LOS ANGELES — Three-time Pac-10 champion Southern California was picked Thursday to win the conference title again, but unlike the previous two years, the Trojans were not a unanimous choice.
USC garnered 18 of 29 first-place votes in a preseason poll of West Coast media who regularly cover the conference. Overall, the Trojans totaled 276 points — 29 more than second-place California.
The Golden Bears, picked to finish second, received seven first-place votes, while third-place Oregon had three and fourth-place Arizona State one.
UCLA, which opens with the Utes at the Rose Bowl Sept. 2, was picked to finish fifth, followed by Arizona, Oregon State, Washington State, Stanford, and Washington.
The media poll has correctly selected the conference champion for six consecutive years.
The Trojans are coming off a 12-1 record last season, with their only loss to Texas in the Rose Bowl national title game.
USC averaged a school-record 49 points and led the nation in total offense last season, but Dwayne Jarrett, Sam Baker, Ryan Kalil and Steve Smith are the only offensive starters returning.
The Trojans lost four offensive players in the first two rounds of the NFL draft: quarterback Matt Leinart and tailback Reggie Bush, both Heisman Trophy winners, along with tailback LenDale White and right tackle Winston Justice.
"Each year has an issue," USC coach Pete Carroll said. "This year, we've got the big change in the offensive spots. It's an exciting challenge. Maybe I'm refreshed a little bit at the fact that there's so many things still to be determined by this football team." Coach Mike Stoops' rebuilding efforts at Arizona landed the Wildcats sixth in the preseason poll, despite them finishing no higher than eighth in the league the last five years. "I don't see anybody conceding anything in this conference," Stoops said.