Utah faded down the stretch in the race for the Pac-12 South in 2016. Could the Utes take the next step and contend for the division in the upcoming season?
Last year Utah looked like a threat to win their division for the first time since transitioning from the Mountain West to the Pac-12. A last-minute loss to Oregon in November curtailed the chance of an outright title for the Utes. In an interesting twist, one of the architects of that last-second defeat will now be playing in red and white this season.
As such, the loss to Colorado in Utah’s league rivalry game proved a mere formality in the end. Nevertheless, the Utes proved resilient as they bounced back for a third straight bowl victory and their ninth bowl win in 10 postseason appearances under Kyle Whittingham. As the head coach enters his 13th year leading the Utes, they are in position to truly contend in their new league for the first time.
Whittingham has to deal with the loss of many key players on offense in addition to breaking in a new staff. The Utes can at least fall back on a defense and a schedule that is light on non-conference challenges but heavy on Pac-12 tests.
Does Utah have enough firepower heading into 2017 to contend for the Pac-12 South? Could they vault into the upper echelons of the national picture and fight for a College Football Playoff spot? Click ahead as we preview the Utah offense and defense before breaking down their chances in the upcoming season.