Big 12 College Football Team Preview 2024: Utah Utes

Kyle Whittingham and the Utes bring major pieces back after an injury-riddled 2023. Can Utah assume the favorite position in its new conference?

Dec 2, 2022; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Utah Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham and quarterback Cameron Rising (7) lift the PAC-12 Football Championship trophy following the victory against the Southern California Trojans at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports / Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

For those who might not have been tuned into Utah Utes football in 2021 and 2022, you'll be reminded quickly why they enter the 2024 Big 12 season as conference betting favorites. Last year was devistated by injuries, including to their star QB, top three receiving options, and a handful of other key contributors. This year, Utah returns those players and looks to resume its dominant national status as a 10+ win team and CFP candidate.

Utah and the Big 12 already have plenty of friction; the Utes aren't sneaking into the league by any stretch. But with a top-tier head coach and proven playmakers at important positions, Utah might not need to sneak in.

So, let's preview Utah and its chances to win the Big 12 Conference in 2024. Sportsbooks are already convinced of their prowess – is it founded?

Utah Utes Football History

Sep 25, 2004; Salt Lake City, UT, USA, FILE PHOTO; Utah Utes quarterback Alex Smith (11) looks to throw against the Air Force Falcons at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Brouillet-USA TODAY NETWORK / Peter Brouillet-USA TODAY Sports

You don't have to dive too far back in history to see success on the field for Utah. Since 2019, the Utes have won 10+ games in four of five full seasons (exception: COVID, last season). In full seasons, Utah has won at least nine games 11 times under Kyle Whittingham (both in the Mountain West and Pac-12). As a coach, Whittingham is 162-79 (.672), fifth-most in the country.

You might recognize Whittingham's predecessor: Urban Meyer. In just two seasons, Meyer went 22-2, winning two bowl games. He handed the reins to Whittingham and the rest is history. It took just four seasons post-Meyer for Whittingham to reach his heights, going a spectacular 13-0 in 2003 and closing Utah's tenrue in the Mountain West on a 33-6 run.

Before those two prolific coaches, Utah won 10 games just once (1994). The Utes competed in the Western Athletic, Skyline, Mountain States Athletic, and Rocky Mountain conferences before the MWC and Pac-12.

While the program boasts no claimed national titles (2008 went unclaimed) or Heisman Trophy winners, it did produce the 2005 No. 1 overall NFL draft pick, QB Alex Smith.

2023: Powering Through Peril

Oct 21, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Utah Utes receiver Sione Vaki (28) scores on a 53-yard touchdown reception against Southern California Trojans defensive end Braylan Shelby (34) in the first half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Coming off back-to-back 10-win seasons, Utah should have been in pretty good shape in 2023. However, a severe knee injury suffered in a Rose Bowl loss sidelined star QB Cameron Rising for the entire season. Unfortunately, wasn't officially shut down until Halloween, causing fans repeated anxiety each week. Top tight end, Brant Kuthie, also suffered a serious knee injury in 2022 and he missed the entire 2023 season, as well.

Other players to go down to season-ending injuries included top receiver Mycah Pittman, top linebacker Lander Barton, running back Micah Bernard, and edge rusher Logan Fano. At one point in the season, 27 Utes in the two-deep missed time to injury.

And yet, Utah finished 8-5. The offense was tough to watch – its most exciting player was converted safety Sione Vaki, who played both sides of the ball. Vaki rushed for 330 yards, hauled in 203 receiving yards, and also recorded 51 tackles, 6.5 TFLs, two sacks, and an interception. All out of necessity, of course.

Whittingham and company limped to the finish line with a disappointing 14-7 loss in the Las Vegas Bowl to Northwestern.

Utah Utes Offense Preview

Jan 2, 2023; Pasadena, California, USA; Utah Utes quarterback Cameron Rising (7) looks to pass the ball against the Penn State Nittany Lions during the first half at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

You already know the names of most of the contributors – just reference back to the season-ending injury list. Rising headlines the group. In two seasons as a starter, the Texas transfer logged 4,741 yards, 39 touchdown passes, and 11 interceptions while adding nearly 800 yards and another 11 touchdowns on the ground. Of course, the question remains what Rising looks like after a full year off from live football.

Kuthie is a more interesting case. The tight end went down in 2022, missed the rest of that season along with 2023, and has yet to fully participate in 2024 spring camp. It's not out of the question that Kuthie misses this season, and may shut it down for good.

The receiving room is truly the Big 12's most underrated and one of its very best. Pittman returns alongside Money Parks (603 yards last two years) and USC transfer Dorian Singer, a former all-conference receiver at Arizona. Jaylon Glover rises as the likely lead back alongside Bernard. In 2023, Glover picked up 585 rush yards and a pair of scores, but appears poised to be a breakout player in Salt Lake City.

