Utah Football Drops In AP Top 25 After First Loss Of 2023

SALT LAKE CITY – Utah football ran into a roadblock in Corvallis, suffering their first loss of the season to Oregon State and subsequently dropping in the latest AP Top 25 poll.

The Utes couldn’t get out of their own way in most instances in Friday night’s duel with untimely drops and penalties killing offensive drives, but that wasn’t the only thing that doomed Utah. Already the walking wounded, the Utes added several other injuries to an already long list.

Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham doesn’t see injuries as a valid excuse and has noted several times the Utes need to figure out how to get things going better with the guys they have available. While all of that is true, it’s still ok to admit adding more injuries definitely doesn’t help, making Utah’s upcoming BYE week a welcome one.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by KSL Sports (@kslsports)

Where Does Utah Rank In The AP Top 25?

Utah started the season at No. 14, moving up to No. 12 in weeks two and three then climbing up to No. 11, and finally No. 10 last week before hitting a setback this week that dropped them to No. 18.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by KSL Sports (@kslsports)

The Utes are joined by five other conference-mates in the AP Top 25. Washington leads the charge jumping at No. 7, Oregon is next at No. 8. USC comes in a No. 9, Washington State at No. 13 and Oregon State at No. 15.

Ironically, this Pac-12 football renaissance happens to be occurring in what will be the last year of the conference as we know it.

USC, UCLA, Washington, and Oregon will all be making their way to the Big Ten in 2024, while Utah and Colorado will make their way to the Big 12. Oregon State and Washington State are currently stuck in no-man’s land having launched a lawsuit against the conference in regard to the abrupt ending of the Pac-12.

AP Top 25: Week Of 10/1/23

1. Georgia (5-0)
2. Michigan (5-0)
3. Texas (5-0)
4. Ohio State (5-0)
5. Florida State (5-0)
6. Penn State (5-0)
7. Washington (5-0)
8. Oregon (5-0)
9. USC (5-0)
10. Notre Dame (5-1)
11.  Alabama (4-1)
12. Oklahoma (5-0)
13. Washington State (4-0)
14. North Carolina(4-0)
15. Oregon State (4-1)
16. Ole Miss (4-1)
17. Miami (4-0)
18. Utah (4-1)
19. Duke (4-1)
20. Kentucky (5-0)
21. Missouri (5-0)
22. Tennessee (4-1)
23. LSU (3-2)
24. Fresno State (5-0)
25. Louisville (5-0)

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 X, Instagram, and Threads: @BodkinKSLsports

Follow @bodkinkslsports