LOS ANGELES — The Arizona Wildcats football team has been selected fourth in the Pac-12 South in a media poll announced this morning at the league’s media day.
Not much of a surprise.
(I predicted Arizona to finish fourth in the Pac-12 South).
USC, with 24 of 42 first-place votes was picked to finish first in the South. Arizona did pick up one first-place vote. Here is the voting for the South, with first-place votes and total points in parentheses:
1. USC (24, 230 points)
2. Arizona State (13, 207 points)
3. Utah (4, 170)
4. Arizona (1, 140)
5. UCLA
6. Colorado
And the voting for the North:
1. Oregon (29, 239)
2. Stanford (13, 220)
3. Washington
4. Oregon State
5. California
6. Washington State
Oregon was picked as the overall champ, appearing as the choice on 28 ballots. Stanford received 11 votes as champion. ASU picked up three votes. USC is ineligible for the postseason.
Later today, Arizona coach Mike Stoops and senior quarterback Nick Foles will be put through waves of interviews for TV, radio, print and internet outlets, likely repeatedly answering questions about these three main topics.
1. The five-game losing streak to end last season.
2. The tough schedule to begin this season, including three likely preseason top-10 teams in September (Oklahoma State, Oregon, Stanford).
3. Juron Criner’s status.