Arizona football picked 8th in Pac-12 preseason poll

Arizona’s reputation within its own conference continues to improve.

The Wildcats have been picked to finish in eighth place in the Pac-12 this season, according to results of a poll of the league’s media members. That’s up three spots from a year ago and the highest preseason ranking since 2018. The UA had been picked last in the conference or its division in 2020 and 2021.

Arizona is coming off a 5-7 record in 2023, going 3-6 in Pac-12 play to finish eighth. The four teams the Wildcats were ahead of to end last year are the same four picked to finish below them this time around.

The UA will face the bottom three teams this season, all on the road, while also visiting preseason No. 1 USC and seventh-place Washington State. Arizona’s Pac-12 home games are against the teams picked to finish 2^nd, 3^rd, 5^th and 6^th.

Arizona landed eight players on the Pac-12 preseason all-conference team earlier this week, though none on the First Team while only receiver Jacob Cowing and offensive lineman Jordan Morgan earned Second Team selections.

The league’s annual Media Day is on tap for Friday in Las Vegas, with head coach Jedd Fisch in attendance along with quarterback Jayden de Laura and defensive back Treydan Stukes. The UA will have its local Media Day on Aug. 1, with training camp opening Aug. 2 in preparation for the 2023 opener Sept. 2 against NAU.