SALT LAKE CITY — Utah opened up the 2025 season with a perfect nonconference slate, headlined with the opening win in the Rose Bowl.
They dominated the Big Ten's UCLA 43-10, outgaining the Bruins by 270 yards and outrushing them by 200 yards. It was the most dominant performance nationally in Week 1 per my Game Grader formula.
I had Utah selected as a top 25 preseason team in my preview magazine Pick Six Previews, and they certainly backed up that claim in September. They went on to beat Cal Poly 63-9 and old rival Wyoming 31-6 (+607 yardage combined), and the Associated Press poll recognized them as a top 25 team.
Utah hosted FOX's "Big Noon Kickoff" as the premier game of Week 4 in a ranked matchup with Texas Tech. The defenses controlled the first half and forced a combined five turnovers. In the second half, though, Tech's playmakers at receiver made more explosive plays and Utah could not keep pace.
Texas Tech led 10-3 heading into the fourth, but three touchdown drives widened the final margin to 34-10.
Utah bounced back last week to notch their first Big 12 win of 2025, beating West Virginia 48-14 with a 35-0 start and another big yardage margin (+186).
As we pause the weekly game previews for Utah's bye week, we'll look back at their progress in the key stat categories I identified in the preseason, as well as look at their new projected game results via Pick Six PLUS.
QB rating
- 2024: 114th of 134 FBS teams
- 2025: 41st of 136 FBS teams
Pass yards/attempt
- 2024: 111th of 134 FBS teams
- 2025: 86th of 136 FBS teams
TD/INT ratio
- 2024: 113th of 134 FBS teams
- 2025: 30th of 136 FBS teams
The 2023 and 2024 seasons were riddled with injuries, especially at quarterback, which led to broken pass offenses. Devon Dampier, and his coordinator Jason Beck, have led a major improvement in their first month.
Utah's passing game has shifted from a bottom 10 liability to a top-40 asset. Most importantly, Dampier fixed that touchdown-interception ratio — last year at New Mexico, he threw 12 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
Utah was only slightly better last year with a 20-17 mark. But here in 2025, so far Dampier has thrown 11 touchdown passes and just three picks.
Sack rate
- 2024: 76th of 134 FBS teams
- 2025: 6th of 136 FBS teams
Last year, the Utah offensive line allowed a sack on 7% of pass attempts, which fell below the national average; however, sacks can be a shared stat between the line and the quarterback, and with inexperienced backups playing most of the season, both units were to blame.
As I wrote in the preseason, "look for a major improvement in this category, and Utah may even push into the national top five here." Sixth is pretty close.
Dampier has continued his top-rated pocket elusiveness — he is a highlight reel waiting to happen. The offensive line has lived up to Kyle Whittingham's praise as the best group he's ever coached.
Rushing yards/carry
- 2024: 94th of 134 FBS teams
- 2025: 24th of 136 FBS teams
Rushing yards/game
- 2024: 98th of 134 FBS teams
- 2025: 13th of 136 FBS teams
Utah is the most improved rushing offense in America through the first month — from nearly outside the national top 100 to the top 25 in most metrics. Utah is able to dominate the line of scrimmage and control the game with the ground game.
Wayshawn Parker is third in the Big 12 in yards per carry (6.7) among backs with 40+ carries, and Dampier is second among Big 12 quarterbacks (258 yards).
Utah is the only Big 12 team with three of the league's top 10 rushers — with Parker, Dampier and NaQuari Rogers all over 250 yards so far.
Opponent-adjusted rush defense
- 2024: 37th of 68 Power 4
- 2025: 41st of 68 Power 4
The 2024 season was an uncharacteristic decline in rushing defense for Morgan Scalley's unit. I labeled this a key stat in the preseason and so far there has not been any breakthrough.
Utah's rushing defense is middle-of-the-pack nationally in yards per carry, well below average in limiting explosive long-yardage runs, and slightly below-average in the opponent-adjusted number above. This area needs improvement if they want to chase a Big 12 title.
2025 schedule projection (via Pick Six PLUS)
After a strong September, Utah's season projection has improved slightly. They are now projected as the favorite in five remaining games, which would result in a 9-3 record.
This conference is wide open and the margins are tight. Four of Utah's remaining games are in the "toss-up" zone — within a field goal in either direction: Arizona State, at BYU, at Baylor, and at Kansas.
Their performance in those four games will determine whether Utah ends up in the Big 12 title game in Dallas, with a shot at their first-ever playoff bid.
