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SALT LAKE CITY — Five years into the Pac-12, No. 3 Utah sits atop the leaderboard as the only remaining undefeated team in the conference. Staying there, though, will be a nearly impossible task if history has a say.
The Pac-12 has a rich history of talented teams making a splash in the national makeup of college football. You don't have to look further than Utah's upcoming opponent USC to see the history of success and winning at the highest level. However, going undefeated in a season is a rare opportunity only two teams have experienced since 1978 (the year the Pac-8 expanded to 10 teams): USC in 2004 and Washington in 1991.
Utah, though, is on track to be the third team to accomplish a rare season sitting at 6-0. The season is only at its halfway mark and the schedule doesn't get any easier for Utah, but the program has already made a case for itself in its previous six wins that any of the remaining opponents on Utah's schedule are beatable.
Now whether Utah will do that is anyone's guess, and it's one of many reasons why Las Vegas sportsbooks make so much money as people falter on predictions. ESPN currently gives Utah only a 28.6 percent chance of winning its conference and a much smaller chance, 2.9 percent, of winning out.
Utah's matchup against USC Saturday is one that ESPN's "Football Power Index" sees the Utes losing. Their analytic model gives the Utes a 28.2 percent chance of winning, while Utah's remaining five games are in their favor. With that outlook, Utah would end the regular season with an 11-1 record — a season that would not be disappointing.
But ask head coach Kyle Whittingham or any one of his players and they'll disagree and reiterate how "special" this year's team has become and how the team's motto of "all in or in the way" embodies its fight to perfection.
Snapping an 11-game skid against Arizona State, Whittingham said his team was no longer going to take it — losing. The team came together and fought through some adversity and a four-point deficit heading into the fourth quarter."Not this year. Not at this time. Not at our place," he said, speaking about the players' mentality going into Saturday's game.
"Everybody was comfortable, and everyone was still confident we were going to win that game," quarterback Travis Wilson said. "Guys stepped up and made big plays."
"We were not going to be denied," Whittingham added. "Our guys had a purpose, and they were on a mission. They were not going to be denied in that fourth quarter. We have a plan to win, and that's part of the equation to win the fourth quarter. We did that in a big way."
One reason for the comfort and confidence is that Utah is playing team football. Players are not trying to outwardly one-up each other or talk glowingly about their own accomplishments — something easily found within a college football program after early success. Instead, Utah approaches each game with the team in mind and not for one's individual accolades.
"The stats are cool; that's what people love nowadays. I don't really care about it," senior receiver Kenneth Scott said. "I'm just happy we got the W."
"I love these guys. I've coached about 280 games here, and this is the best group of guys to be around," Whittingham said. "I'm excited to go to work every day and come to practice. It's just a great group of guys to be around."
While few predicted such success, the seeds were sown early in spring and fall camp, saying nothing of last season's build up. This year's team was locked in early on and hasn't faltered in its vision.
For senior linebacker Gionni Paul, the team is "starting to buy in even more," which could spell more trouble for the remaining opponents on the schedule for Utah.
Each player, at least from the leaders on down, earnestly wants others to succeed on Utah's team. Scott is one such player that could easily be looking after his accolades in a longtime desire to impress NFL scouts. Instead, Scott deflects his desired successes and looks to make sure Wilson knows how good of an athlete he can be for Utah in some text messages throughout the week.
"I just texted him and told him how great of a quarterback he was and how I wanted him to leave a legacy that everyone would remember him by because he gets a lot of scrutiny," Scott said. "I'm just putting up his confidence and making sure he knows how great of a quarterback he is."
It's the true embodiment of the family culture Whittingham instills upon his team: each is a part of a collective whole working with the same purpose, goals and desire. The result? winning football games as a team and keeping distractions to a minimum.
"Every victory is a team victory, and we got it done," freshman wide receiver Britain Covey said following the Arizona State game.
Will Utah go undefeated? The chances are slim, but never doubt a program with a true team mentality and desire to make its mark on its newfound conference.
