SALT LAKE CITY — So, now what?
Some optimism has returned at the University of Utah, at least reasonably so, after the Utes rolled over West Virginia Saturday afternoon in Morgantown. This, after something of a reality check via a Sept. 20 home loss to Texas Tech.
Utah is 4-1 overall and 1-1 in the Big 12 as it enters its first of two open weeks. The margin for error is more slim after Sept. 20, but everything remains on the table.
The Utes can still win the Big 12, and they can still get to the 12-team College Football Playoff, but here's the thing:
Optimism may have returned, but that doesn't mean it doesn't come with some well-placed apprehension.
We'll start this Utes mailbag right there.
Q: "Are we back?" - @Uhcrossthegreen
See, here's the thing.
This question would indicate that, at one point, Utah arrived, which I would argue against. These Utes have yet to arrive, so how can they be back?
The season-opening win over UCLA has proven hollow, as the Bruins are the worst Power Four team in the country. A bludgeoning of FCS Cal Poly, a second-half surge to win at Wyoming, the loss to Texas Tech, the one-sided win at West Virginia.
That's it, and frankly, that ain't much.
Here's another thing.
If you're good, at a minimum, you should not be playing down to anyone. Sure, injuries happen, weather happens, a freak turnover here and there, but by and large, you should handle your business against lesser competition, and Utah has done that to this point.
Q: "Simply put, is Utah good, or do we still not know?" - @cronair
This might be simply put, but my answer here is not going to be simple.
Yes, I think Utah has proven itself to be good. Based on my above point about not playing down to opponents, that should not be up for debate. In their four wins, the Utes have played 16 quarters of football. Of those 16, they have been in full control for probably 14 or 15 of them.
The Utes are good, but there is absolutely a question as to how good they are, and what the ceiling might be.
As camp opened, I was asked in a mailbag for Utah's ceiling and floor.
I said the ceiling was 10-2 overall, 7-2 Big 12. I didn't write it in that mailbag, but on a handful of radio and podcast hits in August, I said the Utes would start 9-0, which is now officially a whiff. Still, I don't think 10-2 is unreasonable now that we've seen what the Big 12 looks like.
At the time, I said the floor was 6-6 overall, 3-6 in Big 12 play. Now that we have a bunch of data, 6-6 would be an abject disaster, especially with what the rest of the schedule looks like. With the data in hand, I now have the floor at 8-4.
Utah is good, but as we hit October, it remains to fully gauge how good. If the Utes beat no one of consequence, they can still go 8-4, but that would be a huge disappointment given what the expectations were.
Q: "4-1 at bye is where some had the Utes at this point of the season two months ago. A quick pulse, it seems for some fans 4-1 feels icky. Why is that?" - @MrSmokinUte
That's quite simple, and we've already alluded to this in the two questions above.
A 4-1 record at the bye feels icky because Utah hasn't beaten anyone of consequence yet.
The first opportunity for such a win arose when Texas Tech came to town, and, no matter how you want to spin the competitiveness of that game, the Utes simply did not meet the moment.
So, here we are, Utah standing at 4-1, sitting in that crowded next tier of Big 12 teams below Texas Tech and Iowa State, but without a validating win.
I think the tone of this season is finally going to be established Oct. 11 vs. Arizona State.
A win means Utah can keep dreaming big dreams. A loss means you might have to consider scratching out a list of which players might skip a mid-tier bowl game.
Yes, I understand the top of the Big 12 standings last season had four two-loss teams, and, sure, more chaos could ensue this fall, why not?
My point stands.
Q: "Last weekend, we witnessed an elite uniform matchup in the NFL (Jets vs Bucs in their creamsicle unis). In your view, what is THE elite uniform matchup in the NFL, no matter the era." - @RunninHoopsPod
Great question, with more than one answer.
Predictably, I thought back to my childhood of the late 80s and early 90s, and one uniform was such an obvious pick.
Give me the Denver Broncos' Orange Crush uniforms, which they wore from 1968-96, including a blue helmet, with an Orange "D," with a bucking bronco inside.
My instinct would then be to go with the Bucs' creamsicle uniforms, but that felt like too much orange.
Instead, I'll show my New York a bit by going with the Giants' home uniforms from the 80s and 90s. Just a clean, blue jersey, with white pants, and a blue helmet with a white "GIANTS" decal on the side.
That jersey didn't pop or jump out at you, but for a great many people who remember what those Giants teams were like, it signified an era for that franchise in which they won two Super Bowls and were in contention for a handful more.
Q: "1. NaQuari (Rogers) and Wayshawn (Parker) seem to be deadlocked. I'm not complaining, they are great. This far into the season, can we just expect the tag team or do we want a breakout from someone?
