Utah

The earth-shattering departure of long-time head coach Kyle Whittingham to Michigan creates the defining storyline for Utah's 2026 season, as new head coach Morgan Scalley takes over a program coming off a 10-2 campaign. The Utes enter with a strong JP+ rating of +14.6 points (17th nationally), powered by an elite offense that grades out ninth nationally at +8.5 points while the defense sits 22nd at +4.9 points. Devon Dampier returns as the starting quarterback after a successful 2025, and Utah made aggressive portal moves to reload the skill positions — headlined by Braden Pegan (49.0 PPA) and Kyri Shoels (45.2 PPA) arriving from Utah State and San Jose State respectively to replace departed receiver JJ Buchanan who followed Whittingham to Michigan.

JP+ projects 8.4 wins for Utah in their Big 12 campaign, though the defensive front reset creates structural uncertainty around that baseline expectation. The offense should remain potent with Dampier's return and the high-impact portal additions, but defensive continuity concerns loom large after significant attrition along the front seven and in coverage units. Road trips to Cincinnati, Arizona, and Colorado represent the season's toughest tests, while home games against Arkansas, Idaho, and Utah State offer opportunities to build momentum. If Scalley can fix the run defense that held Utah back in 2025 and the defensive replacements gel quickly, this is a Big 12 title game team with legitimate playoff aspirations — but defensive fragility could just as easily derail what looked like a championship-caliber roster on paper.