Kyle Whittingham says Utes "Left points out there" after loss to Arizona

Utah slides down the latest AP rankings following a bad home outing without Cam Rising

Candice Ward-Imagn Images

The Utah Utes suffered a significant setback in the latest AP Top 25 rankings after being upset by Arizona. Entering the game ranked 10th, Utah dropped substantially to No. 18 following the 23-10 loss.

The Utes, now 4-1 overall and 1-1 in Big 12 play, played without their starting quarterback, Cameron Rising, who is still recovering from a hand injury sustained on September 7. Freshman quarterback Isaac Wilson led the offense but struggled to convert in key moments, throwing two interceptions and failing to capitalize in the red zone.

Utah's head coach Kyle Whittingham was critical of the team's inefficiency in scoring opportunities, stating, "(We) left points out there. We were horrible in the red zone. Awful. Until we get that fixed, we're going to continue to have problems." The Utes' inability to finish drives was a major factor in the loss, as they failed to score on several fourth-down attempts.

Arizona, led by quarterback Noah Fifita, capitalized on Utah's struggles. Fifita threw for 197 yards and two touchdowns, while the Wildcats' defense put on a stellar performance with two interceptions, seven tackles for loss, and several critical stops. Arizona's defense kept the pressure on Utah and prevented them from making a full comeback, even with a raucous home crowd behind them.

This loss serves as a wake-up call for Utah, as they now face a crucial bye week to regroup. They'll return to action on Friday, October 11, when they face Arizona State. The Utes will look to address their offensive struggles and potentially have Rising back to lead the team as they aim to stay competitive in the Big 12 race.