USC picked second in Pac-12 South, two Trojans voted first-team
As USC and head coach Clay Helton enter a pivotal season, the Pac-12 preseason media votes revealed little expectation that the Trojans will get back to the top of their division this fall.
Utah received 33 of the 35 first-place votes in the Pac-12 South while USC was picked second (with the other two first-place votes) in the conference's preseason poll, which was released Wednesday morning at the start of Pac-12 Media Day.
Oregon and Washington each received 17 first-place votes in the Pac-12 North, with the Ducks voted the narrow favorite. Washington State was picked fourth but received one first-place vote.
Utah was also picked as the favorite to win the Pac-12 championship game.
All that said, the media vote has not been especially accurate of late, picking the conference champion correctly only four times in the previous 12 years.
USC, which is looking to bounce back from a 5-7 finish last fall, also landed two players each on the Preseason All-Pac 12 first and second teams.
Wide receiver Michael Pittman and defensive tackle Jay Tufele made the first-team while defensive end Christian Rector and wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown were voted onto the second team.
Left tackle Austin Jackson, linebacker Palaie Gaoteote, safety Talanoa Hufanga and wide receiver Tyler Vaughns (as all-purpose) were named honorable mentions.
Pittman and Rector are joining Helton as USC's Pac-12 Media Day representatives later today in Hollywood.
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