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College Football: Each conference’s biggest sleeper contender for 2019

By Luke Feliciano

GLENDALE, ARIZONA - JANUARY 01: Head coach Ed Orgeron of the LSU Tigers watches the action during the second quarter of the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl between LSU and Central Florida at State Farm Stadium on January 01, 2019 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - JANUARY 01: Head coach Ed Orgeron of the LSU Tigers watches the action during the second quarter of the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl between LSU and Central Florida at State Farm Stadium on January 01, 2019 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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SALT LAKE CITY, UT – NOVEMBER 11: Zack Moss #2 of the Utah Utes holds the ball after scoring a touchdown during their game against the Washington State Cougars at Rice-Eccles Stadium on November 11, 2017 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UT – NOVEMBER 11: Zack Moss #2 of the Utah Utes holds the ball after scoring a touchdown during their game against the Washington State Cougars at Rice-Eccles Stadium on November 11, 2017 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr/Getty Images) /

Pac-12: Utah Utes

This pick might be shocking given that Utah was in the Pac-12 Championship Game last year. However, the Utes fell to Washington, so they should be playing with a chip on their shoulder come 2019.

While the North division was filled with a crowded field of candidates, Utah ran away with the division title in the weaker South division last year.

The South division should once again be Utah’s to lose, but the Utes figure to have slightly more competition especially because of the youthful USC squad that could make a run for the division next season.

The Utah offense is spearheaded by running back Zack Moss, who is returning for his senior season as one of the more underrated rushing talents in the country.

After ripping off two consecutive 1,000-plus yard seasons, Moss is primed to be the feature back in the Utes’ offense. His number of carries decreased from his sophomore to his junior season, but he set a career high in rushing touchdowns with 11 scores in 2018.

Senior Tyler Huntley comes back for his senior season after a 2018 season that was shortened because of injury.

Even in his limited action, Huntley was the team’s third-best rusher behind Moss and Armand Shyne, who entered the transfer portal in March.

Huntley made a bid for being one of the top passers in the conference with 1,788 yards and 12 touchdowns to go along with four 200-yard passing games and one 300-yard passing game.

The experience that Utah will have between Moss and Huntley will be vital to the Utes success during the 2019 season.

Utah will likely be a favorite to win the South division, but even then, it will face an uphill climb to win the Pac-12 having to face either Oregon, Washington or Stanford from the North division.

Oregon will be many people’s pick to win the conference overall with quarterback Justin Herbert announcing that he would return. Washington also reloaded at quarterback with Jacob Eason expected to take over as the starter.

The trouble for the Utes won’t necessarily come during the season, but rather in the final game of the season should they qualify for the Pac-12 title game.

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