Greg McElroy sees plenty of potential this season in the Big 12 and the Pac-12, as he said they’re both deep leagues with a lot of contenders.

The ESPN analyst unveiled his top 10 teams on Thursday and a pair of Pac-12 programs made it.

McElroy has Utah at No. 9, and Washington at No. 8.

Cam Rising’s health will dictate how far the Utes go, according to McElroy.

“We’re not supposed to play favorites,” he said. “We call it how we see it, we assess, we try to be diplomatic with how we evaluate players. I can’t hide it, I love Cam Rising, and I’m going to love him next year, I’m going to love him the year after that when he graduates, I’ll remember him so fondly with what he meant to Utah’s program.”

Rising needs to be at 100%, and he admits that the quarterback would be 9 months removed from the ACL injury from the end of last season. The good news, however, is tight end Brant Kuithe is also back, a Travis Kelce-type of tight end who has developed a rapport with Rising. McElroy also noted that Ja’Quinden Jackson is a name to remember. One question is how to replace cornerback Clark Phillips III on defense.

At No. 8, McElroy wondered if there is a more underrated coach in America than Kalen DeBoer, as he pointed out that DeBoer is 90-11 in his career and coming off an 11-win season.

“Washington’s not sneaking up on anybody this year,” he said, and added that he expects a significant leap in the passing attack led by Michael Penix Jr.

McElroy also loves Dillon Johnson, the Mississippi State transfer. Another key player is Bralen Trice, who McElroy called the best edge defender in America who nobody talks about.