Season predictions

[roseparkutes]

I'm sitting here board on the frontrunner, thinking about this season and what game and how many games the utes will win. I'd love to say 12-0 (don't we all) but in all realistic I believe the utes will win anywhere from 4 to 8 games. here are my picks what are yours?


Aug. 29 vs. Utah state W
Sep. 7 vs. Webber state W
Sep. 14 vs. Oregon state W
Sep. 21 @ byu W
Oct. 3 vs. UCLA W
Utah in the top 25
Oct. 12 vs. Stanford L
Oct.19 @ Arizona W
Oct.26 @ USC L
Oct. 9 vs. Arizona state L
Nov. 16 @ Oregon L
Nov. 23 @ wash state W
Nov. 30 vs. Colorado W

[concerned]

Ill be the negative nellie. 4-8. Win first two and last two games, with a horrible streak in between. I so hope i am wrong.

[Jarid in Cedar]

Right now I an sitting on 7-5. I reserve the right to shift that prediction 2 games in either direction based on the performative (not necessarily the result) on Thursday.

[LA Ute]

7-5 and I'm really happy. 8-4 and I'm over the moon.

[OrangeUte]

6-6 is not hard to believe - I believe we get at least bowl eligible. Most likely 7-5 but if the offense is as good as hoped we get at least one more win and end up 8-4.

If this is another season of over relying on the defense, six and six will be our scenario.

[sharpone]

Nothing is hard to believe for me anymore. But I can see the Utes turning some heads on offense and making it to 8-4. If the offense is terrible again I could see Utah slipping to 5-7 maybe even 4-8. The first game will be a huge indicator.

[sancho]

If we lose to USU, I can't see anything better than 3-9. If we beat USU, all the way up to 8-4 is possible. We'll know soon enough what we have.

[LA Ute]

One thing I haven't seen anyone say is that historically Whitt's teams start the season slowly. That's another reason Thursday's game really matters.

[sancho]

One thing I haven't seen anyone say is that historically Whitt's teams start the season slowly. That's another reason Thursday's game really matters.

No kidding. When was the last time we as fans came away from a Utah opener with nothing but optimism?

[Sullyute]

Here are my early predictions.

Utah state - W
Weber state - W
Oregon state -W
@ byu - W
UCLA - L
Stanford - L
@Arizona - L
@ USC - L
Arizona state - W
@ Oregon - L
@ wash state - W
Colorado - W

I think that the Utes will finish 7-5. I think they will win one of the Arizona-USC-ASU games but I don't know which one so I picked the home game but it could be any one of the three. I do think that Erickson will have extra motivation to beat ASU so that is also why I picked that game as a win.

[UteBeliever aka Port]

No kidding. When was the last time we as fans came away from a Utah opener with nothing but optimism?

2004.

Maybe 2008. Although, that Michigan game, sure felt like we escaped with a win. I don't think there was near the optimism there was in 2004 following the complete thrashing of UNC.

[concerned]

2004.

Maybe 2008. Although, that Michigan game, sure felt like we escaped with a win. I don't think there was near the optimism there was in 2004 following the complete thrashing of UNC.

wasnt it A&M in 2004?

[LA Ute]

wasnt it A&M in 2004?

Yes, I went to that game.

[UBlender]

2004.

Maybe 2008. Although, that Michigan game, sure felt like we escaped with a win. I don't think there was near the optimism there was in 2004 following the complete thrashing of UNC.

Yeah, 2008 was interesting. I remember being pretty psyched that we won in the Big House and thinking that with Michigan out of the way we had a real shot at a special season (I was thinking something like 11-1 and MWC championship at the time). But I also remember thinking that we kind of played horribly, made a ton of huge mistakes and that game never should have been close.

Pitt 2010 was another one that was close. For the first half we were picking them apart, Wynn looked great and our D was shutting them down. Things were rolling until Wynn hurt his wrist and then we let them back in it and eke out an OT win in what should have been a blowout.

As far as I'm concerned against USU next week a win is a win is a win. This is a very dangerous game. We should win based on talent and home field but we can most certainly lose this if we make mistakes. USU is good and experienced, they will take advantage of turnovers and major special teams errors and won't make too many mistakes of their own. I'm not worried about having "warm fuzzies" about style points or a pretty margin--I just want to win.

