Utah just pulled off a 28-20 win against BYU on Saturday night, yet ESPN analysts are already writing off their national championship hopes. Seriously, the Utes just handled a tough rival game, moving to an unbelievable 9-0 record, and the national conversation has already shifted to doubt. They are ranked No. 2 in the AP Top 25 Poll, sitting only behind the Georgia Bulldogs, and still, the pundits are dismissing them. It is wild, considering this team is controlling their own destiny.
The “Experts” Are Counting Them Out
Don’t let the 28-20 score fool you, Utah won big. But that did not stop Heather Dinich on ESPN’s “Get Up” show. She flat-out told viewers the Utes are not ready to win the national championship. Her “proof”? A struggle against Colorado. She thinks that means Utah lacks the necessary edge to beat the best in the nation. Then Paul Finebaum chimed in, even more blunt. He said Utah simply cannot win the national championship. It is mind-boggling when you think about it. This team just held BYU scoreless in the second half, allowed only 328 yards of total offense, and their defense kept BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier and running back LJ Martin in check. But because Bachmeier threw four interceptions and BYU committed a “boatload of penalties,” Dinich hesitated to call Utah a “great football team,” despite admitting they have a great quarterback in Devon Dampier. It is like they are looking for reasons to doubt them!
Undefeated and Unbothered
Here is the reality check for the skeptics: Utah is the *only* unbeaten team in the Big 12 Conference. They have a perfect 9-0 record. They have beaten quality opponents like the Houston Cougars and now BYU. This is not some fluke. They are doing it without a stacked roster, playing with the 35th-ranked 2026 recruiting class that only includes two four-star players. That underdog status makes the national analysts’ skepticism even more frustrating for local fans who watch this team find ways to win week after week without the star power other top teams possess. While the pundits doubt them, Utah controls their own path to the playoffs. They have only one ranked opponent left on the schedule: a two-loss Arizona squad. After that, they travel to Texas to play the Horned Frogs before finishing the season at home against West Virginia. Compare that to No. 1 Georgia, who still has to compete against two ranked opponents and endure a difficult series of matches. The Utes have a clear shot to reach the top spot if they keep winning. They remain one of two unbeaten teams in the AP Top 25, alongside UCLA, and received 12 first-place votes in the latest poll. That marks the highest ranking for a Utah team since 2008.
What’s Next for the Utes
The Utes now face that two-loss Arizona team next. They control their own destiny. They keep winning, they keep climbing. The national championship dream is right there for the taking, no matter what the talking heads on ESPN say. They just need to keep proving them wrong, game by game.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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