Upcoming Event: Football versus Idaho on September 3, 2026
Football
vs Idaho
.png&width=31&height=31&type=webp)
The University of Utah Athletics
Football 8th in First College Football Playoff Poll
11/5/2019 6:32 PM | Football
The 8-1 Utah football team is ranked 8th in the first College Football Playoff poll of the season, released on Tuesday evening. It is Utah's highest ranking ever in the poll. The Utes previous highest ranking was No. 10 the week of Nov. 8 in 2015.
"It's nice for our players to be recognized for what they've accomplished so far this season, but this team completely understands there is still a lot of football left and more work to be done," head coach Kyle Whittingham said. "Our guys have done a great job all season long of not looking past anyone and keeping their sole focus on the next opponent. Our full attention now turns to the UCLA Bruins and we look forward to being back in front of our home fans at Rice-Eccles Stadium."
Â
QUICK HITS
Tune in to the football twitter account this week to learn more about how Utah prepares its student-athletes for life after football.Â
Â
"It's nice for our players to be recognized for what they've accomplished so far this season, but this team completely understands there is still a lot of football left and more work to be done," head coach Kyle Whittingham said. "Our guys have done a great job all season long of not looking past anyone and keeping their sole focus on the next opponent. Our full attention now turns to the UCLA Bruins and we look forward to being back in front of our home fans at Rice-Eccles Stadium."
Â
ANOTHER GR8 DAY TO BE A UTE #GoUtes pic.twitter.com/XBOxie2ZFI
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) November 6, 2019
It is Utah's 25th week ranked in the College Football Playoff Poll, which ranks sixth nationally in weeks ranked behind Alabama (32), Clemson (32), Ohio State (32), Oklahoma (30) and LSU (28).
Utah moved up one spot in both the Associated Press (8th) and Coaches poll (9th) polls this week after Saturday's 33-28 win at Washington. It is the Utes' highest AP rank since No. 3 position in Oct. 18, 2015 poll, and highest Coaches poll rank since being 7th the same week.
Â
It's a gr8 day to be a Ute pic.twitter.com/57ohAbGB0i
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) November 3, 2019
Utah has won five games in a row, its longest winning streak since winning eight in a row over the end of the 2014 season (2 games) and beginning of 2015 (6), and has defeated five consecutive Pac-12 opponents for the first time since joining the conference in 2011. The Utes are 8-1 for the first time since 2015, and have started a season 8-1 or better for the fifth time in Kyle Whittingham's 15 seasons as head coach (9-0 in 2008; 8-1 in 2009, '10, '15 & '19).
Utah's defense continues to rank among the best in the FBS:
- 1st in the FBS in rushing defense (56.0 ypg), with opponents averaging just 2.4 yards per carry
- 3rd in total defense (246.3)
- 4th in 3rd-down conv. (27.9%)
- 7th in scoring defense (12.2)
- 9th in first downs allowed (122) and interceptions (11)
- Four defensive TDs this season tie for third-most in FBS (4 INT returns: 2 at BYU, 8/29; 1 at Oregon State, 10/12; 1 at Washington, 11/2).
- T-2nd in fewest interceptions thrown (1)
- 4th in completion pct. (73.2%)
- 8th in team passing efficiency (177.53).
- 2nd in the FBS in time of possession average (35:11).
My top performing teams of WEEK 10:
— Kirk Herbstreit (@KirkHerbstreit) November 4, 2019
1-@Utah_Football
2-@GeorgiaFootball
3-@oregonfootball
4-@IndianaFootball
5-@BoilerFootball
QUICK HITS
- Senior running back Zack Moss ranks 2nd in the Pac-12 and 21st in the FBS in rushing yards per game (103.5).
- Moss has the seventh-most rushing yards among active FBS players (3,479).
- Senior quarterback Tyler Huntley ranks 3rd in the FBS in yards-per-pass attempt (10.80) and 5th in completion percentage (73.8%; 141-191) and passing efficiency (182.5).
- Huntley ranks 5th in ESPN's Total QBR (89.4) behind only AP No. 2 Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa (95.8), No. 9 Oklahoma's Jalen Hurts (94.7), No. 3 Ohio State's Justin Fields (92.8) and No. 1 LSU's Joe Burrow (91.2).
- Huntley now has 6,321 career passing yards (5th all-time by a Ute) and 495 completions (5th).
- Huntley's 38 career TD passes rank 11th on Utah's all-time list, just 1 away from the top 10 (3-way tie for 8th at 39).
- Huntley's career record as a starter is 20-7. The 20 wins ranks fourth and sit one behind Alex Smith for third (21-1; 2003-04) in Utah football history.
- The Utes have held four opponents this season to fewer than 10 points (0 by Cal and Idaho State, 7 by Oregon State and 3 by Arizona State), the most in a season by Utah since holding four opponents to single-digits in 2007. Utah held five opponents to single-digits in 1978.
- From Oct. 12-26 Utah held three consecutive Pac-12 opponents to single digits—first time overall since 2007—and the first time Utah has posted two shutouts in the same season since 2003.
- According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Utah was the first team to shut out its opponent in the first half of three consecutive Pac-12 Conference games within one season since 1991 (Washington) with its performances against OSU, ASU and Cal.
- Utah has shut out its opponent in eight halves of football this season
- The Utes have held an opponent to single digits 25 times in Kyle Whittingham's 189 games as head coach.
- Utah's opponents have converted just 23.1 percent of third-down opportunities in the last five games combined (15-65).
- The defense has allowed just 44 second-half points through the first nine games (4.9 per game).
- Opponents have had 48 total possessions in the second half and scored on just 7 (6 TDs, 1 FG). Of the remaining 41 possessions: 25 Punts (15 3-and-outs), 8 Interceptions, 3 Downs, 2 Ran out clock/End of game, 2 Fumbles, 1 Missed FG.
- Opponents have held the ball for just an average of 4.85 plays per possession against Utah in the second half this season.
- The Utes are outscoring opponents 123-46 in the second half (44 defensive points allowed, plus two points on a safety, at USC, 9/20).
- After Utah fell behind Washington 21-13 in the third quarter yesterday, the Utes' defense clamped down and forced Washington into a three-and-out, a pick-6 on second down, and two more three-and outs as the Utes took a 33-21 lead en route to victory. In that four-possession span Washington ran just 11 offensive plays and gained 9 yards.
How sweet is that!#goutes #UTAHvsUW pic.twitter.com/i44cskculu
— Utah Athletics (@utahathletics) November 5, 2019
Tune in to the football twitter account this week to learn more about how Utah prepares its student-athletes for life after football.Â
Â
Building Champions for Life ??
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) November 5, 2019
Over the course of this week, we're taking an in-depth look into our player development program, which focuses on preparing our players for life after football. @GiannaColosimo | #PlayerDevelopment pic.twitter.com/lYGwCr7DLJ
Players Mentioned
QB
/ Football
RB
/ FootballCrimson Corner with Bill Riley - College football analyst Yogi Roth
Wednesday, May 06
Crimson Corner with Bill Riley - Utah Football Head Coach Morgan Scalley
Wednesday, April 29
Crimson Corner with Bill Riley - Utah Football legend Brian Johnson
Friday, February 20
Utah Football Head Coach Morgan Scalley Introductory Press Conference | 1.06.25
Tuesday, January 06