USC picked to win Pac-12 championship in media poll
USC Coach Steve Sarkisian shares a light moment with quarterbacks Max Browne, center, and Cody Kessler in the closing moments of a 49-14 victory over Notre Dame in November 2014.
For the first time since 2012, USC has been picked to win the Pac-12 Conference in a poll of 45 media members.
Times reporters do not vote in polls.
USC, coming off a 9-4 finish in 2014, received 21 votes.
Defending champion Oregon, loser to Ohio State in the inaugural College Football Playoff title game, received 17 votes.
Arizona State was picked second behind USC in the South division. UCLA was third.
Stanford was voted second behind Oregon in the North.
The Pac-12 title game will be played Dec. 5 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.
The Pac-12 said the media poll has correctly picked the champion in 29 of 54 polls, including 12 of the last 15.
North Division
1. Oregon (37 first-place votes) 262 total points
2. Stanford (8) 231
3. California 174
4. Washington 129
5. Washington State 89
6. Oregon State 60
South Division
1. USC (32) 254
2. Arizona State (7) 200
3. UCLA (6) 180
4. Arizona 155
5. Utah 105
6. Colorado 46
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