Oregon, USC, Utah named to AP Top 25 poll

Well, it’s a sad day in Pac-12 Football news, yet the sad day leads with positive news.

The Associated Press announced their top 25 preseason poll and three Pac-12 teams were represented. However, due to their postponement of the fall football season until the spring, this is the last time any Pac-12 (or Big Ten, MAC or MWC) team will be eligible to be ranked.

The Oregon Ducks led the charge, coming in at No. 9 overall. The USC Trojans landed at No. 17 and the Utah Utes rounded out the trio at No. 22 on the AP preseason poll.

Despite their season being cancelled as well, the Big Ten landed six programs in the top 25, including the Ohio State Buckeyes, who came in at No. 2 overall with 21 first-place votes.

Ohio State was followed by Penn State (No. 7), Wisconsin (No. 12), Michigan (No. 16), Minnesota (No. 19) and Iowa (No. 24) in the poll.

No MAC or MWC team made the cut.

Oregon, like the other 53 Bowl Subdivision teams who had their fall seasons cancelled, will no longer be eligible for a spot on the top 25 once games start this season.

That reminds us also that we lost a potential non-conference matchup of top 10 teams when Oregon and Ohio State were scheduled to play this season. USC and Alabama were also scheduled to play on September 5, and that game would have pit two teams inside the top 17 together.

Great news for three Pac-12 teams to be represented. Sad news to realize that’s the last time this year we’ll see any Pac-12 schools on such a list.

Here’s hoping for a happy and a healthy fall, mixed with some positive news of a football season in the spring!