That's Utah's record in Pac-12 openers under Whitt.
This is what I had hoped to avoid. I really didn't want Utah playing from a hole because it's rarely been successful for them. I can't say ever because of last year but much of Utah winning the South came from ASU failing in its comeback against Oregon. I'm being honest here where that one game, which was entirely out of Whitt's control, changed the overall vibe surrounding Utah football - if only temporarily. Could you imagine the feeling right now if last season ASU managed to win that game at Oregon and therefore the division?
Alas, it only somewhat masks the continued issues facing this program in the Pac-12 era and it's that only once, 2015, has Utah really controlled its own destiny in conference play outside the first week or two of conference play.
Every other year, Utah has had to dig itself out of a hole. Credit the team for doing it most years, as opposed to just giving up, but it's not going to be good enough to get us to where any of us want to be, to be honest. After all, since the Pac-12 expanded, no team has won the conference after starting 0-1 in Pac-12 play. Maybe that changes this year. Tho it probably won't.
What is likely to happen, unfortunately, is that Utah drops two or three more games and either has to win the division because it's complete trash again or they actually fail to do so. Another good season, maybe even one that ends in the top15, but also a season that results in another mid-tier Pac-12 bowl game...not what many expected when the season began.
Hopefully I'm wrong and this team finishes 12-1. But to be honest, based on past results, that's not likely to happen.
This is what I had hoped to avoid. I really didn't want Utah playing from a hole because it's rarely been successful for them. I can't say ever because of last year but much of Utah winning the South came from ASU failing in its comeback against Oregon. I'm being honest here where that one game, which was entirely out of Whitt's control, changed the overall vibe surrounding Utah football - if only temporarily. Could you imagine the feeling right now if last season ASU managed to win that game at Oregon and therefore the division?
Alas, it only somewhat masks the continued issues facing this program in the Pac-12 era and it's that only once, 2015, has Utah really controlled its own destiny in conference play outside the first week or two of conference play.
Every other year, Utah has had to dig itself out of a hole. Credit the team for doing it most years, as opposed to just giving up, but it's not going to be good enough to get us to where any of us want to be, to be honest. After all, since the Pac-12 expanded, no team has won the conference after starting 0-1 in Pac-12 play. Maybe that changes this year. Tho it probably won't.
What is likely to happen, unfortunately, is that Utah drops two or three more games and either has to win the division because it's complete trash again or they actually fail to do so. Another good season, maybe even one that ends in the top15, but also a season that results in another mid-tier Pac-12 bowl game...not what many expected when the season began.
Hopefully I'm wrong and this team finishes 12-1. But to be honest, based on past results, that's not likely to happen.
