(QB Cameron Rising – 247Sports)
Key Players Returning:
QB Cameron Rising, RB Jaylon Glover, WR Money Parks, TE Landen King, OG Michael Mokofisi, OT Spencer Fano, DE Logan Fano, DE Van Fillinger, DE Connor O’Toole, DT Simote Pepa, DT Junior Tafuna, DT Keanu Tanuvasa, LB Lander Barton, LB Karene Reid, CB Zemaiah Vaughn, FS Tao Johnson, PR Mycah Pittman, PK Cole Becker, and PT Jack Bouwmeester.
Key Players Departing:
QB Bryson Barnes (Utah State transfer), RB Ja’Quinden Jackson, WR Mikey Matthews (California transfer), WR/PR Devaughn Vele, OC Kolinu’u Faaiu (Texas A&M transfer), OG Keaton Bills, OT Sataoa Laumea (Seahawks R6), DE Jonah Elliss (Broncos R3), CB Miles Battle, CB JaTravis Broughton, FS Cole Bishop (Bills R2), and SS Sione Vaki (Broncos R7).
(OT Isaiah Garcia – UteZone/247Sports)
Top 10 Recruits:
4 Star Recruits: OT Isaiah Garcia (Draper, Utah), WR Dorian Singer (USC transfer), WR Taeshaun Lyons (Washington transfer), TE Caren Ryan (UCLA transfer), and QB Isaac Wilson (Draper, Utah).
3 Star Recruits: CB Cameron Calhoun (Michigan transfer), RB Anthony Woods (Idaho transfer), CB Kenan Johnson (Georgia Tech transfer), DS Davis Andrews (American Fork, Utah), and WR Zacharyus Williams (Gardena, California).
2023 Results:
G01 FLORIDA W 24-11
G02 @ Baylor W 20-13
G03 WEBER STATE W 31-7
G04 #22 UCLA W 14-7
G05 @ #19 Oregon State 7-21
G06 CALIFORNIA W 34-14
G07 @ #18 USC W 34-32
G08 #8 OREGON L 6-35
G09 ARIZONA STATE W 55-3
G10 @ #5 Washington L 28-35
G11 @ #17 Arizona L 18-42
G12 @ Colorado W 63-21
BOWL vs. NORTHWESTERN L 7-14
Team Info:
2023 Record: 8-5 (5th in PAC-12)
Home: 6-1
Away: 2-3
Neutral: 0-1
P12: 5-4
Non-P12: 3-1
Head Coach: Kyle Whittingham
Utah: 162-79
Career: 162-79
Bowls: 11-6
(WR Money Parks – 247Sports)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Luke Bottari (39-72, 499 yards, 54.2%, 6.9 avg., 12 TD, 11 INT)
Rushing: Jaylon Glover (132 car., 562 yards, 4.1 avg., 2 TD)
Receiving: Money Parks (31 rec., 293 yards, 9.5 avg., 2 TD)
TD’s Scored: Bryson Barnes/Landen King/Devaughn Vele (3)
Sacks: Connor O’Toole (4.5)
Interceptions: Lander Barton (2)
Pass Deflections: Zemaiah Vaughn (6)
Tackles For Loss: Connor O’Toole/Keanu Tanuvasa (6)
Forced Fumbles: Logan Fano (2)
Kick Returns: Dijon Stanley (2 ret., 62 yards, 20.6 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Mycah Pittman (5 ret., 33 yards, 6.6 avg., 0 TD)
Kickers: Cole Becker (15-18 fg/fga., 83%, 28-28 xp/xpa., 73 pts.)
Punters: Jack Bouwmeester (55 punts, 2503 yards, 45.5 avg., 20 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 7 Cameron Rising (RS SR/TR)
RB: 2 Micah Bernard (RS SR)
WR: 10 Money Parks (SR)
WR: 3 Dorian Singer (SR/TR)
WR: 5 Mycah Pittman (RS SR/TR)
TE: 82 Landen King (RS JR/TR)
LT: 71 Caleb Lomu (RS FR)
LG: 73 Tanoa Togiai (RS JR)
OC: 53 Johnny Maea (SR)
RG: 52 Michael Mokofisi (RS JR)
RT: 55 Spencer Fano (SO)
KR: 10 Money Parks (SR)
PK: 36 Cole Becker (SR/TR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 7 Van Fillinger (RS SR)
DT: 58 Junior Tafuna (SR)
DT: 57 Keanu Tanuvasa (RS SO)
DE: 0 Logan Fano (RS SO/TR)
LB: 21 Karene Reid (SR)
LB: 8 Lander Barton (JR)
NB: 2 Smith Snowden (SO)
CB: 1 Kenan Johnson (RS SR/TR)
CB: 5 Zemaiah Vaughn (SR)
FS: 15 Tao Johnson (RS SO)
SS: 31 Nate Ritchie (JR)
PR: 5 Mycah Pittman (RS SR/TR)
PT: 34 Jack Bouwmeester (SR/TR)
(DE Connor O’Toole – 247Sports)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: B
Running Backs: C
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: B
Defense
Defensive Line: C
Linebackers: B
Secondary: C
Special Teams
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: C
Kickers: A
Punters: A
Schedule:
08/29 SOUTHERN UTAH THUNDERBIRDS | Utah leads the series 2-0. The Utes won (73-7) the last meeting between schools in 2022, and they won (24-0) the inaugural; meeting in 2016.
09/07 @ Baylor Bears | Last season’s 20-13 win was the first meeting between schools.
09/14 @ Utah State Aggies | Utah leads the series 79-30-4. The Utes won (24-14) the last meeting between schools in 2015, and their last series loss (20-27) dates back to 2012.
09/21 @ Oklahoma State Cowboys | Utah lost (6-46) the only prior meeting between schools in 1945.
09/28 ARIZONA WILDCATS | Utah leads the series 26-20. The Utes are 6-3 since 2014, and their last series win (45-20) was in 2022.
10/11 @ Arizona State Sun Devils | Utah trails the series 12-22. The Utes are 5-4 since 2014, and their last series loss (20-38) was in 2018.
10/19 TCU HORNED FROGS | Utah leads the series 5-3. The Utes lost (7-47) the last meeting between schools in 2010, and their last series win (13-10) dates back to 2008.
10/26 @ Houston Cougars | Utah trails the series 0-4. The Utes lost (25-42) the last meeting between schools in 1978.
11/09 BYU COUGARS | Utah leads the series 59-32-4. The Utes are 5-1 since restarting the series in 2015, and they lost (17-26) the last meeting between schools in 2021.
11/16 @ Colorado Buffaloes | Utah leads the series 35-32-3. The Utes are 9-1 since 2014, and their last series loss (22-27) was in 2016.
11/23 IOWA STATE CYCLONES | Utah trails the series 1-4. The Utes won (68-27) the last meeting between schools in 2010.
11/30 @ UCF Knights | First meeting between schools.
Predictions:
Home: 2-3
Away: 2-5
Neutral: 0-0
B12: 1-8
Non-B12: 3-0
Overall: 4-8 (15th in Big XII)
gridironpredictions.net 