Optimism for Utah this fall is prevalent. Not as much for BYU

The 2024-25 college football season is still a ways off, as Utah doesn’t open the season for 98 more days, BYU not for an even 100. Summer workouts are ongoing, with fall camp beckoning in a few months’ time.

When the season does finally roll around, though, expectations are that Utah will be at or near the top of the Big 12 Conference. BYU not as much.

That is the consensus of power rankings of the Big 12 teams following spring camps, that the Utes will contend for the conference title, while the Cougars will be among the cellar dwellers.

Among CBS Sports, USA Today, Athlon Sports, On3 Sports and 247 Sports, four have Utah as the best team in the Big 12 right now — based on current rosters — with only 247 Sports slotting the Utes in at No. 2 among the 16 Big 12 programs.

Whether it be confidence in the program Kyle Whittingham has built, belief in a resurgent Cam Rising or a myriad of other factors — USC transfer Dorian Singer and Cal Poly transfer Sam Huard each garnered mention — by and large experts are agreed, the Utes are going to contend for their third conference championship in four years.

“When quarterback Cameron Rising is in the lineup, the Utes rank among the best teams in college football, posting a 19-6 record with two conference championships. Rising’s knee will be the biggest question mark, but the Utes solidified the offense with three wide receiver transfers and two tight ends along with some quarterback depth in the form of former five-star Sam Huard. If the defense can come along, the Utes are the clear team to beat in the Big 12,” wrote CBS Sports’ Shehan Jeyarajah.

Wrote USA Today’s Patrick Conn: “Only one team in the Big 12 has won two conference titles in the last three years and that is the Utah Utes. They won back-to-back Pac-12 titles before taking a step back in 2023. Heading into 2024 Kyle Whittingham has a major opportunity to secure another conference title with Utah. Quarterback Cam Rising is set to return after sitting out last season with a torn ACL and the team welcomes former Arizona and USC WR Dorian Singer to the team. Get your popcorn ready because Whittingham always has his team ready to play.”

There are questions about the Utes’ defense given some notable defections to the NFL plus season-ending injuries already, but by and large there is real belief in the Utes.

“Easily, the best news out of Salt Lake City this spring were the glowing reports around seventh-year senior starting quarterback Cam Rising’s health,” On3 Sports’ Jesse Simonton wrote. “Same for tight end Brant Kuithe and tailback Micah Bernard. With the added firepower from guys like Dorian Singer, Traeshaun Lyons and Damien Alford, Utah’s offense should be more prolific in 2024. The Utes also go some Rising insurance by landing former 5-star Sam Huard, once a Washington signee, out of the portal. Kyle Whittingham has some spots to sort out in the secondary, but overall, Utah projects to have one of the best defenses in the Big 12 and should contend for a new conference championship in Year 1.”

By way of comparison, in-state rival BYU is not expected to make significant noise in the Big 12 in the Cougars’ second year in the league. BYU was at times a feisty mid-tier Big 12 program a year ago, but there are some serious doubts about the Cougars right now.

Those same outlets that are so high on Utah rate BYU’s roster as the 13th or 14th best (or worst) in the league, save for for USA Today, which slots the Cougars in at No. 11 in the Big 12.

The concerns about BYU are understandable.

The Cougars don’t have a surefire starter at quarterback right now, with Gerry Bohanon and Jake Retzlaff in competition for the job. BYU also showed an inability to protect the quarterback and get to the opposition’s quarterback last season, and until either of those weaknesses are shored up, skeptics abound.

“BYU last had back-to-back losing seasons in the mid-2000s,” 247 Sports’ Cody Nagel wrote. “The Cougars could be in danger of seeing that streak come to an end in 2024 after a difficult first year in the Big 12. BYU returns an experienced group of receivers that should make things easier for new transfer quarterback Gerry Bohanon, who started his career at Baylor before spending the past season at USF. The Cougars need to make improvements on defense after giving up nearly six yards per play in 2023. Second-year defensive coordinator Jay Hill helped land one of the top FCS transfers in four-star edge rusher Jack Kelly, who spent the past three seasons at Weber State where Hill previously served as head coach.”

Or as Jeyarajah put it: “BYU’s defense took a modest step forward in its first year under respected defensive coordinator Jay Hill, but the offense was a total mess. The Cougars ranked last in the Big 12 in essentially every offensive category, including both passing and running the ball. As opposed to last season, BYU opted to limit its transfers, but three of its seven additions are quarterbacks. Former Baylor starter Gerry Bohanon and former No. 1 JUCO quarterback Jake Retzlaff are favorites for the job, but the position doesn’t matter much if BYU can’t protect and run better.”

BYU overachieved most expectations a year ago in its first year in the Big 12. Entering Year 2 though, the Cougars still have much to prove in the eyes of many, though there is optimism about the impact Bohanon might have, as well was Weber State defensive line transfer Jack Kelly.

“The Cougars were awful offensively in 2023, ranking near the bottom of nearly every metric in the Big 12,” Simonton wrote. “So what did Kalani Sitake do? He brought in three transfer quarterbacks, including former Baylor and USF quarterback Gerry Bohanon. Coming of the spring, the QB1 job is down to either Bohanon or Jake Retzlaff, but the rest of the offense remains much of the same. BYU added a pair of offensive linemen in the portal, but that’s it. They’re counting on big leaps in production from the likes of freshman tailback LJ Martin and sophomore wideout Chase Roberts. The Cougs struggled defensively with first-year coordinator Jay Hill, but the ex-Weber State coach brought in one of his former players to improve the team’s pass rusher — top FCS edge Jack Kelly.”