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Welcome to the first year of the team of 12 College Football Playoffs.
In anticipation of the first four-round postseason in college football history, we’re counting down the teams that will make the playoffs as the season approaches. The top five conference champions as ranked by the CFP selection committee will make the playoffs, with the remainder of the field consisting of seven teams that will make the at-large round.
Who will lift the national championship trophy on January 20 in Atlanta?
Previous previews: issues 25-13, No. 12 Boise State
No. 11 Utah
Last season in 100 words
The Utes began the season without QB Cam Rising and TE Brant Kuithe and neither made an appearance on the field. Kuithe missed the season after suffering a season-ending knee injury in September 2022 and Rising was out after suffering a serious knee injury during the Rose Bowl at the end of the 2022 season.
Without Rising (and a top receiver like Kuithe), Utah’s offense struggled. After averaging nearly 39 points per game in 2022, Utah scored just 23 points per game in 2023. The defense was exceptional as always (the Utes allowed just 19 points per game), but the offense’s struggles limited the team’s potential.
Why can Utah make the playoffs?
This one is pretty simple: Because Rising is healthy. The veteran returns for what will be his seventh and likely final season of college football. He emerged as Utah’s starter in 2021 after transferring from Texas before the 2020 season and was even better in 2022. He threw for more than 3,000 yards and 26 TDs with just eight interceptions two seasons ago. He also rushed for 465 yards and six scores on the ground.
Rising has a strong case to be considered the best quarterback in a conference that includes Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders and Kansas’ Jalon Daniels. We wouldn’t be surprised if Rising’s rushing numbers dipped in 2024 due to the knee injury, but he should be one of the conference’s top passers.
Kuithe should also return to the field along with running back Micah Bernard after missing most of 2023. The offense also added former USC WR Dorian Singer.
The defense could also be as good as it was in 2023. Nine starters are back, including leading tacklers Levani Damuni and Karene Reid. Sophomore Logan Fano had 3.5 sacks in three games last season, while defensive back Connor O’Toole had 4.5 sacks. The pass rush should still be very good even though the Utes need to replace Jonah Elliss and his 12 sacks.
The other starter who jumped to the NFL is defensive back Cole Bishop. But with three starters returning in the secondary and some depth added through the transfer portal, replacing Bishop isn’t insurmountable.
Key player
Bernard played in just two games early in the season before suffering an injury that sidelined him for the season. In his absence, Utah used a rotating group of players at running back, including converted defensive back Sione Vaki. He even averaged 10.5 yards per carry against Cal in October.
Vaki is off to the NFL and last year’s leading rusher, Ja’Quinden Jackson, is now at Arkansas. Jaylon Glover (562 yards in 2023) is back, but Bernard could end up being the lead rusher throughout the season.
In 2021 and 2022, Bernard had 193 carries for 1,056 yards and six touchdowns while averaging over nine yards per reception. If he returns to full strength alongside Rising and Kuithe, watch out.
The biggest game
Utah can’t complain about its Big 12 schedule. Not only are the Utes the more talented team heading into the season, but they also don’t have to play Kansas State in the regular season.
Not having the Wildcats on the schedule means Utah’s trip to last season’s Big 12 runners-up is the biggest game of the season. It’s Utah’s first road game as a Big 12 member and Oklahoma State returns 19 starters from a team that went 10-4 last season.
That game against OSU is also the first in a crucial two-game series. Arizona will visit the team on Sept. 28. The Wildcats lost coach Jedd Fisch to Washington, but they got back a lot of talent on offense and are also a contender for the Big 12 title. If the Utes go 5-0 before their bye week in the first week of October, they will be the undisputed Big 12 favorites.