Dan Wetzel: You Don’t Want To Go Against One Of Kyle Whittingham’s Teams
Aug 27, 2024, 1:07 PM
redshirt freshman Brandon Rose has started to separate himself in the QB2 battle according to Kyle Whittingahm. (Photo courtesy of Utah Athletics)
(Photo courtesy of Utah Athletics)
SALT LAKE CITY –The new 16-team Big 12 is considered one of the most wide-open conferences this football season. There were five different teams that earned at least one first-place vote from the media preseason poll.
The University of Utah led the way as the preseason favorite with 20 first-place votes and were followed by Kansas State’s 19 and Oklahoma State had 14. Those were the only three schools to crack the double-digit first-place vote tally.
In short, this season for the Utes is being hyped as one of the best ever, and it is being suggested that for Utah’s season to be considered a success they must win the Big 12.
Do you agree with @JeremiahJensen that for Utah football to be successful next year they must be Big 12 champs? pic.twitter.com/KMFWHbqeZK
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) June 11, 2024
“This is not fair, but Utah is Big 12 championship or bust with this group,” KSL Sports Zone host Jeremiah Jensen said back in June. “You’ve seen the difference in Utah with Cam Rising and the difference without. One wins Pac-12 championships and goes to Rose Bowls, and the other one can’t beat Northwestern in a bowl game.”
Expectations are high for Utah, but it is clear that if this team has a healthy Rising this fall the Utes will be in the running to win the Big 12.
Big 12 Conference Is Wide Open
National columnists seem to favor Utah to win the conference, with plenty of votes going to Kansas State and Oklahoma State as the other top choices.
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Yahoo Sports Dan Wetzel joined JJ & Alex on the KSL Sports Zone and truly believes if you look at the conference there are circumstances where over half of the league can make a case to win the Big 12.
“I made the case for like 10 different teams winning it,” Wetzel said. ”I mean, you start going through it and you’re like, ’well, you know, [quarterback] K.J. Jefferson… he transferred to UCF and Gus Malzahn is good with running QB’s’. You can make a case. I just think week in, week out, it’s going to be really interesting with big games.”
.@DanWetzel sees the Big 12 as being a wide open conference but cautions people to go against Kyle Whittingham and Utah football. #GoUtes pic.twitter.com/yVqZvlOZ1t
— 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone (@KSLSportsZone) August 27, 2024
Wetzel does have his pick for the conference champion and it is a lean to the Wildcats of Kansas State.
“I’ve been picking Kansas State with a nod to Utah,” Wetzel said. “You don’t ever really want to go against one of Kyle [Whittingham’s] teams. He knows how to win.
“They probably are the best program on paper going in right now in the last five years. I just like the Kansas State team a little bit [more]… I would certainly not be surprised at all if the Ute’s win this thing.”
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