USC predicted to win Pac-12 football championship

USC has been chosen as the favorite to win the 2023 Pac-12 Conference Championship, presented by 76®, in a vote of 36 media members who cover the league. The Trojans received 25 of the 36 first-place votes to earn the preseason selection.

Washington, which received four first-place votes, finished second to edge two-time defending champion Utah, which actually received more first-place votes (six) than the Huskies. Oregon, which finished fourth in the poll, was the only other school to receive a first-place vote.

This will be the second season that the championship game will be played between the two teams with the highest conference winning percentage. This change came about following the NCAA Division I Council decision in May 2022 to deregulate the rule that had limited an individual conference’s autonomy to determine their football championship game participants.

It was based on a motion brought by the Pac-12 and unanimously supported by all FBS conferences. The media has correctly selected the conference champion in 33 of 62 previous preseason polls, including six times in the 12-year FCG era. The 2023 Pac-12 Football Media Day was held in Las Vegas on Friday, July 21.

Here are the results of the preseason media poll (points 12-11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 with first-place votes in parentheses): School Total Points 1. USC (25) 413 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.

The 2023 Pac-12 Football Championship Game, presented by 76, featuring the two teams with the highest conference winning percentage, will take place on Friday, Dec. 1 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, NV. The game will be telecast to a national audience on ABC.

The 2023 Pac-12 football season kicks off in Week Zero on Saturday, Aug. 26 when USC and reigning Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams host San Jose State at 5 p.m. PT on Pac-12 Network. The first Conference showdown features Stanford at USC on Saturday, Sept. 9 at 7:30 p.m. PT on FOX. Click here for the complete Pac-12 Football schedule.