucky Irving, Oregon   RB Carson Steele, UCLA
WR Rome Odunze, Washington   WR Jalen McMillan, Washington
WR Dorian Singer, USC   WR Jacob Cowing, Arizona
TE Brant Kuithe, Utah   TE Benjamin Yurosek, Stanford
OL Sataoa Laumea, Utah   OL Jake Levengood, Oregon St.
OL Joshua Gray, Oregon St.   OL Justin Dedich, USC
OL Troy Fautanu, Washington   OL Jonah Monheim, USC
OL Taliese Fuaga, Oregon St.   OL Jordan Morgan, Arizona
OL Keaton Bills, Utah   OL Jarrett Kingston, USC

  First Team Defense     Second Team Defense
DL Bralen Trice, Washington   DL Brennan Jackson, Washington St.
DL Laiatu Latu, UCLA   DL Ron Stone Jr., Washington St.
DL Brandon Dorlus, Oregon   DL Van Fillinger, Utah
DL Junior Tafuna, Utah   DL Zion Tupuola-Fetui, Washington
LB Jackson Sirmon, California   LB Lander Barton, Utah
LB Karene Reid, Utah   LB Mason Cobb, USC
LB Darius Muasau, UCLA   LB Eric Gentry, USC
DB Cole Bishop, Utah   DB Chau Smith-Wade, Washington St.
DB Calen Bullock, USC   DB Jabbar Muhammad, Washington
DB Kitan Oladapo, Oregon St.   DB Craig Woodson, California
DB Travis Hunter, Colorado   DB Evan Williams, Oregon

  First Team Specialists     Second Team Specialists
PK Joshua Karty, Stanford   PK Camden Lewis, Oregon
P Eddie Czaplicki, USC   P Nick Haberer, Washington St.
AP/ST Travis Hunter, Colorado   AP Jacob Cowing, Arizona
AP/ST Raleek Brown, USC      
RS Anthony Gould, Oregon St.   RS Silas Bolden, Oregon St.