Trojans picked to win Pac-12 in preseason media poll

After posting 11 wins and reaching the Pac-12 championship game in Lincoln Riley's first season at USC, the Trojans enter 2023 as the overwhelming favorite to win the conference in their final season before leaving for the Big Ten.

USC received 25 of 36 first-place votes in the Pac-12's preseason media poll, which was released Thursday.

Washington (4 first-place votes), Utah (6) and Oregon (1) also received first-place votes and finished second, third and fourth in the poll.

The Trojans haven't won the Pac-12 since 2017, but they matched up with Utah in the championship game last year, losing in a game that saw Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Caleb Williams sustain a significant hamstring injury with USC in the lead early.

The Trojans open the season Aug. 26 vs. San Jose State. They open Pac-12 play Sept. 9 vs. Stanford.

The toughest obstacles in the path toward those Pac-12 championship goals are an Oct. 21 home game with the Utes, who delivered USC two of its three losses last season; a Nov. 4 home game against a Washington team that went 11-2 last year in coach Kalen DeBoer's first season; a road game at Oregon on Nov. 11; and the rivalry clash with UCLA at home Nov. 18.

Riley, Williams and linebacker Mason Cobb will represent USC at Pac-12 Media Day on Friday in Las Vegas.

Here's the full preseason poll (points 12-11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 with first-place votes in parentheses):

1. USC (25 first-place votes) ... 413 points

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