ESPN writer picks ASU Sun Devils to win Pac-12

In the four seasons since the Pac-12 conference expanded to 12 teams, the North division has won the Pac-12 championship game each season.

ESPN.com Pac-12 blogger David Lombardi, as well as the other four ESPN Pac-12 bloggers released their preseason ballots for the Pac-12 conference Wednesday.

Lombardi’s pick to claim the Pac-12 South, as well as the conference title? The Arizona State Sun Devils.

The blogger’s ballot went as follows:

North:

1. Oregon
2. Stanford
3. California
4. Washington State
5. Oregon State
6. Washington

South:

1. ASU
2. Utah
3. UCLA
4. USC
5. Arizona
6. Colorado

Champion: ASU

The Sun Devils are coming off of back-to-back 10-win seasons, including winning the Pac-12 South title in 2013.

The team returns nine defensive starters, including redshirt senior safety Jordan Simone, redshirt senior cornerback Lloyd Carrington and redshirt junior linebacker Laiu Moeakiola.

On offense, the team is expected to have redshirt senior Mike Bercovici at quarterback. Running backs DeMario Richard and Kalen Ballage return for their sophomore seasons, and versatile senior D.J. Foster will switch from running back to join a wide receiving corps that also includes UCLA graduate transfer Devin Lucien.

Every one of the five ballots had Oregon winning the Pac-12 North division, followed by Stanford, Cal, and (in some order) Washington, Washington State and Oregon State. Oregon or Stanford has won the North division in each of the last four seasons, with Oregon claiming last season’s Pac-12 championship en route to the national title game.

Last season’s Pac-12 South champions, the Arizona Wildcats, were projected to finish fifth in the division in each of the five ballots presented.

UCLA and USC were the only schools other than ASU to be picked to win the South Division, with each of those schools receiving two votes apiece.