Utah could begin its first season in the Big 12 with a bang.
The Utes were picked to finish first in the conference’s football media preseason poll, released Tuesday. Utah, moving from the Pac-12, garnered 20 first-place votes (906 points), followed by Kansas State (19 first-place votes, 889), Oklahoma State (14, 829), Kansas (five, 772) and Arizona (three, 762)
Joining Utah and Arizona in moving from the Pac-12 are Colorado (11th place, 400 points) and Arizona State (16th place, 141 points).
The Big 12 is playing its first season without Texas and Oklahoma, whose departure to the Southeastern Conference set the stage for a redrawing of the college football landscape.
Texas finished first in the conference last season (12-2, 8-1 Big 12), followed by Oklahoma State (10-4, 7-2) and Oklahoma (10-3, 7-2).
Utah was 8-5 (5-4 Pac-12).
Big 12 football media days will be held July 9 and 10 in Las Vegas.
