College Football Rankings 2017: Projected Top 25 after Week 1

ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 02: Bo Scarbrough #9, head coach Nick Saban, and Jalen Hurts #2 of the Alabama Crimson Tide celebrate with the Chick-fil-A Kick-Off Game trophy after defeating the Florida State Seminoles 24-7 in their game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on September 2, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images) /

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SALT LAKE CITY, UT – AUGUST 31: Quarterback Tyler Huntley #1 of the Utah Utes looks to pass in the first half against the North Dakota Fighting Hawks at Rice-Eccles Stadium on August 31, 2017 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr/Getty Images) /

24. Utah Utes

Ranking before Week 1: N/A

Similarly to the team right in front of them in these projected rankings, the Utah Utes are one of the forgotten contenders in the Pac-12 Conference.

They’ve had some substantial success over the previous few years, but they’ve trended downward in the last couple of seasons.

That sluggishness carried over into Utah’s opener against North Dakota on Saturday, but Tyler Huntley, Zack Moss and the Ute offense got going in the second quarter and cruised to a 37-16 victory at home to open the season at 1-0.

Oregon transfer Darren Carrington hauled in 10 balls for 127 yards and touchdown to contribute for the Utes, who really haven’t had a substantial playmaker at wide receiver in a while and Carrington can be just that moving forward in his final college season.

They’re not Stanford, USC or Washington, but the Utes have always had that trend that teams just don’t like playing against them. If their that team this season, the Pac-12 gets all the more interesting.

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