Pessimists, where are our for-sure losses?

There are no sure losses. And almost none are sure wins based on the last 2 years of data.

If you go the opposite way: which games do you give Utah an 85% or greater chance of winning? Cal Poly

I’ve rarely gone into a season where I’ve thought Utah had a sure-loss, even during some of the lean years. I think I’d have to go back to the pre-McBride days where Utah was playing bodybag games vs the likes of Nebraska where I thought prior to the season they had no chance in hell of winning that game (and yeah, they never did lol). I’ve had some moments in season where Utah is entering a game that I feel they have little shot, if any, of winning (like the last time was 2013 vs Oregon in Eugene… and even then, I think I still thought it was possible they could do the unthinkable and pull an upset lol) but not prior to the season. Utah can win every game on their schedule. They won’t, of course.

So, the question isn’t who’s the sure-loss but how many losses because we will have multiple losses. I can almost guarantee it.

I’d rank the games as far as easiest to toughest as

Cal poly
Cincy
Colorado
@wyoming
@ucla
@west virginia
Arizona state
Kansas state
Texas tech
@byu-p
@kansas
@baylor

I do think 9-3 with losses to Kansas, Baylor and west Virginia

Last year’s record aside, I still have a difficult time taking this conference seriously. Without evidence of us taking care of business, we could easily be in the 8-4 range with some random, seemingly uncharacteristic losses. That’s just how the B12 will be perceived until a program or two emerges on top of the food chain.

That being said, now that the Rising era is officially over, if you believe in what the program has been building over the last ~12 years of P5/4 play, there is no reason we should not be one of the top teams in this conference and should be able to separate ourselves from the competition. Not that every other program is vastly inferior, but we should be competing for CCGs on a semi-annual basis if you believe in the trajectory we’ve been on.

There are a few frisky away games, like WV and Kansas, and BYU games are always a rock fight, but the toughest conference games of ASU, KSU, and TTU are all at home. I firmly believe Rice-Eccles is one of the toughest places to play in the conference, especially at night. If the team gives the crowd something to cheer for and invest in, we should have an edge in those games.

TL;DR I see 9-3 or 10-2 with a few hiccup losses.

I wouldn’t describe myself as a pessimist at all but I have no real confidence that the wheels haven’t completely fallen off the Whittingham train. The series of egregious errors this team has been making and the long timeline they’ve occurred over have no real explanation but gross incompetence. I think that’s just realism.

But at the same time we have no certain losses, no one we play is that good. I also think it’s semi-realistic to think that Whittingham won’t have his worst three seasons all in row (even though that does tend to happen at the end). I have faith in him. If he puts together even a subpar team by his standards we can beat anyone on the schedule.

Just like most here, I can’t see anything I believe we will lose, but the scary games to me are @UCLA, @Kansas, Texas Tech, Kansas State, and ASU.

I’m super grateful we have those last three teams at home but TT is apparently trying to spend an NFL salary, Kansas State just feels solid every year and ASU are the defending champs. I don’t think Leavitt is as good as everyone says, but I do think Tyson is legit. Thank goodness Scatabo is gone. UCLA is the opener and as such should be scary and Kansas has the makings of being a big spoiler game being the final game and on the road.

I’m a pessimist that picked 7-5. I don’t have any for sure losses but have been around long enough to not get sucked into the hype machine. Life is always better to be pleasantly surprised than disappointed. I don’t have any for sure losses but still pick the Utes at 7-5.