‘I just didn’t see that’: UCLA’s pick to win Pac-12 South surprises Coach Jim Mora

UCLA was picked to win the Pac-12 Conference South division in a poll of 33 media members.

Stanford, for the first time in the poll’s 56-year history, was selected from the North division to win the conference title.

Times reporters do not vote in polls.

Coach Jim Mora was surprised his team was a favorite.

The Bruins are coming off an 8-5 season that included consecutive losses to USC and Nebraska in the Foster Farms Bowl.

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UCLA Coach Jim Mora speaks with Lindsey Thiry at Pac-12 media days about quarterback Josh Rosen, the Bruins’ defense and what must happen to contend for a conference title. 

“The way we ended last season, losing three out of the last four, and the guys that we graduated, sending eight guys to the draft, I just didn’t see that,” Mora said Friday at Pac-12 media days.

“I thought USC and Utah and Arizona and Arizona State, even Colorado, some of those teams were probably more deserving than us of garnering that position.”

USC was picked to finished second in the South.

UCLA returns four starters on offense, including freshman All-American quarterback Josh Rosen, and eight on defense.

The Bruins open training camp Aug. 8 at UCLA. The second week of camp will be held in San Bernardino.

UCLA is scheduled to play Texas A&M in its season opener on Sept. 3 in College Station, Texas.

Follow Lindsey Thiry on Facebook and Twitter @LindseyThiry

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