2. Hashbrowns/potatoes in the ideal breakfast burrito? I say no, give me more eggs, meat and cheese." - @StuFather
My own football preference, which means absolutely nothing here, is that you have one guy emerge and get the majority of reps, but there really isn't anything to complain about here if you're a Utah fan.
The Utes are second in the Big 12 and 13th nationally in rushing (242.6 yards per game), albeit against a mostly blah schedule, but that's not something they can control.
Both Rogers and Parker are on pace for 600-plus rushing yards across a 12-game schedule, which would happen with a dual-threat quarterback, who is going to get more than a few designed keepers every week, which obviously eats into how many carries Rogers and Parker get, respectively.
There are questions with this Utah team, no doubt, but the run game is definitely not one of them at the moment.
I like breakfast potatoes, but inside a breakfast burrito always makes it feel much heavier, much tougher to eat, and I think I feel grosser at the end of it.
Generally speaking, yes, give me more eggs, meat and cheese, and I will take your thinking further.
In the ideal breakfast burrito, I want eggs, cheese, avocado, beans (pinto or black), and, here's a TAKE, I could go with or without breakfast meat. It's not a total necessity.
That one might get people very fired up. I sure hope so.
— Jamarian "Byrd" Ficklin (@FicklinJamarian) September 29, 2025
Q: "Why burn Byrd's redshirt?" - @tannerjohnson45
Kyle Whittingham has said publicly this month that he wants two things.
He would like to preserve Isaac Wilson's redshirt after he played in nine games and started seven last season, and he wanted to get an extended look at Byrd Ficklin.
Four of the five games Utah has played have been blowouts, so Devon Dampier has exited early or midway through the fourth quarter, Ficklin has entered, and Whittingham has gotten what he wanted.
He has gotten an extended look at Ficklin, a three-star recruit without a huge high school pedigree, and he's been able to leave Wilson on the bench after what was a bit of a disastrous 2024 once he was thrust into duty with Cam Rising injured and unavailable.
For what it's worth, the public, front-facing talking point is that Wilson won the backup job out of fall camp, and remains QB2 as we enter October, but there seems to be a bit of a growing question as to which player is actually the backup.
Meaning, if Dampier has to miss a game, or goes down in the middle of one, who steps in?
Wilson is not exactly flush with experience, but he certainly has more than Ficklin, even if Ficklin's skill set is a little better geared toward what offensive coordinator Jason Beck wants to do.
Personally, I would go with Wilson, but I might be in the minority.
Q: "I feel like Utah needs some more home game traditions, preferably tied to the Ute tribe. Would it be inorganic to try and implement some now?" - @handsgothurt
The "Moment of Loudness" between the third and fourth quarters is uniquely Utes. It was born out of tragedy, but it quickly became something beautiful, and I think we can assume it will endure many years from now.
I would agree, though, that Rice-Eccles is sorely lacking in terms of pageantry and tradition, unless you want to include fans complaining about concessions and the size of the concourses.
Yes, it would strike me as inorganic, and trying to force a round peg into a square hole if Utah were to try and implement something with the Ute tribe. I don't know what the answer is here, but I do know traditions need to be organic.
Off the top of my head, I've experienced "Jump Around" at Wisconsin, the Hawkeye Wave at Iowa, "Won't Back Down" at Florida, Midnight Yell at Texas A&M, Red Balloons at Nebraska, and Ralphie's Run at Colorado.
Not all of those traditions are decades-old, but all of them are part of the fabric of those football programs, and all of them are quite a spectacle.
If there's a Utah fan with a good idea out there, I would certainly be interested in hearing about it.
Q: "Everyone is looking forward to the rematch between Utah and Texas Tech in Arlington. Assuming Utah wins the rematch, will Texas Tech get an at-large CFP berth, or is the Big 12 a one-bid league again?" - @RichAus60241455
I'm sorry, you're looking forward to the what?
Whatever you say, @RichAus60241455. I will play along.
There are a few variables here. Is Texas Tech undefeated going into the Big 12 championship game? Because right now, that's the only way the conference might sneak a second team into the 12-team CFP.
Under your scenario, and under the premise the Red Raiders are unbeaten, if Utah wins and Texas Tech is then 12-1, I think it's a hard MAYBE that the Big 12 sneaks Texas Tech as an at-large team.
Even at 12-1 with an appearance in the Big 12 title game, that resume is probably not going to be better than, let's say, the third and fourth Big Ten teams, or the third and fourth SEC teams.
Seriously, go look at Texas Tech's remaining regular-season schedule. There is not a ton of meat left there to pick at.
I don't tell people how to use their disposable income, but if Utah gets to Arlington, and you have the time and means, I do recommend experiencing a game at AT&T Stadium.
Jerry World is quite opulent. It's not nicer than Allegiant Stadium or Mercedes-Benz Stadium, but certainly worth the hassle to see.
