Pac-12 Media Day predictions: USC and Washington on a collision course

There isn’t much disagreement here. The two best teams in the Pac-12 last season are projected to meet in the Pac-12 title game by the preseason media.

Not that this is necessarily a good thing for either team.

The USC Trojans and Washington Huskies each received 309 points and 49 of 52 first place votes to advance to the Pac-12 championship game.

Why is this not a good thing? Only one of the two predicted winners has advanced to the title game each season. Last year’s title match of Stanford-UCLA went off the rails early.

The UCLA Bruins, Utah Utes and Colorado Buffaloes each picked up a first place vote in the South. The Washington State Cougars, Stanford Cardinal and Oregon Ducks each had a first place vote in the North. Stanford and Utah finished second projected in each division, Washington State and UCLA third, Oregon and Colorado fourth, Oregon State and Arizona State fifth, and Cal and Arizona sixth.

North

1. Washington (49), 309

2. Stanford (1), 247

3. Washington State (1), 206

4. Oregon (1), 163

5. Oregon State, 101

6. California, 64

South

1. USC (49), 309

2. Utah (1), 220

3. UCLA (1), 209

4. Colorado (1), 182

5. Arizona State, 109

6. Arizona, 61