PK: This Year’s Big 12 Conference Is Full Of Surprises

SALT LAKE CITY – Two weeks into the season, Big 12 conference football has produced several surprises with probably more to come.

Picked to finish in the bottom quarter, BYU and Colorado are tied atop the standings at 2-0. Starting off with two losses, expected contenders Kansas and Oklahoma State have quickly turned into pretenders.

Other teams, such as Kansas State and Iowa State, still harbor hopes of remaining in the race deep into November. In a 16-team conference, depending on early season schedules, a few dreams have yet to burst.

Then there’s the conference favorite, which basically had sailed through in workmanlike manner no matter the circumstances. With little or no fanfare, Utah was right where it expected to be going into the second week.

Where Do The Utah Utes Stand?

For the Utes, it’s simply a matter of checking off each game as it came and then moving on to the next week. Arizona figured to provide a stern test, which it did and then some.

The Utes lead Arizona in most important statistical categories except for one that counts above all . . . so far, anyway

— Patrick Kinahan (@PKKinahan) September 29, 2024

Backed by a strong defense, the Wildcats came into Rice-Eccles Stadium and stunned another sold-out crowd by beating Utah 23-10 in a late-night affair Saturday. The Utes suffered their first Big 12 loss and dropped them to 4-1, 1-1 on the season.

“Not a great night for the Utes,” said coach Kyle Whittingham.

Besides climbing in the rankings, No. 10 Utah really have not lost much and still are in play for the ultimate objective to make the first 12-team college playoff. Finishing in second place, as the Utes did in a Rose Bowl season, will qualify for the Big 12 championship.

Still, this one stings, especially from an offense that repeatedly stalled inside the Arizona 20-yard line. Too many wasted scoring chances, like both times the Utes came away with no points after getting inside the red zone on their first two possessions of the game and could have scored 21 points in the first half.

“I’m pissed,” said running back Micah Bernard.

Utah RB Micah Bernard summed it up: I’m pissed

— Patrick Kinahan (@PKKinahan) September 29, 2024

Perusing the schedule going into the season, conventional thinking figured Utah’s toughest conference games would be the first two. Oklahoma State and Arizona began the season in the top 25, both thought to have enough talent to dash Utah’s hopes before the calendar turned to October.

The Cowboys proved to be a fraud, unable to generate much offense until late in the fourth quarter in last week’s loss to Utah in Stillwater. They followed it up with another loss to Kansas State on Saturday.

Arizona, which embarrassed Utah last season when both belonged to the Pac-12, was reeling after losing two weeks ago to conference member Kansas State played as a non-conference game. But the Wildcats washed away the bitter taste in one game.

Does Utah’s Success Depend On Cam Rising?

Winning the prior games came as no shock, but the way it happened does qualify as a bit of a surprise. The thought all along going into the season was Utah’s success depended on Cam Rising’s health.

Turns out, that thinking may be right to a degree. The Utes hadn’t missed a beat without the oft-injured Rising, who hasn’t played since the first half of the second game, until Arizona came to town.

Freshman quarterback Isaac Wilson had played well in place of Rising, whose injured fingers continue to hinder his throwing ability. The former Corner Canyon star had looked extremely comfortable – freshman or not – running coordinator Andy Ludwig’s offense.

“We did not score points when they were there to be scored,” Whittingham said.

With a bye next week to get healthy – we’re looking at you Rising – the Utes begin the softest part of their schedule over the next three weeks. Excluding TCU, which has split both conference games, Utah plays Arizona State and Houston, the two teams picked 16^th and 15^th in the Big 12, respectively.

After another bye to begin November, Utah finally might fare better over the last four games. Two teams – BYU and Iowa State – are currently ranked and will move up after winning road conference games on Saturday.

At 4-1 overall, coming off an impressive win at UCF, Colorado and the Deion Sanders hype machine could break into the rankings if it continues to win. But all that can wait now for the Utes, who are only concerned about getting back in the win column in two weeks.

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