ASU picked fifth in Pac-12 South

Transition can be a bear in college football.

The Arizona State Sun Devils have undergone big-time
transition since the last time they took the football
field. Todd Graham was hired as the new head coach
following a disappointing 2011 campaign that ended with
five consecutive losses. Quarterback Brock Osweiler
bolted for the NFL, leaving a collection of unproven
candidates to vie for the Devils’ signal-calling duties.

So it’s no surprise the Sun Devils were picked to finish
fifth in the Pac-12 South in the conference’s preseason
media poll which was released Tuesday as part of Pac-
12
Media Day in Universal City, California.

USC is the overwhelming favorite in the South, picking up
117 out of 123 first place votes. Utah was picked to
finish second, followed by UCLA, Arizona, ASU and
Colorado.

The Oregon Ducks were the vogue choice in the North,
gaining 117 first place votes. The defending conference
champs were followed by Stanford, Washington, California,
Washington State and Oregon State.

Interestingly enough, only three teams were picked to win
the Pac-12 Championship Game: USC got 102 votes, Oregon
got 18 and Arizona State got three.

Hmm…maybe those three know something the rest of us
don’t know?

Pac-12 Preseason Poll

South Division

1. USC Trojans (117 first place votes) 729

2. Utah Utes (1) 514

3. UCLA Bruins (2) 485

4. Arizona Wildcats 385

5. Arizona State Sun Devils (3) 353

6. Colorado Buffaloes 164

North Division

1. Oregon Ducks (117) 732

2. Stanford Cardinal (5) 533

3. Washington Huskies 502

4. California Bears (1) 382

5. Washington State Cougars 228

6. Oregon State Beavers 205

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