Post-Spring Ball Top 25 For Utah, Pac-12 According To 247Sports

SALT LAKE CITY – Spring ball is a wrap and now it’s on to dreaming about how things might shake out in the Top-25 for Utah football and the Pac-12 in the upcoming 2023 season.

According to 247Sports’ early look at the Top-25 after spring practices have wrapped up, the Pac-12 could have as many as five representatives to start the season, with one team ranked inside the Top-10.

Oregon State (No. 19), Oregon (No. 15), Utah (No. 14), Washington (No. 13) and USC (No.7) all appear poised for big seasons in the outlet’s fledgling estimation. The conference finished the 2022 season strong in the final AP Top-25 Poll with six teams ranked and it appears there is optimism the Pac-12 will have another strong showing in 2023.

 

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Brad Crawford’s Early Impressions Of The Utes

Last season, Utah was all the rage in the lead up to the 2022 season with many pundits predicting them as a College Football Playoff dark horse. This year the buzz is much quieter despite returning much of the same team that earned them back-to-back conference championships and Rose Bowl appearances.

Still, the Utes have a good shot at threepeating as Pac-12 Champions and possibly doing something more, but the path looks to be a bit tougher than in previous years. Add in some questions about how ready-to-go starting quarterback Cam Rising will be after suffering an ACL tear and there is reason why there is optimism about Utah without near the fervor.

 

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247 writer, Brad Crawford had this to say about the Utes ahead of the 2023 football season:

“The word in May: Kyle Whittingham’s not going to lead the Utes to a third-consecutive Pac-12 title as an underdog, is he? The odds are high with quarterback Cam Rising coming back, along with Utah’s returning playmakers on defense. Even with Clark Phillips off to the NFL, the Utes have several all-conference caliber starters back on that side of the football. We’re expecting running back Ja’Quinden Jackson to assume a starring role on offense with more touches in the backfield.”

247’s Full Top-25

1. Georgia
2. Michigan
3. Ohio State
4. LSU
5. Florida State
6. Alabama
7. USC
8. Penn State
9. Texas
10. Clemson
11. Notre Dame
12. Tennessee
13. Washington
14. Utah
15. Oregon
16. Texas A&M
17. TCU
18. Kansas State
19. Oregon State
20. Oklahoma
21. North Carolina
22. Tulane
23. Wisconsin
24. Ole Miss
25. South Carolina

Michelle Bodkin is the Utah Utes Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of both the Crimson Corner Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and The Saturday Show (Saturday from 10 a.m.–12 p.m.) on The KSL Sports Zone. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram: @BodkinKSLsports

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