As has been said by others in threads on this topic, we should embrace the hype. Recruiting is a huge part of college football success, and they way to improve recruiting is to have hype in rankings. This hype can pay dividends going forward. Perception is often not reality, but in recruiting, perception becomes reality.
Plus, it is a lot of fun to be hyped in pre-season rankings. I love seeing the Utes talked about in all the big publications, seeing the name splashed all over the screen. This is what we, as fans, dream of and pine for. It is a rare experience for us Ute fans (the only comparable experience I have had was during the Majerus years in basketball when the Utes were often highly ranked). It may not last, and the year may not turn out nearly as well as the hype, but it is fun for now. Doesn’t mean we walk around all high and mighty because of pre-season rankings, but it is okay to be really excited about the press and potential. I hope Utah gets the point where they are ranked top 10 every year just because of the name (no matter how bad the previous year was).
I hope for the best, but expect the worst. Do I expect the Utes to be in the playoffs? Nope. But I sure hope like hell that they are.