Utah has been ranked Top 25 each year in the AP preseason poll and only ONCE has their end of season ranking been higher than their preseason rank (2021: #24 -> #12).
2024: #12 -> No votes probably
2023: #14 -> No votes
2022: #7 -> #10
2021: #24 -> #12
2020: #22 -> No votes
2019: #14 -> #16
Sure, in a few of those seasons, they only fell a few spots, but 5/6 of recent years underperforming isn't usually exceeding expectations (at least not in the eyes of the AP).