Just two starters return on the offensive line, but the rising talent is enough for Phil Steele to name it second best in the Big 12 and Athlon, third best.

Under Rising in 2022, Utah finished 11th in points per drive (PPD) scored. Last year without him, they fell to 88th. Expect something closer to the first measure this season.

Utah Utes Defense Preview

Oct 14, 2023; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Utes defensive tackle Junior Tafuna (58) plays against California Golden Bears offensive lineman Matthew Wykoff (74) in the first half at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports / Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

While the offensive unit shouldn't have a problem finding the end zone, it's the defense that Utah hangs its hat on. Edge rusher Junior Tafuna, already a three-time All-Conference selection, is a likely All-American candidate this preseason. He leads a truly elite defensive front that's bolstered by the return of Fano and, in total, returns all four starters. Steele ranks the unit third nationally; Athlon ranks it tops in the Big 12.

Returning Barton at linebacker is a huge boost for Utah. He was the best linebacker, if not the most productive defender, on the team. Throughout all the injuries, Utah finished 24th in PPD allowed, an improvement from 2022. This year, this unit should flirt with the top-15 nationally.

Perhaps the unsung unit on the defense is the backfield. Over the past couple years, Utah's seen extreme highs and extreme lows. They've sent multiple defensive backs to the NFL, but also had to plug in RB Bernard to try and cover a first-round WR in Jaxon Smith-Njigba in the 2023 Rose Bowl. This year, the secondary trends in the "highs" direction.

Corner Zemaiah Vaughn leads the unit after recording 15 pass breakups (PBUs) the last two years. Both starters at safety, Nate Ritchie and Tao Johnson, return to bolster the backend. And, of course, defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley was named head coach in waiting, once Whittingham hangs it up.

Best Case Scenario For Utah

Nov 11, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Utah Utes tight end Miki Suguturaga (47) and running back Jaylon Glover (1) celebrate after Suguturaga scored a touchdown against the Washington Huskies during the first half at Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports / Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

Everyone returns, injury luck regresses far from what it was in 2023, and Utah returns to a 10-11 win program. Its ceiling isn't just a Big 12 Championship, but likely an appearance in the national semifinals – this team is good enough to win a CFP game off a bye.

Rice-Eccles Stadium presents one of the most underrated homefield advantages in the nation. Phil Steele ranks its difficulty in step with LSU and Oregon. The Utes host Baylor (a retained non-conference matchup!), Arizona, TCU, rival BYU, and Iowa State – far from a murderer's row, but also far from a cakewalk. Utah has a favorable road schedule against Utah State, Arizona State, Houston, and Colorado before navigating a tricky game at UCF.

They avoid three of the top five picks in the Big 12 media poll behind Utah: Kansas State, Kansas, and West Virginia. Perhaps most encouraging is the start of the schedule – four of Utah's first six FBS opposing defenses ranked outside the top-100 in PPD last season. Only one opponent on the slate (Arizona) ranked inside the top 40 and just three inside the top 65.

Chances are, Utah will be closer to hitting its ceiling than its floor. Realistically, Utah's best season is 10-2, but 11-1 and even 12-0 aren't out of the cards.

Worst Case Scenario For Utah

Oct 14, 2023; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham looks on against the California Golden Bears in the second half at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports / Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

There's a major "what if" being glossed over here – Cameron Rising's return to play. After not playing live football for over a year, there is a reality in which he comes back a different, less mobile and less effective player. There's a future grounded firmly in reality where Rising misses more time and behind him is a cast of extremely unproven QBs. The dropoff is sizable.

Kuthie may also not play. After all, he wasn't fully on the field in July and, after that much time, could opt to hang it up (based purely on speculation). We saw what this team was like without Rising and Kuthie, even before the other slew of injuries.

But Utah's floor might not be as low as you think. Even with a half-dozen starters on the season-ending injury list, Utah won eight games. The Utes won eight games against a more difficult schedule than they tackle this year. So a realistic floor for this team – and I mean floor – is just a repeat of last year. 8-4 heading into bowl season with either an interesting offense or formidable defense, but not both.

Whittingham just wins games.

2024 Utah Utes Schedule

Date	Opponent
Aug. 29 (Thursday)	Southern Utah (FCS)
Sept. 7	Baylor
Sept. 14	at Utah State
Sept. 21	at Oklahoma State
Sept. 28	Arizona
Oct. 5	BYE
Oct. 12	at Arizona State
Oct. 19	TCU
Oct. 26	at Houston
Nov. 2	BYE
Nov. 9	BYU
Nov. 16	at Colorado
Nov. 23	Iowa State
Nov. 30	at UCF

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