Kyle Whittingham on Playoff hopes: "We’ve got our backs against the wall"

Utes coach knows how pivotal the upcoming games are going to be

Zachary BonDurant-Imagn Images

After a much-needed bye week, the Utah Utes football team is gearing up to return to action with a matchup against the Arizona State Sun Devils this Friday (10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN). This game marks the beginning of a crucial three-week stretch in their season, which also includes matchups against TCU and Houston. While this part of the schedule may not appear overly daunting on paper, head coach Kyle Whittingham emphasized the importance of approaching each game with focus and intensity.

Whittingham underscored the significance of this stretch, especially after a tough loss to Arizona. "It’s very crucial, we’ve got our backs against the wall in a lot of respects right now," he stated, acknowledging the need to rebound from their previous performance. "We’ve got to get back on track, we did not play well against Arizona. You can be a good football team and not play well and get your butt handed to you."

In terms of program depth and talent, Utah and Arizona State are at different points. Arizona State has struggled in recent years, facing the fallout from recruiting violations and other mismanagement issues. This has led to a drop in the Sun Devils' overall talent pool, but as Whittingham pointed out, depth disparities don’t always determine the outcome of individual games. He used examples from other programs to illustrate this point, noting, “Look at Alabama, you’re going to tell me that Vanderbilt has even close to the personnel that Alabama has. There’s illustrations all over the place.”

For Utah, these next three games offer a chance to regain momentum and reinforce their position as title contenders. The bye week has provided valuable time for the Utes to address areas needing improvement, particularly in execution and consistency. With this upcoming matchup against Arizona State, Utah’s leaders will be pivotal in ensuring a victory and setting the tone for the remainder of the season.