[ad_1]
For the second year in a row the Big 12 is welcoming four new programs into the conference. Last year Houston, BYU, UCF, and Cincinnati joined the league and this year – after watching Texas and Oklahoma hightail it over to the SEC – the Big 12 poached the four corner schools from the Pac-12: Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and Arizona State.
While Colorado draws the most headlines thanks to its highly outspoken head coach, Deion Sanders, the best program making the move belongs to Kyle Whittingham in Salt Lake City.
The Utes have played in two of the past three Rose Bowls, were ranked in the top 10 in each of the past three seasons, and have gone 31-10 the past five seasons in conference play. Whittingham’s club will once again be lead by veteran quarterback Cam Rising, and a new conference may not stop them from once again winning nine or more games and finishing at or near the top of the standings come December.
Below is a look at each of Utah’s opponents on the schedule, complete with a score prediction and notes ahead of what should be a very fun season at Rice-Eccles Stadium:
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Prediction: Utah 45, Southern Utah 14
The Utes should take care of business in their season opener against in-state opponent Southern Utah, giving them a nice chance to fine tune everything before conference play begins the following week.
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Prediction: Utah 31, Baylor 20
Utah should handle their first Big 12 regular season game against Baylor at home, although it might end up a tad closer than Utes fans are hoping for. Still, a win is a win and represents a strong start in a new conference.
David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Prediction: Utah 37, Utah State 24
Utah heads on the road to take on in-state rival Utah State out of the Mountain West. Road games are never easy, but the Utes should handle this one before getting back into Big 12 play.
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Prediction: Oklahoma State 31, Utah 28
These two teams are among the favorites to win the Big 12 in 2024, and for Utah it represents among the toughest challenges on the schedule – a true road game in a raucous environment early in the season. Without a ton of familiarity playing in Big 12 road environments, the edge here goes to the Cowboys.
Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports
Prediction: Utah 35, Arizona 31
Utah has a chance to bounce back facing a far more familiar opponent in Arizona, and the Utes should take care of business at home even against a Wildcats team that should be pretty tough under new coach Brent Brennan.
Syndication: Arizona Republic
Prediction: Utah 40, Arizona State 28
The Utes get back-to-back chances to face familiar opponents, this time going on the road in Tempe to take on the Sun Devils. Utah will be favored by a good amount in this one, as ASU is the weakest of the four corner schools joining the Big 12 this season.
David Purdy/Getty Images
Prediction: Utah 24, TCU 21
This will be a great game. Utah has a slight advantage thanks to the game being played in Salt Lake and not Fort Worth, but the Horned Frogs will be dangerous again in 2024 and represent a tough test for Kyle Whittingham’s club in mid-October.
Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Prediction: Utah 45, Houston 21
Even in a road environment, Utah should handle a pedestrian Houston club that most project to finish last in the Big 12.
Jay Janner/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK
Prediction: Utah 33, BYU 32
Utah gets two weeks to prepare for one of college football’s best, and least celebrated, rivalries. Hosting the Cougars of BYU – who beat Utah into the Big 12 by one year – will be big time bulletin board material for the Utes, and this one very likely comes down to the final minutes.
Syndication: The Coloradoan
Prediction: Utah 48, Colorado 41
Can Deion Sanders get some momentum in his first season in the Big 12 with Colorado? By mid-November this team should have gelled enough to be playing at or near their best football, but unless the defense is dramatically better the Utes should score enough to take a W here, even on the road.
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Prediction: Utah 26, Iowa State 17
Coming off a shootout in Boulder, Utah vs Iowa State could be a low scoring affair in Salt Lake. Still, the Utes will once again be favored in this one and would move to 9-1 with a win here.
Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Prediction: Utah 21, UCF 18
Travelling across the country to play Central Florida six days after a home game against Iowa State is one of the trickiest parts of Utah’s first Big 12 schedule. They are a projected better team than the Knights, but this has trap game written all over it – especially if the Utes already have a Big 12 title wrapped up.
[ad_2]
Source link
Fitnessnacks – #Utah #Utes #football #gamebygame #predictions #Big #season
Courtesy : https://collegesportswire.usatoday.com/lists/utah-utes-football-game-predictions-big-12/