Utah picked to finish 2nd in Pac-12 South, Utes land 5 on preseason All-Pac-12 first team

FILE - Utah Utes wide receiver Britain Covey (18) celebrates a kick return for touchdown with teammates as Utah and Oregon State play a college football game at Rice Eccles stadium in Salt Lake City on Sunday, Dec. 6, 2020. Covey was named preseason All-Pac-12 first team as a return specialist and second team as a wide receiver. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

If the Pac-12 football media day predictions are any indication, Utah will challenge in the Pac-12 South once again in 2021.

The Utes were picked to finish second behind USC in the Pac-12 South in the league’s preseason media poll released Wednesday morning. Utah also received six first-place votes and three votes to win the Pac-12 championship.

It’s Oregon, though, who was the overwhelming favorite not only to win the Pac-12 North but the league title as well. The Ducks received 27 votes to win the Pac-12 championship, followed by 10 for USC and the three for Utah.

The Utes also landed a league-high five players on the preseason All-Pac-12 first team.

Utah’s five first-team selections include junior offensive lineman Nick Ford, junior linebacker Devin Lloyd, junior defensive end Mika Tafua, sophomore kicker Jadon Redding and junior return specialist Britain Covey, who also made the second team as a wide receiver.

Covey was joined on the second team by freshman offensive lineman Sataoa Laumea, while junior tight end Brant Kuithe, senior defensive tackle Viane Moala, sophomore cornerback JaTravis Broughton, freshman cornerback Clark Phillips III and senior long snapper Keegan Markgraf earned preseason honorable mention honors.

This story will be updated.

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