Joel Klatt’s way too early preseason poll – Utah #8

[MDUte]

Death, taxes, and Utah football!

Coming in on @joelklatt's Way-Too-Early 2024 Season Top 10 at number 8️⃣ is: Utah ‼️

Listen here: https://t.co/filgv8YY0d pic.twitter.com/2zdm4ED70p

— The Joel Klatt Show: A CFB Pod (@JoelKlattShow) January 17, 2024

[Tony (admin)]

I will not drink the koolaid. I will not drink the koolaid.

[UtesRule]

I will…why not! Go Utes!!!!!!!

[krindor]

With the exception of last season (massive injuries and Rising unexpectedly out all year), preseason predictions seem to be pretty accurate for Utah. Here’s every year Utah was preseason ranked

• 2023: Started 14, Ended Unranked (#32) – Difference of -18
• 2022: Started 7, Finished 10 – Difference of -3
• 2021: Started 24, Finished 10 – Difference of +14
• 2020: Started 22, Finished Unranked – Difference Unknown, but Slightly Negative
• 2019: Started 14, Finished 12 – Difference of +2
• 2014: Started Unranked, Finished 23 Difference Unknown, but Slightly Positive
• 2009: Started 19, Finished 23 – Difference of -4
• 2008: Started Unranked, Finished 2 – Difference Unknown, but Strongly Positive
• 2004: Started 20, Finished 4 – Difference of +16
• 2003: Started Unranked, Finished 21 – Difference Unknown, but Slightly Positive

Looking at that, last year is literally the only time Utah has ever finished 5 or more spots below their preseason ranking. And realistically, most of those seasons were pretty accurate. 2004, 2008, and 2021 missed on the low side, but even in two of those, we started ranked. 2023 is the only time they missed by vastly overrating Utah. Recency bias makes it feel like it happens more often, but the preseason AP Poll is pretty good (and a bit of a self0fulfilling prophecy)

[Yergensen]

This disproves BYU fan current narrative that Utah is consistently overrated in the pre-season and consistently underperforms or in BYU fan speak crashes and burns to expectation.

Data takes most of the emotion and bias out of it. Thanks as always Krindor!

Death, taxes and Utah football…the only certainties in life.

[UteNamedOg]

I remember the zoob STDent section, in the mix of a sugar rush and ignorance, chanting “overrated” prior to the 2019 game. Whitt’s most consistent quality seems to be his high floor; very few mental mistakes in a game. Assuming Krindor’s data holds, there’s a good possibility we end up around this ranking come the end of the season, which means two-ish losses. Not a bad season!

[ProudUte]

This got me wondering how the CB responded to this podcast. Here are a few of the posts;

– Still trying to understand the annual over-ranking of Utah

– It’s especially confusing because the teams that are always overrated have won some national championships.

– The national media get their information from the local media which are all biased against BYU

– It seems related to the media always trying to prop PAC12 teams.

– Losing to Northwestern and scoring 7 points is elite-level stuff.

– We need to beat them to shut them up.

– Every pundit who has Utah ranked high should be named and shamed.

Many on the CB seem to believe that there is some kind of conspiracy going on. They do not understand why the media cannot see how bad the Utes are. It has to be a conspiracy.

[Central Coast Ute]

Not sure how they can explain putting the Utes at #8 this year as propping the P12. Also, the local media love TSPP. These people are so delusional

[AlohaUte]

Every time I hear “Death, Taxes, and Utah Football” I’m reminded of how awesome Whittingham is and we are dang lucky we have him.

[ProudUte]

I don’t buy it – YET. I want to see how this team plays in the first 4 weeks. Can we replace two outstanding safeties? Can our offensive line improve after losing two NFL-caliber players? Will Barton play or not? Can we find a 1000 rusher? Will our new receivers play as advertised?

I think we could be a top 8 team. But, for me, I need to see these guys prove it. We were far from a top-10 team last season. I know we get our QB back and that will make a big difference. I will wait to see how the first 4 games go before getting too excited.

I do believe we have a decent chance of winning the Big 12, but that doesn’t make us a top-8 team.

Go Utes!!!

[chinngiskhaan]

The safeties are the biggest thing for me. If they can manage to not get beat over the top we will have another good year defensively. If they can’t, the rest of our defense won’t be able to show the world how great they are.

[stbone]

Not taking anything away from Sione and Cole, but them paired together was a situation where the sum was less than the parts. (We were playing with two box safeties and no FS). Assuming that Tao can turn into a competent FS (and his ceiling appears to be ridiculously high), I expect our combined safety play to be better than last year.

[Trailgoat]

Keep Rising healthy with a game plan like UO did for Nix last season. Oline gets back on track. Can’t overlook Utah coached teams struggle playing well in big games when the target is on their back and the 1-2 games every year, usually on the road, Utah forgets to show up and play. Three losses is not going to get it done, two losses likely won’t either. Big expectations in 2024 for Utah in the CFP. Can Utah handle the spotlight pressure? Could this be another 2004 or 2008 season? Utah is overdue, the last two or less loss season was the undefeated 2008 season (excluding 2021). A lot of wildcards going into next season makes it fun!

[D T]

A healthy CR puts us squarely in the mix.

[2008 National Champ]

Yep. A healthy Rising guarantees that Utah will be in the mix for the top 133 of 2024.

[D T]

What’s your problem?