Why Florida is the biggest game on Utah's schedule

Looking at Utah's 2022 schedule, the Utes matchup with Florida is arguably the most important.

With the 2022 football season now just days away, the Utes have shifted their focus to their first opponent and its time to take care of business. While most programs usually kick things off against a far inferior foe to ease into the year and allow themselves opportunities to make necessary adjustments without much risk, Utah will make its way to the SEC and play their most important game of the regular season right from the start.

The following is a list of reasons as to why the Utes to trip to Gainesville is the most important on the calendar.

An opportunity to prove themselves from day one

Kyle Whittingham, Utah Utes Fall Camp / Courtesy of Utah Athletics

While they are the reigning Pac-12 Champions and have received a lot of preseason love from the media, the Utes still have a lot to prove for not only themselves but the conference as well. Despite going 10-4 last season with a Pac-12 Title and a closely contested loss to Ohio State in the Rose Bowl, the Utes aren't always favored over a Florida program that went 6-7 just a year ago. 

Conference strength is obviously at play here and Utah not only needs to show what the Pac-12 is capable of, but that they can hang with and defeat a member from the best conference in the country.

If they can emerge from the Swamp with a W, this validates everything that Utah has been working towards over the past few years and would bode well in terms of early rankings, allowing Utah to remain in the top 10. Not that a loss would necessarily be detrimental, but if they want a real shot at being considered for the College Football Playoff, better to stay in the top 10 from the beginning rather than have zero room for error the rest of the season. 

A win in the swamp would provide a massive boost of confidence

Clark Phillips III, Utah Utes Fall Camp / Courtesy of Utah Athletics

While the Gators were just 6-7 a year ago, the Swamp is a hostile and intimidating environment where opposing wins are scarce. Of their six victories last season, five of them came at home and included wins over Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Florida State. They also nearly upset No. 1 Alabama, losing 31-29 in Gainesville. 

Just as a reference, while Florida was 6-7 last season, they were also 5-1 in the Swamp. No matter what, Florida is a hostile environment that will require a lot in order for Utah to walk away with a win.

Can they do it? Yes. Will it be easy? Not at all.

— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) August 24, 2022

So if the Utes can go into one of the toughest environments in college football and emerge victorious on day one, the sky's the limit for the 2022 season. If they can win there, they can win just about anywhere.

An early win over Florida would boost their CFP resume

A general overall view of SoFi Stadium, the site of the 2023 CFP National Championship game / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

If Utah is going to compete for a spot in the College Football Playoff anytime soon, it's this season. With the vast majority of their offensive and defensive weapons returning from a season ago, the hype surrounding Cameron Rising and how much chemistry the team possesses with another year under their belt, it's now or never.

With that being said, their bid to make the top four begins with Florida. Win in the swamp and your season not only begins on the right foot, but it's also something that could present a lot of value to the committee late in the year. While an undefeated Utah team should be a shoe in, winning against Florida could be saving grace as a one-loss Utah team with a win over the Gators would certainly be a heavy consideration.

Overall, while every game counts and matchups with Oregon, USC, and UCLA certainly have their value, Florida is the biggest game on the Utes schedule. A win would significantly boost the Utes hopes of a CFP berth while a loss could take a lot to bounce back from.

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