None of this is exactly new for Utah. It’s been more than 13 years since the Utes beat then-No. 4 Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. Utah has played in three of the last four Pac-12 Championship Games, finally breaking through last season for its first Pac-12 title.
In what might be the most consequential game of Week 1, No. 7 Utah travels to Florida as somewhat of an accidental national power. Underrated in a disrespected conference, the Utes are no longer a curiosity. Their coach, Kyle Whittingham, has developed a legitimate playoff contender in his 18th season leading the program.
Utah has its quarterback, inspirational Texas transfer Cameron Rising, an intimidating front seven on defense and the respect of CBS Sports. Our experts were all about the Utes when making their preseason College Football Playoff picks.
And we’re not alone. Utah enters The Swamp on Saturday as a 3-point favorite.
“I think we’re still fighting for [recognition] in a way,” said Whittingham, who tied with Oklahoma State’s Mike Gundy as the second-longest tenured FBS coach. “We’re a program that is still working on a brand, trying to become more of a national presence. But you’ve got to earn that. The way you do that is, every time you have a chance on national television, you’ve got to play your way into that respect.”
The next step is to be the first Pac-12 team to advance to the CFP in the last six years. A big reason the league lost USC and UCLA — and finds itself vulnerable to further departures — is because it has not accomplished much on the field as of late.
Beating Florida is important, but the next move after that is to outlast whatever the Pac-12 becomes. In other words, become that legit national power.
Utah is playing an SEC opponent for only the eighth time in its history, the first time since that Alabama win. Win and a pathway to top-four consideration opens. USC is at home in what shapes up as a do-or-die game on Oct. 15. Other than a trip to Oregon on Nov. 19, Utah’s only road games are at Arizona State, UCLA, Washington State and Colorado.
Only six active FBS coaches have more wins than Whittingham’s 144. Florida’s Billy Napier has 40 at Louisiana but is making his debut with the Gators on Saturday night.
Win or lose, let’s just say Utah has options once USC and UCLA depart the Pac-12. It’s perhaps the league’s best program at the moment. (It’s certainly the most powerful.) You…
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