Kyle Whittingham and Utah projected to win Big 12 with CFB Playoff bid in 2025

The Utes are expected to be at the top of the conference next season
Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images
In this story:

The 2025-26 college football season is already generating excitement with ESPN’s way-too-early College Football Playoff projections. Following Ohio State’s championship victory, the Worldwide Leader in Sports unveiled its predictions for the first 12-team CFP bracket, which includes a strong representation from powerhouse conferences like the SEC, Big Ten, and ACC, along with programs from the Big 12, Mountain West, and Independents.

A standout in the projections is the University of Utah, ranked as the No. 3 seed. ESPN not only predicts the Utes will claim the Big 12 title but also foresees significant success in the postseason. According to the projection, Utah will defeat No. 6 Texas in the Cotton Bowl, advancing to a semifinal matchup in the Fiesta Bowl against No. 2 Penn State. Unfortunately, ESPN predicts a narrow loss to the Nittany Lions, ending Utah’s playoff run.

Despite a rocky debut season in the Big 12 due to numerous injuries, Utah’s resilience and potential for growth make them a favorite for the upcoming season. In 2024, the Utes struggled offensively but still managed to remain competitive, losing five one-score games and maintaining a top defense. With most of the defensive lineup returning, marginal improvements on offense could propel Utah to new heights. Here's what ESPN's Bill Connelly wrote about the Big 12 race:

"Arizona State will have a solid chance to back up its 2024 breakthrough in 2025, returning quarterback Sam Leavitt, wideout Jordyn Tyson and a number of exciting pieces on a defense that was as responsible for ASU's late-season surge as the offense. But the Sun Devils have to replace their heart-and-soul identity man (running back Cam Skattebo), and more importantly, this is the Big 12. In the Big 12, your fate is tied almost exclusively to the whims of the god of close games.

"Oklahoma State and Baylor went a combined 10-3 in one-score finishes in 2021 while surging to the Big 12 championship game, then went a combined 13-13 overall in 2022. TCU went 6-1 in one-score games in 2022 on the way to the CFP National Championship game, then crashed to 5-7 the next year. OSU went 5-1 in one-score games during a surprising return to Jerry World in 2023, then collapsed to 3-9 in 2024.

Utah's Micah Bernard receiving NFL buzz, including both Super Bowl teams

"In the most parity-friendly major conference in college football, you rarely get the breaks you need in consecutive seasons. So Arizona State (6-2 in one-score games), Iowa State (5-1) and Texas Tech (6-1, and another from the "also considered" list) are out. In their place roll Utah (1-5) and Kansas (1-5). Kyle Whittingham's Utes and Lance Leipold's Jayhawks both endured terribly disappointing 2024 seasons, and it was almost entirely because tight finishes flipped the wrong direction. (Well, that and Utah went through approximately 28 quarterbacks.) They get the breaks in 2025.

"The winner: Utah. Despite collapsing offensively, the Utes still boasted a top-20 defense (per SP+) and lost five games by a total of 23 points. They'll have a chance to charge right back up the standings. All they need is to find a QB1 -- probably New Mexico transfer Devon Dampier -- and keep him on the field."

Dalton Kincaid's heartbreaking drop costly for Bills' Super Bowl hopes

One of the key storylines for Utah heading into 2025 is their revamped offensive strategy. Head coach Kyle Whittingham has made bold changes to his staff, bringing in Jason Beck as offensive coordinator alongside assistants Mark Atuaia and Micah Simon.

Utah Athletics took on budget deficit before joining Big 12, per report

As the Utes prepare for their second Big 12 season, they have the tools to excel with an elite defense, a restructured offense, and a promising new quarterback. ESPN’s high expectations underscore Utah’s potential to emerge as a dominant force in the new CFP format. However, proceed with caution after the Utes were favored to with the Big 12 in 2024.


Published
Jason Jones
JASON JONES

Jason Jones is a writer and reporter for On SI. He has covered all major sports for the past two decades. Jones began his career in sports radio broadcasting, working for WKNR in Cleveland and KKML in Denver as show host, producer, and director of production. He previously worked as an NFL Draft analyst and reporter for Yahoo Sports Radio.