[sancho]

I do think that Erickson will have extra motivation to beat ASU so that is also why I picked that game as a win.

I would really love to beat ASU this year. Sweet revenge. But they handled us so easily the past two seasons that I don't know how it happens. So far, we haven't belonged on the same field as the devils.


I'm not worried about having "warm fuzzies" about style points or a pretty margin

I'm not all that concerned with style points either. I just want an opener that makes me feel good about the team. Hasn't happened in a while.

[Jarid in Cedar]

I would really love to beat ASU this year. Sweet revenge. But they handled us so easily the past two seasons that I don't know how it happens. So far, we haven't belonged on the same field as the devils.
.

In 2011, we were up 10-7 at halftime. 3 consecutive turnovers to start the 2nd half doomed our fate. That game was much more competitive than the final score. Last year on the other hand....

[concerned]

In 2011, we were up 10-7 at halftime. 3 consecutive turnovers to start the 2nd half doomed our fate. That game was much more competitive than the final score. Last year on the other hand....

Didnt we lose Jordan Wynn right around halftime too, just before or after? And somebody (maybe Devonte) dropped a pass that would have led to a td and killed a drive right b efore Wynn went out.

[Jarid in Cedar]

Didnt we lose Jordan Wynn right around halftime too, just before or after? And somebody (maybe Devonte) dropped a pass that would have led to a td and killed a drive right b efore Wynn went out.

Wynn was lost the game before. This was Hays first start. He threw a pick in the end zone right before half. DVC had a long gain in the beginning of the third quarter that was negated by a holding penalty. He was also hurt on the play and was out for the next 2 games, which led to us lifting Pedroza's redshirt :wallbash:

[UBlender]

I would really love to beat ASU this year. Sweet revenge. But they handled us so easily the past two seasons that I don't know how it happens. So far, we haven't belonged on the same field as the devils.



I'm not all that concerned with style points either. I just want an opener that makes me feel good about the team. Hasn't happened in a while.

ASU-Utah is an interesting case study to me. Last two years, ASU is 14-12 and Utah is 13-12. Utah had the better record in 2011, ASU was better in 2012. The records suggest not much of a gap between the two teams while the head to head results tell a different story. Is there something about ASU that is just a nightmare matchup for Utah? Has it just been a series of bad coincidences (for Utah)?

You could make the case that in 2011 we showed well for a half and then Hays' inexperience manifest itself in a flurry of turnovers and it all fell apart--chalk it up to our backup QB in his first start. In 2012, I don't know, maybe Utah had a letdown after the BYU game, maybe we weren't prepared for the hot September night in the desert, maybe White still wasn't healthy, etc.

I think this season either ASU will prove the last two years are no fluke and will soundly defeat Utah again. Or (hopefully) we will bounce back and show that the last two years appeared a lot worse because ASU was fortunate to catch us on the wrong Saturday both years. The second scenario is the crimson-goggled one, but I hope it is accurate. The overall records of both teams the last two years suggests it might be.

I see a lot of people chalk ASU up as a loss based on the last two years. I'm not sure the last two years are indicative to the gap between the two teams--I hope I'm right because I think this is a swing game that we may need to go bowling.

[FountainOfUte]

Here's my guess:

Utes vs. Utah state, W
Utes vs. Weber State, W
Utes vs. Oregon State, W
Utes @ BYU, L
Utes vs. UCLA, L
Utes vs. Stanford, L
Utes @ Arizona, L
Utes @ USC, L
Utes vs. ASU, W
Utes @ Oregon, L
Utes @ WSU, W
Utes vs. Colorado, W


Utes 6-6.

The hardest games for me to pick are: @BYU, @Arizona, @WSU. Those are the most likely to flip the other way from my prediction.

It almost makes me ill to predict a loss in Provo, but I have a bad feeling about this game. Let's see how our first games go, and even then I probably won't predict Utah to lose once the game's upon us, but here, one week out from the start of the season, that game scares me a bit. I see too many Ute fans counting that as an automatic "W." That game is going to be a bloody battle, and one we could easily lose this year if we don't play a disciplined, tough game. The Cougs want our blood (with love, of course).

