yet since being a full fledged P5 in 2014 (CFP era), Utah is playing at the same levels as several tier 2, top 20-30 programs.

Punching well above their weight.

Utah is the only lower tier P5 to have won back to back championships in the CFP era. The market has rewarded Utah with drastically improved ranking prestige, recruiting, NIL money, etc.

Building momentum.

For Utah to drop all that and jump over to the Big 12, a lateral move, made no sense. They had every right to fight to keep the P12 together and continue building a beautiful rags to riches story.

And they also knew the Big 12 would take them at a moment's notice. So Utah...played their cards well. Tried to keep things together and then joined the Big 12 after all efforts failed. Smart.

B12 fans didn't like that Utah refused to jump in right away. They saw the Big 12 as markedly superior to the P10. That wasn't true but they were offended by Utah's strategy and have created a villain in Utah.

That draws the Texas comparisons. Texas is a major CFB program that any P2 would beg to have. Utah isn't even top 30 like you said.

So comparing Utah to Texas or other blue bloods is weird but ultimately a compliment. In reality, it's just deflecting the affront and the insecurity that the Big 12 w/o OU and Texas isn't that great of a destination.

And it's recognizing Utah didn't beg their way to the conference and will be a likely top contender most years. I think the bad boy villain and constant comparisons help Utah distinguish themselves among the 12 or so comparable brands that make up the big 12.