Utah is a flawed team, just like BYU and everyone else in the Big 12 is. Utah was the beneficiary of lazy media that plugs Utah in because Whitt has historically had good teams, and even figures out how to win when his teams aren't good (2023). Watching them this year, they were never a top 10 team even with Rising. Cam probably makes them better, but he doesn't make them a top 10 team. The D doesn't look as stout this year. Utah State and the Pig Farmer were picking them apart and running right through them. Utah State should not be able to put up a 100 yard rusher on a Utah D. Against OK State, it was like Gundy forgot he had a Doak Walker candidate on his team, which is crazy given the success on the ground that Utah State had the week before. For most of last season and all of this season, Utah has felt like a truck driving down the road with no lug nuts. Credit to Whitt for being able to mask the struggles by eeking by mediocre teams, but it was only a matter of time before the wheels would start to come off. Utah losing at home by two scores to an unranked Arizona team with a whole new coaching staff should cause Utah fans real concern. All of a sudden, almost every game remaining on their schedule looks questionable. Their remaining home schedule has 3 teams that are arguably better than Arizona (TCU, BYU, Iowa State). And the road is full of landmines (Arizona State has been better than anyone thought as has Colorado, and UCF is on the road where no one wants to play). I'd take our remaining schedule over theirs 100%.

BYU still has questions, but if you're looking at our team objectively Jake has been pretty darn good. He's graded out very well in the first few weeks. PFF gave him 6th best ranking for QBs in week 5 (best in the Big 12). It was his second week getting the top grade in the Big 12. He's been awesome and seems to be getting better. He's also our leading rusher right now. Our run game hasn't been great yet but we've found a gem in Moa, and Nawahine has been better than I thought. Hopefully we get Hinkley and LJ back full strength soon. The run game will get better (get well soon Conner!). And our D is legit. It's a defense we can count on. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous in the 4th vs Baylor. After their TD and a 3 and out by our O all of the momentum was on their side. The D steps up and forces a critical punt (the penalty helped). When that 3rd down ball gets tipped and picked, the D has to come in against the momentum again and saves the day, forcing a turnover on downs. Then a beautiful pick to secure it at the end.

We are a good team that is getting better. Yes we've had some luck, but we've also grinded out points and gotten huge stops. We can build some momentum at home over the next couple of weeks if we keep doing what we're doing. Utah just got blindsided at home by a team that they were favored by -12.5 to beat. I went back and watched that game again and it looked like Arizona was just better. Arizona was in control that entire game. Whitt can blame the coaches for the terrible red zone play, but I don't know that I disagree with anything Ludwig called in those first two drives (maybe the 2nd down on the 2nd drive where Wilson had to throw it away, I would have hammered it with Bernard for another down). He tried to send a message at home to his team and fans by stuffing it down AZ's throat on that first drive, but AZ stood them up and turned them away. The second 4th down, after getting stuffed by AZ stacking the box, he opted for a play action jump ball to his former BYU basketball star but the D just won. Utah couldn't get it in the end zone because Arizona was just better.

Utah isn't even our toughest game left, IMO. I'm more worried about the game before @ UCF, even after Colorado went there and thumped them. I think we're well equipped to go into RES and control that game.