PK: Utah’s Loss To Texas Tech Proves One Thing, Finalizes Nothing

SALT LAKE CITY – The trap was set one year ago, with prognosticators proclaiming Utah’s first Big 12 game had serious conference championship implications.

Over the following two months, history showed neither the Utes nor Oklahoma State was anything close to contenders. Utah prevailed last September between two teams that were 3-0 at that point, the first conference win that preceded a seven-game losing streak. For the Cowboys, they never won again the rest of the season and don’t look any better this year.

Fast forward one year, and virtually all those same experts were on repeat, with most raising the stakes even higher. Forget about implications, Utah vs. Texas Tech in each team’s respective Big 12 opener Saturday at Rice-Eccles Stadium was practically for the championship.

If it is true, although highly doubtful considering the quality of play, Texas Tech is the frontrunner to win the Big 12 championship. The Red Raiders won the sloppily played game 34-10, adding two late touchdowns to run up style points.

Statement: made.#Big12FB | @TexasTechFB pic.twitter.com/QVcu9YIZt2

— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) September 20, 2025

Never overlook the fact that any conference win is worth celebrating, no matter how ugly it looks. But don’t automatically put either team on the fast track to the championship despite what the so-called experts pontificate.

None other than former Utah coach Urban Meyer emphatically declared on the Fox pregame show to a partisan hometown audience: “Utah wins the Big 12 championship and Kyle Whittingham gets another ring.”

They never learn. Maybe.

Even though Iowa State began the day in first place at 1-0, having beaten Kansas State last month in Ireland, a sizeable portion still thought the two best Big 12 teams are Utah and Texas Tech. One has a solid reputation (Utah), and the other has the cash (Texas Tech is loaded with oil money).

For the skeptics, very little on-the-field evidence backed up all the hype. Both teams played lousy schedules, each destroying their first three grossly outmatched opponents.

Closing the curtain on week three.#Big12FB | @Venmo pic.twitter.com/zJCm5Sqhu7

— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) September 14, 2025

Instead of a statement game relative to the conference race, this was more of a reality check. Either the Utes or Red Raiders would prove worthy of all the plaudits.

Call it a draw. Every college game produces a winner and a loser, obviously, but the only dominance in this game was a ponderance of turnovers and penalties.

It begs the question: Why did both previously prolific offenses struggle so much? Blame it on false advertising.

Through three games, the Red Raiders came in averaging a whopping 602 yards per game. It was darned near the best offense money could buy.

Behren Morton is a senior quarterback, full of experience that correlates to his tenure in the program. But he hasn’t faced a defense of this caliber so far this season – maybe ever.

Outside of a 73-yard pass that required excellent downfield maneuvering by J’Koby Williams that led to a touchdown on Texas Tech’s first possession, the offense didn’t eat up much real estate. Morton got knocked out of the game twice, with the second hit sending him to the sidelines for good early in the third quarter.

Morton takes a hard hit on this play 😬

After review, there is no foul for targeting. Do you agree with the call? pic.twitter.com/2YKFun6DY8

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 20, 2025

Morton’s counterpart, Devon Dampier, didn’t fare much better. His play in the non-conference portion drew significant attention throughout the college world, but Texas Tech’s defense bottled him up much of the game.

Earlier in the week, Whittingham went so far as to grade the quarterback’s play as an A+. In retrospect, maybe wait until at least midterms before doling out the highest grade possible.

Meyer and his Fox counterparts spent the last two days in town pumping up Utah’s offensive line, which Whittingham has labeled as possibly the best in his 21 years as the head coach. Wonder what he thinks now of Texas Tech’s defensive line.

For all the hype this game got, the truth is the outcome was never going to decide anything yet. With eight conference games remaining, neither team is out of the race.

There you go, something positive to take out of it.

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