The Utah Checkdown

Utah’s first 5-star; takeaways from Big 12 media days

Utah football was at Big 12 media days in Frisco, Texas, this week to talk about the upcoming season.
Host Josh Furlong was down in Texas to talk to Kyle Whittingham and the players. He breaks down those conversations and what he learned about the upcoming season.
The biggest takeaway was the newfound vibes of the team.
He also gives an update on Utah's recruiting, which got a bump after one of its committed players was upgraded to a fifth star in the rankings.
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Big 12 preseason poll; storylines for intriguing Big 12 media days in Dallas

Talking season begins this week when the Big 12 hosts its annual media days in Frisco, Texas.
Host Josh Furlong will be down in Texas and gives his preview of what to look for in the coming days as the college football offseason takes a turn toward the new season.
He'll breakdown what to expect, who is coming, and what the storylines coming out of media days will be for the upcoming season. He also gives his own preseason poll for the upcoming year.
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Utah on commit watch, and a preview of the Utes’ season finale with the Kansas duo

With 13 committed recruits for the 2026 class, Utah football remains in the hunt for several top-tier talent ahead of the upcoming season.
Host Josh Furlong gives an update on who has recently committed, as well as the players to watch in the coming weeks. He also gives an update on the Jake Retzlaff situation.
He closes out the show with the final iteration of the Utah football schedule breakdown, with a look at Kansas State and Kansas.
Though both teams have some similarities going into the season, how will they be when Utah faces them at the end of the year?
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Utah going big game hunting in recruiting; previewing Cincy, Baylor games

Utah football concluded official visits over the weekend for the 2026 recruiting class.
The staff loaded up the final weekend with several talented players, including five-star offensive tackle Felix Ojo and Lone Peak High twin receivers Jaron and Keenan Pula.
Host Josh Furlong recaps what is known about Utah's final week of official visits, as well as giving an updated look at the commits Utah has received for the class.
He also continues his schedule series breakdown with a look at Cincinnati and Baylor. If Utah is in contention for a Big 12 title, that road trip to Waco, Texas, could prove to be a pivotal and seismic game down the stretch.
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Looking for redemption amid a rivalry stretch of BYU and Colorado on Utah football’s schedule

We're back again to preview the two games that will start the back half stretch of Utah football's schedule. It's a rivalry stretch that has a lot of unknowns for the two opponents BYU and Colorado
Host Josh Furlong breaks down these two tough games, which includes a road game against in-state rival BYU and a home bout against a different Colorado team.
With the unknowns surrounding the QB position for both programs, there's a lot of questions going into the season about how good these two schools can be a year after improvement for both teams.
It's a tough stretch that could prove the mettle of Utah's team this season.
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Phil Steele ranks Utah football high; a preview of West Virginia and Arizona State

We're back again to preview the next two games on Utah football's schedule, with a road game against West Virginia and a home game against reigning Big 12 champion Arizona State.
Host Josh Furlong breaks down these two challenging games as Utah enters the halfway point of its season. Is a 4-2 record good enough for optimism for the remaining six games?
He also gives an update on Utah's official visits, a brief look at the House settlement and what it means moving forward, as well as a look at what Phil Steele had to say about the Utes for the upcoming season.
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From Wyoming to Texas Tech, Utah football will have its hands full in early, pivotal stretch

The final game of the nonconference schedule and the first game of Big 12 play will prove to be a pivotal early stretch for Utah football.
Host Josh Furlong returns with the next two games on Utah's schedule, with a road contest at Wyoming and home game against Texas Tech to start the conference slate.
The Cowboys are looking to bounce back from a poor season, while the Red Raiders are going all in on the 2025 season in an effort to win the conference. How Utah performs in these two games will be telling for the rest of the season.
Will Utah have what it takes to upend a Texas Tech squad with arguably the best roster on paper in the conference, or is Utah still a step behind after a dismal 2024 season?
Furlong also gives a brief update on the shifting College Football Playoff landscape, as well as an update on Utah's official visits.
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Devon Dampier vs. Nico Iamaleava on a national stage? Breaking down Utah football’s season openers

Utah opens up the season with a game against former Pac-12 foe UCLA on the road to start the 2025 season.
The game has the potential to get a little bit of national attention with Nico Iamaleava as UCLA's starting QB, but do the Bruins have enough to compete this season?
Host Josh Furlong begins his weekly schedule breakdown by looking at the first two games of the season against UCLA and FCS Cal Poly.
Utah and UCLA had very similar seasons, and each will have much to prove in Week 1. But which team is better suited for a potential bounce-back year?
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Changes to the College Football Playoff and the future of the sport

College football is evolving at a rapid pace, and already there's been too much to follow.
Host Josh Furlong jumps into the weeds to explain the recent news about the College Football Playoff structure and what the next steps are.
He also explains the recent talk to bind the schools together in an agreement that could force schools out of their current conference if they don't join.
What does it all mean to the sport's future?
Furlong also gives a brief update on some new players added to the official visit list for Utah football to watch for in the coming month.
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Will Utah football exceed 7.5 wins? And latest recruiting news

The over/under lines for the Big 12 are out, and it's another season of perceived parity in the conference.
Host Josh Furlong takes a look at the top eight teams, including Utah, who have the best odds to see where they stand going into the 2025 season.
As it stands, Utah is projected to win 7.5 games, but can the Utes bounce back and get at least eight wins? What about the other top teams in the conference?
Furlong also gives an introductory look at Utah's 2026 recruiting class and the official visits the school will be hosting starting on May 30. Welcome to the busy season of recruiting.
Stay up to date with University of Utah athletics news and coverage from KSL.com Sports on social media platform X @KSLcomSports and on KSL.com.
Follow Josh Furlong @JFurKSL