SALT LAKE CITY – Utah started the 2024 season with a 49-0 win over Southern Utah and welcomed back star quarterback Cam Rising and tight end Brant Kuithe, who is already in his seventh year with the team.
Rising missed the 2023 season due to injury rehabilitation, but immediately bounced back to form by throwing a career-high five touchdowns in just two quarters. Three of those were thrown to Kuithe, who broke the Big 12 record for tight end touchdowns in a half. Kuithe found open lanes and even broke four tackles at the goal line for one touchdown.
With a 35-0 lead at halftime, Utah was able to give its regular players a break and give the younger players enough match practice.
The schedule gets more exciting as they host Baylor on Saturday in what will be the 85th consecutive sold-out game at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Although Baylor is a member of the Big 12, this is not technically a Big 12 league game and will not count toward conference standings. Rather, this is the final game of their home-and-away series, which was scheduled long before this round of conference realignment.
After last year’s 20-13 win in Waco, Utah will seek to win the series on Saturday (1:30 p.m. MDT, FOX).
Match Reviewer
(Opponent-adjusted statistical dominance via Pick Six Previews)
3-year average (2021-23): Utah 63.6 (12th of 70 Power Four) | Baylor 50.6 (40th)
Season 2023: Utah 52.3 (35th) | Baylor 28.8 (66th)
Preseason 2024: Utah (8th) | Baylor (50th)
My Game Grader formula is a measure of statistical dominance that takes into account the strength of the opponent and is a key part of my preseason evaluation. After consecutive top-10 finishes, Utah slipped to No. 35 (out of 70 Power Four programs) last year.
As Utah fans know, their struggles in 2023 were the result of a combined 157 lost starts due to injuries from the two teams. In all my years covering college football, it was the team with the most injuries that I can remember.
Both teams had a good handle on their in-state FCS opponents in Week 1, with Baylor defeating Tarleton State 45-3. And while their 2023 season was a bust, their 3-9 record in 2024 is sure to improve as they boast one of the most experienced and veteran rosters in the Power Four.
In my annual Pick Six Previews, Baylor was my choice to finish 12th in the new 16-team Big 12.
Baylor with the ball
(Opponent-adjusted rankings per game via Pick Six Previews)
Baylor Offensive (2023): 53 of 70 Power Four
Utah Defense (2023): 19 of 70 Power Four
Head coach Dave Aranda hired Jake Spavital to install his “Bear Raid” passing attack and breathe new life into a troubled offense.
When Baylor won the Big 12 championship in 2021, they did so with one of the strongest offensive lines in the country. That strength has since turned into a weakness, as they ranked poorly in both of my offensive line stats last year: 90th in run push and 91st in pass protection.
Last year it was a youth movement. Their offensive line had five freshmen on both sides – the most in the country – and now the entire offense returns unchanged except for the quarterback.
The top three runners and top five receivers surround former All-MAC quarterback Dequan Finn (Toledo), who shone in the opening game with 192 passing yards, two passing touchdowns and a long 39-yard touchdown on the ground.
Finn’s dual-threat ability and zone-read options will pose a challenge for Utah.
It will be strength against strength here, as Utah once again has one of the best defenses in the country. In the opening game, the defensive line showed its strengths with five sacks, eight tackles for loss and limited Southern Utah to just 150 yards.
Utah has an advantage along the line of scrimmage here, as several players are in the running for All-Big 12 honors. Van Filinger and Junior Tafuna headline my top-rated Big 12 defensive line, and they’re going up against my No. 11 Big 12 offensive line here.
Utah with the ball
(Opponent-adjusted rankings per game via Pick Six Previews)
Utah’s Attack (2023): 65. of 70 Power Four
Baylor Defense (2023): 69. of 70 Power Four
Rising officially returned to the game on Saturday, completing 10 of 15 passes for 254 yards and five touchdowns. He even nicked the ball and ran a few times — which surely made Utah fans nervous — but the oft-injured quarterback looked better than ever.
This should be an opportunity for Rising and Utah’s offense after Baylor posted some of the worst defensive statistics in America in 2023. In my opponent-adjusted passing category, Baylor’s defense ranked dead last – 70th out of 70 teams – and they finished 69th overall.
Baylor finished in the bottom 10 nationally in both yards per carry and opponent QB rating stats and lost its two best defenders, Gabe Hall and TJ Franklin. Yes, like the offense, it had plenty of young players whose experience should pay off as veterans in 2024, but that side of the ball represents a key advantage for Utah.
Match prediction
With the overwhelming opening win, Utah improved its record as a home favorite during the sold-out Rice-Eccles series to 62-10 (.861) and as a home favorite against the spread over that period (.610).
Both teams are much improved from what they will be in 2023, with the injured Utes back healthy and the young Bears now filled with experienced players. Utah has an advantage at every position and is my favorite to win on Saturday and ultimately win the Big 12.
Utah 31 | Baylor 20
