Utah Football facts from the PAC-12 era

[UteDuke]

The PAC-12 era has come to a close for the Utes, and it was one heck of a ride! I am looking forward to Utah’s future in the Big-12, but I would like to take a moment to throw out some fun facts from the PAC-12 era. I hope that others will add their facts as well! All the below facts are for the Utah football team during the time that they were members of the Conference of Champions.

1. By the end of the era Utah had won on the road in every venue except one. An infamous goal line stand with Zack Moss coming up short at the 1 yard line as time expired left Utah at 0-2 against Cal in Berkeley.

2. After 14 years of PAC-12 play, Utah held a losing record against 2 teams (Washington, Oregon), were tied in record against 2 teams (ASU, USC), and held a winning record against the remaining 7 teams.

3. For those that mock Utah’s “rivalry” with USC, Utah did play USC more than any other team, and the final record was an even 7-7. Five of the games were decided on the final drive!

4. Utah played 3 eventual Heisman winners (Mariota, Williams, Daniels), going 5-2 in those games. They played 2 First Overall NFL draft picks (Goff, Williams), going 4-0 in those games.

5. Despite being the last team from the South division to make the Conference Championship game, Utah ended in a 3-way tie (USC, Stanford) for second most appearances with 4. Only Oregon’s 6 appearances were greater.

6. Kyle Whittingham was the only head coach to guide their program through the full duration of the PAC-12 era.

7. The highest ranked opponent that Utah defeated was Oregon at #3 in 2021. The final score was an uncompetitive 38-7.

There are many more facts that could be added, but that’s all that I will post for now. I hope others will add their unique facts and observations from the PAC-12!

[UteBacker]

This post is both awesome and sad. I really need to get over it and move on, don’t I?

[Tony (admin)]

It really is sad.

[AlohaUte]

Here’s the silver lining that I’m trying to embrace. In the Big12 we have a chance to grow into a national power, a la what Nebraska did in the Big 8. In the B1G we’d be relegated to at best Iowa or Wisconsin status, where every once in a while we could break through and win a conference title, but it’ll be very rare. I do like to win. That’s a lot easier in the Big 12.

On the other hand, the future is the two big conferences and if we aren’t in, we are left behind.

[AlohaUte]

Here’s the silver lining that I’m trying to embrace. In the Big12 we have a chance to grow into a national power, a la what Nebraska did in the Big 8. In the B1G we’d be relegated to at best Iowa or Wisconsin status, where every once in a while we could break through and win a conference title, but it’ll be very rare. I do like to win. That’s a lot easier in the Big 12.

On the other hand, the future is the two big conferences and if we aren’t in, we are left behind.

[Central Coast Ute]

Great post! Love these facts. Like UteBacker, I’m sad the conference died. Not sure how I’m going to get over it.

[MDUte]

I won’t get over it until Utah moves to the B1G. I miss the Pac12!

[ProudUte]

Great post. The PAC12 was great for the Utes. But, we are where we are. I hope we make the most of it until another opportunity comes our way.

[UtesRule]

One of my favorite wins in the Pac12 era is the 62-20 a$$ whooping Utah gave the #13 ranked Ducks in Eugene!! Epic beat down on their home turf.

[MDUte]

You can't really know where you're going, until you know where you've been.#GoUtes | #GoBigGoUtes pic.twitter.com/dwAJeArFlE

— Utah Athletics (@utahathletics) August 2, 2024

[Tony (admin)]

How about the 2 consecutive ass-whooopings of Oregon in about a 3 week span?

[Tony (admin)]

This is an excellent post. Thank you.

[Uteanooga]

Awesome post!

There are so many great memories. Utah took advantage of the opportunity and went from being an outsider to an insider during the P12 days. It was an amazing transition. I am proud of the program not pulling a Colorado.

Being associated with the P12 universities was really fantastic and every game had the feel of being a huge deal.

Playing USC, in particular, was fantastic. Beating them, wrecking some of their best seasons, roughing up their vaunted QBs- so delicious.

Ah well. RIP P12. Progress is not always what we want it to be. Hopefully the B12 will be just as great in different ways. I have the suspicion that we will have a lot of tough games. Getting into the playoffs would be awesome and the pathway to admission is there for the taking.

[The Miami Ute]

I’ll be honest, like a lot of people here, I view the Big XII as a truck stop conference and Utah’s presence in it as a shotgun marriage. My view is this… I’m going to hold my nose and continue to support Utah wherever it’s at and hold out hope that, when the expansion dust is settled, Utah is back in the same conference as USC, Oregon, and Washington. Stranger things have happened and I continue to maintain that a national sports conference doesn’t make any sense when you are talking about people that are supposed to be students at the same time.

[Central Coast Ute]

Agreed. But that’s why they’ll take the “student” athlete out of the equation and make them university employees.

[The Miami Ute]

You think that strategy is feasible? I’m pretty certain that’s a “jump the shark” moment for a lot of university administrators. I know for sure that a significant number of the elite schools have gone on record saying that if athletes are supposed to be school employees, they’ll just drop sports altogether. I also think it would change the dynamic in a bad way if the only connection that revenue sports athletes would have with the school is that they were hired guns. At least I know it would for me.

[TX_UTE]

Thanks for the great post, UteDuke! I’m both sad to say goodbye to the P12 and excited to see how Utah’s vaunted defense will stack up in a league known for it’s offense, as in “first team to 100 wins”…and as always, Go Utes!

[Author]

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