In Utah, none of this is really novel. More than 13 years had passed since the Utes’ previous success against No. 4 Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. Utah has participated in three of the last four Pac-12 championship games and, last season, ultimately won the conference for the first time.
As a sort of unintentional national power, Utah No. 7 travels to Florida for what may be the most important game of week one. The Utes are no longer an anomaly while being underappreciated in a mocking conference. In his 18th season as their head coach, Kyle Whittingham, has built a team that is a true postseason contender.
Inspiring Texas transfer Cameron Rising, an intimidating front seven on defense, and the respect of CBS Sports all belong to Utah. While picking the winners of the college football playoffs in advance, our commentators were all about the Utes.
We’re not alone either. Utah is a 3-point favorite going into The Swamp on Saturday.
Whittingham, who was tied with Mike Gundy of Oklahoma State for the second-longest tenure as an FBS coach, said, “I think we’re still fighting for it [recognition] in a way. “We are a program that is still establishing a brand and attempting to gain more widespread recognition. Yet, you must earn it. They set it up such that you have to participate each time you have an opportunity to appear on national television.
The next step is to become the first Pac-12 team to advance to the CFP in the past six years. A big reason the league has lost USC and UCLA — and is prone to more departures — is that it hasn’t accomplished much on the field lately.
Beating Florida is important, but the next step after that is surviving whatever the Pac-12 becomes. In other words, will legit national power.
Utah is playing against an SEC opponent for only the eighth time in its history, the first since that win in Alabama. Win and a path to the top 4 reflections will open. USC is at home in a game that is shaping up to be a do-or-die game on October 15th. Aside from a trip to Oregon on Nov. 19, Utah’s only road games are in 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 in Louisiana but is making his debut with the Gators Saturday night.
