If the needed any extra motivation this season, they got a big dose of it Wednesday morning in Hollywood.
The Pac-12 released its annual football media poll early in the morning, with the an overwhelming pick to finish last in the South Division in new coach Mel Tucker’s first season in Boulder.
It is the fourth time in the last six summers the Buffs have been picked to finish last in the South and first time since 2016.
“The have us last every year,” Buffs quarterback Steven Montez said. “They have us last every year, so itap not like itap new to us. I think we still have a ton to prove. I think that, no matter how good we do this year, we’ll still be (picked) last next year.”
Both Colorado and Oregon State were firmly at the bottom of their respective divisions in the annual poll of 35 media members who cover Pac-12 football.
Utah was the favorite to win the conference outright, receiving 12 votes. Oregon was just one vote behind, while Washington (9), USC (2) and (1) also received votes.
RELATED: Laviska Shenault to CU Buffs doubters: “I know we’ve been cooking up something special”
The Utes and Ducks were picked to win the South and North divisions, respectively. The Utes were an overwhelming pick with 33 first-place votes, while Oregon finished just one point ahead of UW with both receiving 17 first-place votes.
CU is coming off a disappointing season in which the Buffs started out 5-0 only to lose their last seven games and miss bowl eligibility for the seventh time in eight seasons in the conference.
Laviska Shenault responded to the possibility of CU finishing at the bottom of the poll with a vow to use it as motivation.
“I say that because I know the things that happened and I know we’ve been cooking up something special,” Shenault, the Buffaloes’ all-conference receiver, told the Denver Post. “I just believe (the) humble way is the better way to go.”
Pac-12 preseason football media poll
Parenthesis denotes first-place votes.
| NORTH DIVISION | ||
| Rank | School | Points |
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| 1. | Oregon (17) | 190 |
| 2. | Washington (17) | 189 |
| 3. | Stanford | 129 |
| 4. | Washington State (1) | 108 |
| 5. | California | 81 |
| 6. | Oregon State | 38 |
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| SOUTH DIVISION | ||
| Rank | School | Points |
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| 1. | Utah (33) | 206 |
| 2. | USC (2) | 167 |
| 3T. | Arizona State | 118 |
| 3T. | UCLA | 118 |
| 5. | Arizona | 85 |
| 6. | Colorado | 46 |
Pac-12 title game champion: Utah (12 votes)
Others receiving votes: Oregon (11), Washington (9), USC (2), Washington State (1).
Pac-12 preseason all-conference football team
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| OFFENSE | ||
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| Pos. | Player | School |
| QB | Justin Hebert | Oregon |
| RB | Eno Benjamin | Arizona State |
| RB | Zack Moss | Utah |
| WR | Michael Pittman Jr. | USC |
| WR | Laviska Shenault Jr. | Colorado |
| TE | Colby Parkinson | Stanford |
| C | Nick Harris | Washington |
| OL | Trey Adams | Washington |
| OL | Shane Lemieux | Oregon |
| OL | Walker Little | Stanford |
| OL | Calvin Throckmorton | Oregon |
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| DEFENSE | ||
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| Pos. | Player | School |
| DL | Bradlee Anae | Utah |
| DL | Leki Fotu | Utah |
| DL | Mustafa Johnson | Colorado |
| DL | Jay Tufele | USC |
| LB | Troy Dye | Oregon |
| LB | Colin Schooler | Arizona |
| LB | Evan Weaver | California |
| DB | Paulson Adebo | Stanford |
| DB | Justin Blackmon | Utah |
| DB | Myles Bryant | Washington |
| DB | Jaylon Johnson | Utah |
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| SPECIAL TEAMS | ||
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| Pos. | Player | School |
| PK | Jet Toner | Stanford |
| P | Oscar Draguicevich III | Washington State |
| AP | J.J. Taylor | Arizona |
— Sean Keeler contributed to this report