The Pac-12 preseason media poll has been released ahead of Friday’s Pac-12 Media Day in Los Angeles. Utah has been selected to repeat as champions in the conference after picking up 26 of the 33 possible first-place votes. Oregon received two of the first place votes and edged out USC, which gained five first-place votes, by just four points to secure the second spot in the preseason poll.

UCLA, Oregon State and Washington round out the top six while Washington State, Stanford, Cal, Arizona State, Arizona and Colorado make up the second half of the preseason poll.

Voters were asked to rank teams regardless of divisions in this year’s poll after the conference previously made the decision to do away with separating the teams into the North and South. Instead, the two top teams will meet up for the Pac-12 Championship at the end of the season.

Outside of just four points separating Oregon and USC, the next closest race was between Bay Area foes Cal and Stanford. The Cardinal edged out the Bears by just five points to secure the eighth spot in the preseason projection.

Should both Oregon and Utah finish as the two top teams this season, it would mean a rematch of the 2021 Pac-12 Championship that was ultimately won by the Utes, 38-10.

The Huskies are one of the multiple teams in the Pac-12 that will feature a new coach this season after Kalen DeBoer left Fresno State to take over in Seattle. So far DeBoer and his staff are off to a strong start on the recruiting side and will look to keep that momentum going this fall when the team takes the field.

UW has added some key new pieces this offseason, but some of its veteran returners will ultimately help determine just how successful the team can be under the new staff.

The Huskies earned one first-team all-conference selection earlier in the week as standout offensive lineman Jaxson Kirkland was again tabbed as one of the top players at his position in the league heading into 2022. On the other side of the ball, pass rusher Zion Tupuola-Fetui nabbed second-team honors.

Washington will open up the season on Sept. 3 at home against Kent State with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m. PT at Husky Stadium.

Pac-12 Media Day from The Novo theater in Los Angeles will begin at 8 a.m. PT with UW's press conference slated to begin at 9:45 a.m. PT.

(first-place votes)

1. Utah (26) - 384 points

2. Oregon (2) - 345

3. USC (5) - 341

4. UCLA - 289

5. Oregon State - 246

6. Washington - 212

7. Washington State - 177

8. Stanford - 159

9. Cal - 154

10. Arizona State - 123

11. Arizona - 86

12. Colorado - 58