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SALT LAKE CITY — Utah's Week 1 performance wasn't perfect — it didn't need to be — but it was enough to get past a Florida team making its first out-of-state nonconference appearance since 1991.
Quarterbacks Bryson Barnes and Nate Johnson and a "very stout" defensive unit, according to head coach Kyle Whittingham, lifted Utah to a 24-11 win over Florida and helped preserve an impressive 13-0 record through the first week of the season for the Pac-12. For the Pac-12, it's the most wins of any FBS conference through Week 1 all time and the first undefeated Week 1 since 1980 when all teams played.
After the first week of action, Utah moved up to No. 12 in this week's Associated Press Top 25 rankings, up two spots from its preseason spot at No. 14.
The Utes are one of six teams ranked from the Pac-12 this week, with Colorado checking into the poll for the first time since 2020 after a win on the road over TCU in a strong showing for Deion Sanders' debut at the FBS level.
The USC Trojans, who already have a 2-0 record to start the season, maintained its spot as the leader of the Pac-12 and checks in at No. 6, followed by No. 8 Washington, No. 13 Oregon, No. 16 Oregon State and No. 22 Colorado. UCLA and Washington State are also receiving votes.
It may be the last season of the Pac-12 as we know it, but the conference has saved its best for last and is tied with the SEC with six teams ranked this week. Most impressive, though, is that Pac-12 quarterbacks have a combined completion percentage of 72.7% through Week 1, according to SportSource Analytics, beating out the next best conference, the Big 12, by a full 5% more.
#Pac12 Conference quarterbacks, through Week 1, have a combined completion percentage of 72.7%.
— SportSource Analytics (@SportSourceA) September 4, 2023
Let that sink in.
That is a whole 5% better than the next best conference, the #Big12. #CFB#Efficiency
The two-time reigning national champion Georgia Bulldogs maintained its spot at the top of the rankings at No. 1, but lost a little ground to Michigan and Florida State after Week 1. The Bulldogs earned 58 of the available 61 first-place votes, followed by Florida State's three first-place votes and Michigan's two.
The Wolverines stayed at No. 2 in the rankings and are followed by No. 3 Alabama, No. 4 Florida State and No. 5 Ohio State, who dropped two spots in the rankings despite a win over Indiana.
