@TheMiamiUte called this

[2008 National Champ]

Utah might not win another game this season

Shocking I know, but definitely not out of the realm of possibility. Keep in mind that Utah just got outplayed (and Whitt got outcoached) by two middle-bottom programs in the Big XII. Now TCU comes to town and while their defense isn’t that great, they can certainly move the ball and have victories over Stanford and Kansas. I certainly wouldn’t sleep on them based on what I’ve the last couple of weeks from Utah. Then we have to go away to Houston. Houston looked like a dumpster fire earlier in the season but righted the ship with a big victory over TCU. They also lost to Oklahoma by only four points in their second game of the season. I saw them versus TCU and, make no mistake, they’re a dangerous team, especially playing Utah at home. After that, we get Murderers’ Row, having to play BYU, at Colorado, Iowa State, and at UCF to close out the season. All those teams can move the ball and will be smelling blood the moment the game starts. I’d like to think that we can win some of those games, and if Rising is reasonably healthy and the coaching up to par we probably can. However, what I’ve seen the last couple of weeks make me a lot less confident.

[Tony (admin)]

I don’t have much confidence that we can win either of the last two games. I’m not necessarily interested in becoming bowl eligible either. Half the team will be gone before that if it happened.

[2008 National Champ]

I expect half the team to be gone in the portal (or run out of eligibility) no matter how this season finishes. Glover/Lyons/Pittman were just the first of many.

[USS Utah]

It just seems to me that Utah played better last year with more injuries and less talent compared to this year’s team. Which makes this losing streak so inexplicable. 3 of the losses have come to teams played last year in the Pac-12.

[2008 National Champ]

2 of those 3 are much improved over 2023. And still should have been considered upsets to a program run by Whitt which is the most damning part of this season. It’s not just the losses but who he is losing to and how.

I will take a mea culpa on one thing. When the 247 Team Talent Composite scores came out prior to the season, both Arizona State and Colorado were higher than Utah and I poo-poohed it as a problem with their algorithm.

[USS Utah]

The point being is that these were not Big 12 teams Utah had not played before and thus Utah was not exposed by being in the Big 12. The two long time conference members Utah played accounted for two of Utah’s wins (though the Baylor game counted as a non-conference game).

[2008 National Champ]

I don’t think we’re disagreeing.,, at least I’m not disagreeing with you.

I don’t think you could have convinced the most pessimistic Utah fan in August that there was any possibility this season would play out in the fashion it has. There are still some who will argue that the team will figure out a way to win out from here, including a bowl game. For me, it’s almost become a morbid fascination to see just how bad it can truly get which is why I posted the link above. Someone saw it long before I did.

[USS Utah]

I thought Utah could be competitive with a healthy Cam Rising. I thought Utah could at least get to bowl eligibility — like last season — without Cam. I’m not one to criticize Whit, but I think he stuck with Isaac longer that he should have before giving Rose a shot. Rose seemed to show some promise before getting hurt.

The sport is fickle. Utah could be healthier next year, find some chemistry and again be competitive in conference play. As bad as this is, I am trying not to overreact to this disastrous season — probably shouldn’t underreact, either, though.

[2008 National Champ]

We all react based on our expectations being met. People who said 9 wins was the floor probably take this season harder than I am. I’ve played enough sports in my life to know that any outcome can happen and that losing is just as contagious as winning. The trap I won’t fall into though is believing that this season is an anomaly and we should just trust that “getting the band back together” will solve everything.

If this season isn’t the poster child for sweeping changes, I don’t want to see what is. Or rather, I saw it with 2007 UW and they decided to stay the course which led to 2008 UW.

[The Miami Ute]

Can’t believe it’s happening. Like a slow motion semi coming at us sideways…Whitt will be here next season. I hope he learns from what’s happened the last two years. If next year is similar to this one, he has to resign for the benefit of his legacy. If Utah is forced to push him out, ala Bobby Bowden, his legacy will be irrevocably tarnished.

[Author]

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