Welcome to the Hotline’s predictions for every Pac-12 sport of the 2022 season. The 12-part sequence might be revealed in six installments, with groups grouped each day by journey companions. Hyperlinks to prior articles at backside …
Utah Utes
Coach: Kyle Whittingham (18th season)
Offensive coordinator: Andy Ludwig (fourth season)
Defensive coordinator: Morgan Scalley (seventh season)
2021 document: 10-4/8-1
Utah’s five-year win totals: 9-7-9/11-10 (2020 season excluded)
Final postseason look: 2022 Rose Bowl (misplaced to Ohio State)
Finest-case 2022 state of affairs: 11-1
Worst-case 2022 state of affairs: 8-4
Projected beginning quarterback: Cameron Rising
Key query: How will the defending Pac-12 champions deal with the strain of being the hunted for the primary time since becoming a member of the convention in 2011?
Right here we go …
Sept. 3: at Florida
Consequence: win
Report: 1-0
Remark: Our solely query: Will Florida be inside two scores with 5 minutes remaining, or will it's out of attain? In all probability the previous however don’t rule out the latter.
Sept. 10: vs. Southern Utah
Consequence: win
Report: 2-0
Remark: The afterglow of success in The Swamp will linger for one week and one quarter. A sluggish begin for the Utes provides solution to a blowout.
Sept. 17: vs. San Diego State
Consequence: win
Report: 3-0
Remark: In distinction to final 12 months, Rising will begin however not end. Additionally in distinction to final 12 months, Utah needs to be comfortably forward late.
Sept. 24: at Arizona State
Consequence: win
Report: 4-0/1-0
Remark: Harmful sport for the Utes, who might be entrenched within the AP high 5 at this level and a considerable favourite in Tempe. Appears like Rising might want to elevate his sport to maintain Utah undefeated.
Oct. 1: vs. Oregon State
Consequence: win
Report: 5-0/2-0
Remark: The Beavers rushed for 260 yards of their head-to-head victory final season. Will they get 260 yards whole this time round? Uncertain.
Oct. 8: at UCLA
Consequence: loss
Report: 5-1/2-1
Remark: No crew has gone undefeated in convention play since Utah and Colorado joined the Pac-12 greater than a decade in the past, and these Utes gained’t be the primary.
Oct. 15: vs USC
Consequence: win
Report: 6-1/3-1
Remark: Affordable likelihood the Trojans are undefeated once they arrive in Salt Lake Metropolis for a showdown of top-10 groups. Utah has the go rush and secondary to include Caleb Williams and Co. — and the bottom sport to put on down USC’s protection.
Oct. 22: idle
Remark: Necessary weekend off with a Thursday sport across the bend.
Oct. 27 (Thursday): at Washington State
Consequence: win
Report: 7-1/4-1
Remark: WSU often makes the Utes work for his or her victories, and this primetime matchup might be no exception.
Nov. 5: vs. Arizona
Consequence: win
Report: 8-1/5-1
Remark: Further time for the Utes to organize plus the scare final 12 months in Tucson plus Arizona coming off a Homecoming duel with USC equals a give-the-points scenario, regardless of how massive the unfold.
Nov. 12: vs. Stanford
Consequence: win
Report: 9-1/6-1
Remark: Utes dealing with a crew they demolished final season and might be susceptible to a look-ahead scenario with the Geese looming. However Stanford is taking part in for the eighth consecutive week and never up for the problem bodily.
Nov. 19: at Oregon
Consequence: loss
Report: 9-2/6-2
Remark: Precisely the premier matchup the convention envisioned when it scheduled this for the penultimate Saturday of the common season. We count on a defensive duel determined by two or three performs within the fourth quarter. The Geese finish Utah’s playoff drive, simply because the Utes did to Oregon final 12 months.
Nov. 26: at Colorado
Consequence: win
Report: 10-2/7-2
Remark: Drained and downbeat after the showdown in Eugene, the Utes battle early however take management late to safe a spot within the Pac-12 championship sport.
*** Earlier installments
Arizona
Arizona State
Cal
Stanford
Colorado
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