[Dawminator]

My takes and explanations

Utah State: Win. USU has a new coach and a very green staff. Utah is also going to better at key positions like OL and QB.
Weber State: Win.
Oregon State: Win. Team will be focused and rested after playing WSU. They are anxious to start PAC 12 play with a W. OSU has no DTs this year. Like all of their JC DCs they recruited didn't make it. Utah's crowd will be fired up and Utah will win.
BYU: Win. BYU's OL and secondary will cost them this game.
UCLA: Win. Utah will hold on to a 5-0 start. UCLA doesn't play well in Utah and the Utes will have some confidence building. UCLA has some holes to fill on D. Tough pick and I think it will be close.
Stanford: Loss. I think it will be closer than many think, but Utes lose.
Arizona: Win. Arizona has an awful defense. They have a new QB. Everybody is injured. Utes win. Possibly big.
USC: Loss. I wish we could grab this one. I think its possible. But I don't think Utah pulls this one out. USC may not be strong but they have talent.
ASU: Win. Close call again. I don't like Todd Graham as a coach. I think he has a second year slump. Its late in the season (snow game?) and I think Utah takes it to them.
Oregon: Loss. All ducks all the time.
WSU: Win. I don't think Mike Leech gets his team rolling yet...if ever up in Pullman.
Colorado: Win. Big win.

9-3. I drank the kool-aid. Call me naive. I dont care. It's preseason. I can be as optimistic as I want.

[NinerUte]

Utah State- W
Weber State- W
Oregon State-W
@ BYU- W
UCLA- L
Stanford- L
@Arizona- W
@ USC- L
Arizona state- W
@ Oregon- L
@ wash state- W
Colorado- W

OSU and Arizona are the toss ups to me, I would honestly not be surprised if we can finally get a marquee win in PAC 12 play against a team we probably shouldn't beat, like SC or a real shocker like Oregon or Stanford (unlikely as it is), I think 8-4 is probably a little optimistic, but very obtainable if we have a marginally better offense than last year.

[chrisrenrut]

My takes and explanations

Utah State: Win. USU has a new coach and a very green staff. Utah is also going to better at key positions like OL and QB.
Weber State: Win.
Oregon State: Win. Team will be focused and rested after playing WSU. They are anxious to start PAC 12 play with a W. OSU has no DTs this year. Like all of their JC DCs they recruited didn't make it. Utah's crowd will be fired up and Utah will win.
BYU: Win. BYU's OL and secondary will cost them this game.
UCLA: Win. Utah will hold on to a 5-0 start. UCLA doesn't play well in Utah and the Utes will have some confidence building. UCLA has some holes to fill on D. Tough pick and I think it will be close.
Stanford: Loss. I think it will be closer than many think, but Utes lose.
Arizona: Win. Arizona has an awful defense. They have a new QB. Everybody is injured. Utes win. Possibly big.
USC: Loss. I wish we could grab this one. I think its possible. But I don't think Utah pulls this one out. USC may not be strong but they have talent.
ASU: Win. Close call again. I don't like Todd Graham as a coach. I think he has a second year slump. Its late in the season (snow game?) and I think Utah takes it to them.
Oregon: Loss. All ducks all the time.
WSU: Win. I don't think Mike Leech gets his team rolling yet...if ever up in Pullman.
Colorado: Win. Big win.

9-3. I drank the kool-aid. Call me naive. I dont care. It's preseason. I can be as optimistic as I want.

I like where you head is at.

I can't bring myself to predict 9-3, but you reasoning on each of these seems pretty sound. Unfortunatley, something unexpected always seems to happen, and with the inexperience in key positions on this team, I think the unexpected probably doesn't go in our favor. I think Oregon St is the most like loss you have as a win, followed by ASU and BYU. I would guess we get 1 out of those 3, and end up 7-5.

[Jarid in Cedar]

Utah State- W
Weber State- W
Oregon State-W
@ BYU- W
UCLA- L
Stanford- L
@Arizona- W
@ USC- L
Arizona state- W
@ Oregon- L
@ wash state- W
Colorado- W

OSU and Arizona are the toss ups to me, I would honestly not be surprised if we can finally get a marquee win in PAC 12 play against a team we probably shouldn't beat, like SC or a real shocker like Oregon or Stanford (unlikely as it is), I think 8-4 is probably a little optimistic, but very obtainable if we have a marginally better offense than last year.


Welcome NinerUte. I like your optimism. I will have a healthy dose of it if we can get a convincing victory on thursday.