The Utah Checkdown

Has Utah football finally proven it's a legit contender after ASU win?

After another blowout win — albeit without the opponent's starting quarterback — it's time to revisit if Utah is a true contender in the Big 12 ... or has the schedule been too kind to the Utes.
Host Josh Furlong recaps Utah's blowout win over Arizona State to help answer the questions about where Utah is as a program, as well as jumping into the stats to give a midway look at the team.
He also gives a brief update on Kyle Whittingham's decision to not discuss BYU this week, creating a stir among the rival fan base.
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A Big 12 showdown in a night RES environment — previewing Arizona State

The much-awaited night game setting for a Utah football game is coming Saturday.
The game serves as a big test for both Utah and Arizona State in what could have Big 12 title implications.
Host Josh Furlong previews the game with a look at some key storylines, including a deeper dive into the stats to see the nuances between the two teams.
Furlong is also joined by Arizona State beat writer Michelle Gardner to breakdown the Sun Devils' trip to Salt Lake City.
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Is Byrd Ficklin QB2 now? A look at the top storylines after Utah's bye

Off a bye week, Utah football looks to build some momentum after a dominant win in West Virginia.
But the next two weeks, specifically, will test the Utes against ranked opponents. So how is the team looking going into a game against Arizona State?
Host Josh Furlong breaks down the bye week talking points, including a conversation about whether Byrd Ficklin should redshirt and whether he's QB2 for the rest of the season.
He also assesses the team at the midway point of the season to see where things have gone well and where it can improve.
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Is Utah football back? A recap of a dominant win

In a bounce-back performance, Utah football was in complete control on the road against West Virginia.
The offense opened up the passing game, and it meant a world of difference for the team en route to a 48-14 win in Morgantown.
Host Josh Furlong recaps the game, using advanced stats to show how the passing game was a major component into Utah doing what it needs to do to win games each week.
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Is West Virginia a make-or-break game for Utah? A preview look at Saturday

Coming off its first loss of the season, Utah football now faces a difficult cross-country test against an injury-riddled West Virginia team.
Utah is a 12-point favorite in the road game, but is it a make-or-break scenario for the Utes en route to a season of success?
Host Josh Furlong jumps into the numbers to see where this Utah team can get an edge, while talking about what's at stake for the team going into Morgantown.
He's also joined by West Virginia beat writer Spencer Ripchik to provide an inside look into the Mountaineers program and where they stand with all their injuries.
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Impact of Devon Dampier's injury amid Utah loss to Texas Tech

The weekend didn't go well for Utah football as Texas Tech came into Rice-Eccles Stadium and silenced Utah's hopes of a strong start to the conference slate.
Host Josh Furlong recaps the weekend games, where he looks at what went wrong, should Utah fans be worried and where to go from here.
He also talks about the Devon Dampier injury that impacted the starting quarterback's ability to play on Saturday and what it could mean for the Utes.
Is Utah on the same path as last season or is it just one loss to what could still be a good season?
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Weak schedules, efficient teams: A preview of Utah-Texas Tech

With FOX's "Big Noon Kickoff" setting the stage for a ranked-vs-ranked matchup on Saturday, there's a lot at stake between Utah and Texas Tech when the two battle it out on the field at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
Host Josh Furlong previews the matchup, with a deeper dive in the advanced stats of the first three games of the season for both teams, despite relatively weak schedules.
He's later joined by Texas Tech beat writer Don Williams to get a Texas Tech perspective on the game.
Is this game a preview of the Big 12 championship game? Is this the beginning of the end for one of these teams? Does one team have more pressure on them than the other?
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Nitpicking Utah football’s win over Wyoming ahead of Big 12 play

The Utes are 3-0 after a 31-6 win on the road at Wyoming, but is everything good for this Utah team?
Host Josh Furlong recaps (and nitpicks) the Wyoming game to see if Utah is ready for its test in Big 12 play. Is Utah really a Big 12 title contender or have they benefitted from a manageable nonconference schedule?
Also, he looks at Devon Dampier and where he's at to this point in the season, as well as discusses Jason Beck's ability to manipulate defenses to have success on offense.
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A look at the AP voter process; previewing Wyoming with Cody Tucker

The AP voter process came under fire this week after a voter said the system was more for fun and that it wasn't that serious.
Host Josh Furlong, who is the state's AP voter, talks about the voting process and what it takes to rank the top 25 teams each week, while also showcasing the serious nature of the poll.
He's also joined by Wyoming beat writer Cody Tucker to preview the Utah-Wyoming game on Saturday as the final nonconference game of the season.
With Wyoming's familiarity with Jason Beck and Devon Dampier, can the Cowboys defense create a problem for the Utes?
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Does Utah actually have an efficient offense? Jason Beck is working

With two games under Utah's belt, it's clear that the team's offense has been able to score points.
Host Josh Furlong briefly recaps the Cal Poly game and takes a look at Utah's offense under Jason Beck. Utah leads the country in a few offensive stats, which should bode well for the Utes, right?
He also talks a little about Devon Dampier and where he's at as a quarterback, and where the offense needs to go to be effective this season. So far, though, it's a lot of positivity about a team that has seemingly bounced back from a down 2024 season.
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