Utah Football Ranked In 247 Sports’ 2020 Preseason Top 25

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Utah football is in the top 25 of another preseason poll entering the 2020 season. This time they are ranked in the 247 Sports Top 25.

The Utes appear tied for No. 22 in the country in the rankings by 247 Sports.

Four teams from the Pac-12 cracked the top 25 including Oregon at No. 11, USC at No. 16, Arizona State at No. 21 and Utah. Washington received votes but didn’t make the top 25 ranking.

The Utes came in at No. 15 in Pro Football Focus’ way-too-early power rankings.

Utah is coming off of an 11-3 season in 2019 with a trip to the Pac-12 Championship game after winning the south division for the second straight season. They lost to Oregon in the title game as well as to Texas in the Alamo Bowl.

247Sports has released its preseason Top 25 poll — and we cannot wait for the start of the 2020 college football season.

1. Ohio State
2. Clemson
3. Alabamahttps://t.co/im8b2zZb87 pic.twitter.com/pQbzDq2vsd

— 247Sports (@247Sports) June 9, 2020

Here is what 247 Sports said in their rankings about the Utes:

“Utah was a controversial team in 247Sports’ preseason poll. Six people left Utah off their ballot while two included them in the top 20. There is plenty to like about this team. First, the schedule is favorable. USC and Arizona State are the only teams on their slate that came close to cracking this Top 25. Utah also draws USC and Washington at home. Kyle Whittingham has produced six straight teams that have won at least seven games – five of those campaigns resulted in win totals of nine or more. Whittingham is a proven talent producer and developer. Thing is … almost all of last season’s playoff-worthy defense is gone with nine starters departing. The offense fares better with seven starters back, but that doesn’t include Tyler Huntley, one of the nation’s most efficient passers. All eyes are on South Carolina transfer quarterback Jake Bentley this fall. The Utes need him to return to his freshman year form if they hope to remain atop the Pac-12 South.”

The full top 25 ranking includes the following:

1. Ohio State Buckeyes
2. Clemson Tigers
3. Alabama Crimson Tide
4. Georgia Bulldogs
5. Penn State Nittany Lions
6. Florida Gators
7. Oklahoma Sooners
8. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
9. LSU Tigers
10. Wisconsin Badgers
11. Oregon Ducks
12. Texas A&M Aggies
13. Auburn Tigers
14. Texas Longhorns (Tied for 13th)
15. Oklahoma State
16. USC Trojans
17. Michigan Wolverines
18. Minnesota Golden Gophers
19. North Carolina Tar Heels
20. UCF Knights
21. Arizona State Sun Devils
22. Utah Utes
23. Tennessee Volunteers (Tied for 22nd)
24. Virginia Tech Hokies
25. Cincinnati Bearcats

The Utes will open the 2020 season on Thursday, September 3 at Rice-Eccles Stadium against BYU.

Trevor Allen is a Utah Utes Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of the Crimson Corner podcast. Follow him on Twitter: @TrevorASports. You can download and listen to the podcast, here.