Utah football 2022 season prediction, preview, awards, 2022 bowl game

Utah football reached elite heights last season and, with a strong group returning, there should be high expectations for Kyle Whittingham’s Utes in 2022.

How does Utah football follow up a 10-win season, a Pac-12 Championship and a trip to the Rose Bowl? That’s the question that longtime head coach Kyle Whittingham will have to answer for the Utes in the 2022 season but the answer, in actuality, is quite simple.

Do it all again, but this time, get that Rose Bowl victory. And the team he has coming back at Utah appears more than capable of reaching those heights this season.

Coming in at No. 7 in the FanSided Top 50 preseason rankings, the Utah Utes!

Utah football 2021 season in review

It was an inauspicious start to the 2021 campaign for the Utes as they tried to start Baylor transfer Charlie Brewer at quarterback to begin the year. That was ill-fated and ultimately helped result in early losses to BYU and San Diego State. In the latter performance, though, Whittingham made the switch that changed the team’s season as Cameron Rising, a former Texas recruit who transferred in, took over for Brewer.

The rest of the season wasn’t without its hiccups but it was clear that Utah was a much better team with Rising at the helm. The Utes got tripped up against Oregon State, but that ended up as their only Pac-12 loss, including blasting and manhandling Oregon twice, first in the regular season and once in the conference championship game, punching their ticket to the Rose Bowl.

Unfortunately, after putting up all of the fight that a superiorly talented Ohio State team could handle, Rising went down in the key moments of the game and the Buckeyes staved off any real comeback attempt. Still, that was good enough to end the season with a Pac-12 title and a 10-4 overall record.

Previewing Utah Utes offense for 2022 season

Returning Starters (8): QB Cameron Rising, RB Tavion Thomas, TE Dalton Kincaid, OT Braeden Daniels, OG Sataoa Laumea, OL Jaren Kump, WR Devaughn Vele, WR Solomon Enis
Newcomers: TE Landon Morris (Syracuse), 4-star RB Jaylon Glover
Impact Player: Cameron Rising

Once Cam Rising took over the offense after the failed experiment with Brewer, things were rolling on this side of the ball. Though losing veteran do-it-all receiver Britain Covey is going to be a big hole to fill for the Utes, they have a host of weapons who appear more than capable. Moreover, the ground attack looks stronger than ever after a breakout 2021 from Thomas, Rising’s ability to move with his legs, and some talented depth in the backfield as well.

The offensive line has to replace two starters but there seems to be very little concern overall. Braeden Daniels is viewed as an absolute stud who will move over to left tackle from the right side this year and there are veterans who have some experience in this group.

All told, Rising is the engine that will drive this offense forward and, despite some big names now being gone, there is every reason to think that the pieces are in place for him to be able to take off with this group once more.

Previewing Utah Utes defense for 2022 season

Returning Starters (5): CB Clark Phillips III, CB JaTravis Broughton, NB Malone Mataele, S Cole Bishop, DT Junior Tafuna
Newcomers: 4-star LB Lander Barton, DE Gabe Reid (Stanford), LB Mohamoud Diabate (Florida)
Impact Player: Clark Phillips III

The defense was hit far harder than the offense in terms of departures, most notably with star linebackers Devin Lloyd and Nephi Sewell now gone from the program. Filling in the vacancies in the front seven is going to be critical but Whittingham has already shown clear faith in some newcomers as Diabate and Barton could be tabbed with taking over as the primary linebackers. As for the line, Tafuna is the big-time performer who broke out last year and, though it’s a young group, there is faith in what they can deliver.

Basically, all of the returning starters from last year come in the secondary with all but one of the starters entering last season is back. There is hope that the entire group will be able to make a leap, but the biggest onus will be on Clark Phillips III’s shoulders as he flashed a ton of potential but needs to put everything together for a strong 2022 campaign.

Utah football player awards watch for 2022 season

Cam Rising, Maxwell/Davey O’Brien

No surprises given what he did upon taking over the starting job last season, Rising is on the watchlist for the best player in college football and the best quarterback. If he can show growth from his phenomenal 2021, he will be making a case for either trophy.

Clark Phillips III, Bednarik/Nagurski

As mentioned, Phillips is going to be a massive piece for this defense and the awards watchlist seem to believe that as well. If he can do his job more consistently while still showing off the playmaking skills, he’ll be in contention.

Tavion Thomas, Doak Walker/Maxwell

Thomas eclipsed 1,000 yards this season and, despite the presence and prowess of Rising, will still be a focal point in the offense in the 2022 campaign. He should put up numbers for a good enough team to warrant serious consideration for the Doak Walker.

Utah football biggest game on 2022 schedule

When it comes to the Pac-12, at least in terms of narrative, there’s no bigger game on any team’s schedule than the matchup against the USC Trojans. But with the hype surrounding Lincoln Riley’s arrival, that is evermore the case for the Utes this season, especially with Whittingham and his team making welcoming their foes on Oct. 8.

Obviously, this game will have massive implications within the conference and in Utah’s plight to get back to the Rose Bowl or the Pac-12 title game. But more importantly, it will be a true opportunity for the Utes to announce themselves as a national presence in the 2022 season if they could knock off the Trojans.

Utah football best-case scenario

Utah doesn’t start off the season with an easy task as they have to go to The Swamp to face Florida. However, I have serious doubts and questions regarding the Gators, so even in a tough climate and environment. that’s a win before two more at home against Southern Utah and a down San Diego State team.

Running through the Pac-12, the only team that scares me in the first half of the season is USC. But getting that game at home is massively important and, moreover, Utah can dominate that matchup in the trenches. Oregon is another test in the penultimate game of the regular season, but the way the Ducks got stomped on by the Utes last season doesn’t cause me much concern.

Maybe it’s wishful thinking, but with the talent and consistency Utah has coming into 2022, the best-case scenario is a legitimate 12-0 perfect regular season that would have the Utes thinking more about the College Football Playoff than the Rose Bowl.

Utah football worst-case scenario

The worst-case scenario isn’t all that dire for the Utes. With the state of the Pac-12 this season combined with the talent of Utah, I don’t see too many issues with this team navigating their way through the conference. However, the trip to muggy Florida to start the season could bring about an 0-1 start.

If we’re talking things going poorly, though, it’s not inconceivable for the talent of USC to simply overwhelm a defense that is filling a lot of holes, nor is it out of mind for Oregon to have a newfound mentality under Dan Lanning. On top of that, the Oregon State loss last year proves this team isn’t invincible, so I’m marking down a loss perhaps at UCLA or even in a trap spot against Stanford looking ahead to Oregon.

Even still, that would put the Utes at 8-4. That’s a disappointment, but far from as bad as some other teams in the country could have it.

Utah football 2022 season prediction

In reality, you have to paint a pretty bold picture to get Utah football to four losses in the 2022 season. Florida just isn’t a team that scares me in the slightest with the changes on the roster and coaching staff and Utah looked so impressive when they got things rolling with Rising.

Having said that, the matchups against USC and at Oregon are troublesome and I think the Utes end up splitting that series. But even then, this team is good enough, deep enough, and experienced enough to avoid the slip-up against a beatable team, getting them to 11-1 on the year and likely back to the Pac-12 title game.

Utah football 2022 bowl game prediction

You want a return to the Rose Bowl? You got it.

Jerry Palm of CBS Sports’ preseason projections have Utah football returning to the Rose Bowl in the 2022 season, facing off against Michigan.

Up Next: No. 6 Michigan Wolverines

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