In what’s become a common theme, Utah again finds itself ranked in the preseason USA Today coaches poll.
The Utes will start their final season in the Pac-12 ranked No. 14 in the poll, which was released Monday.
That came three days after news that Utah is headed to the Big 12 Conference in 2024, along with fellow Pac-12 schools Arizona, Arizona State and Colorado.
Utah is coming off a 10-4 season and its second straight Pac-12 championship. The Utes finished the 2022 season ranked No. 11 in the coaches poll.
Expectations are high again for Utah this season, with quarterback Cam Rising and tight end Brant Kuithe back — both are rehabbing from ACL injuries — and a defense again stacked with talent and depth.
It’s expected to be a competitive season in the Pac-12 with a strong group of quarterbacks leading the way, headlined by USC’s Caleb Williams, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner.
Those expectations are reflected in the coaches poll.
USC leads all Pac-12 teams, coming in at No. 6.
Washington is a few spots ahead of Utah at No. 11, while Oregon comes in one spot behind the Utes, giving the Pac-12 four teams in the top 15.
Oregon State is the fifth team in the top 25, at No. 18.
UCLA is among teams receiving votes, with 42, while Arizona picked up two votes.
BYU, which is headed into its first season in the Big 12, also received two votes in the poll.
There are five Big 12 teams in the preseason poll: Texas at No. 12, TCU at No. 16, Kansas State at No. 17, Oklahoma at No. 19 and Texas Tech at No. 24. Texas and Oklahoma are leaving the Big 12 for the SEC next season.
Defending national champion Georgia comes in at No. 1, followed by Michigan at No. 2, Alabama at No. 3, Ohio State at No. 4 and LSU at No. 5.