In 2024, the Utes started as the preseason favorite to win the conference. They finished 2-7 in the conference and 5-7 overall, missing out on bowl eligibility for the first time since 2013.
But now Utah knows what its second chance will look like.
Kyle Whittingham is back for his 21st season as Utah’s head coach. The Utes are moving on from quarterback Cam Rising, whose final years in Salt Lake City were marred by season-ending injuries. In his place enters New Mexico transfer Devon Dampier.
And now the U.‘s 2025 schedule is officially set.
Utah has a slew of tough games to start the season, an early matchup against in-state rival BYU and some first-time trips as part of the truck stop conference.
Here are five takeaways from Utah’s 2025 schedule.
A tough opening schedule
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Kyle Whittingham as Utah hosts BYU, NCAA football in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024.
The Big 12 didn’t do the Utes any favors with their first four conference games.
In a five-week stretch, separated by a bye week on Oct. 4, Utah will face Texas Tech, West Virginia, BYU and reigning Big 12-champion Arizona State. Each of those four teams was bowl-eligible last season.
The Cougars and Sun Devils had a combined record of 22-5 by the end of the season.
Utah will find out quickly if its team will be competitive in the Big 12 in 2025 with those early tests.
Long road trips, new destinations
(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Utes wears a specially designed helmet during the game at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024.
The Utes will have their fair share of cross-country trips in their second season in the Big 12.
This year they’ll travel nearly 1,900 miles for their first road contest against West Virginia in Morgantown.
Utah will then go nearly another 1,200 miles to Waco, Texas, to face Baylor.
The week of Thanksgiving — Utah’s final regular-season contest of the year — the Utes will then travel to Lawrence, Kansas, to take on the Kansas Jayhawks on either Nov. 28 or Nov. 29.
The Utes will travel 1,000 miles for that away contest.
Welcome to life in the Big 12, Utah fans.
An early season matchup against BYU
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Utes quarterback Brandon Rose (8) as Utah hosts BYU, NCAA football in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024.
Last season’s matchup against BYU was nearly everything Utah fans hoped it would be.
High stakes. Angry fans. A close game that went down to the wire.
Ute athletics director Mark Harlan even added his own flare by walking onto the field after a controversial holding penalty that, ultimately, allowed the Cougars to win the game.
That game took place on Nov. 23. This season, the Utes and the Cougars will face off on Oct. 18.
It’s unclear why the Big 12 and commissioner Brett Yormark and his schedule makers made this move. But it seems to short-change the rivalry by moving it up this early in the season.
Opportune bye weeks
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) University of Utah football defensive coordinator and safeties coach Morgan Scalley is pictured on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025.
What better way to come off a 1,900-mile road trip from Morgantown than to slide into a bye week?
The Utes have to feel grateful for that opportunity. Utah’s first break of the season will come on Oct. 4, meaning it will play five straight games before getting to rest for a week.
The Whittingham-led unit’s next bye week will come four games later on Nov. 8. The two byes basically split the season into thirds.
Sure it’s not exactly proportional, but the Utes must be happy with how the bye week lottery turned out for them this season.
What game are you most excited about?
(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) A man waves a Utah Utes flag during the game at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024.
For the final takeaway, I wanted to hand it off to you, the fans, to see what game you’re looking forward to most.
I’ll give you a hint on mine: I cannot wait to see the Jayhawks' new stadium.
Here’s the poll:
