Despite logging several high profile wins in Utah’s PAC tenure, I still think there is a case to be made that this was the single most important win of the PAC era.
I posit that Utah’s rise in the PAC has come almost exclusively at the expense of Stanford as Utah has displaced Stanford as the de facto “Physical” team within the finesse PAC12. We came to occupy what was for them and now is for Utah a very fruitful ecological niche within the conference. Had Utah not displaced Stanford I think Furd would have continued winning and likely would have been included in the B1G’s recent expansion.
I think Stanford’s woes in the portal era are really a continuation of the decline that began with this loss. And now we’re picking the bones of Stanford’s carcass in the portal and with this recruiting class. And this is what will continue to fuel Utah’s growth. I’m not sure Utah ever turns the corner as a PAC member without this critical win. That’s why I think there is an argument for 2013 UU vs Stanford as the most important game of the PAC era.
I posit that Utah’s rise in the PAC has come almost exclusively at the expense of Stanford as Utah has displaced Stanford as the de facto “Physical” team within the finesse PAC12. We came to occupy what was for them and now is for Utah a very fruitful ecological niche within the conference. Had Utah not displaced Stanford I think Furd would have continued winning and likely would have been included in the B1G’s recent expansion.
I think Stanford’s woes in the portal era are really a continuation of the decline that began with this loss. And now we’re picking the bones of Stanford’s carcass in the portal and with this recruiting class. And this is what will continue to fuel Utah’s growth. I’m not sure Utah ever turns the corner as a PAC member without this critical win. That’s why I think there is an argument for 2013 UU vs Stanford as the most important game of the PAC era.
