Ranking Utah football's toughest 2026 home games

With several playmakers on the offensive side of the ball gone, including veteran quarterback Jalon Daniels, it's hard to forecast just how good the Jayhawks will be in 2026. They check in at No. 57 in the early ESPN SP+ rankings, sandwiched between No. 56 Cal and No. 58 Wake Forest, with the projected No. 51-ranked offense and No. 70-ranked defense going into the regular season.

Kansas does bring back most of its defense, which is partly why we expect Lance Leipold's squad to put up more of a fight against Utah than nonconference foes Idaho and Utah State.

4. Week 13 vs. West Virginia (Nov. 27)

The Utes' regular season finale against the Mountaineers checking in at No. 4 on this list has more to do with the game's placement on the schedule than it does Rich Rodriguez's roster (though we expect West Virginia to be better than it was in 2025 anyway).

Utah's bye week is the Oct. 3 weekend (Week 5). From there, the Utes will play eight consecutive games. Their Week 10 Holy War matchup and back-to-back road trips to Arizona and TCU immediately precede their Black Friday date with the Mountaineers.

Again, we expect the roster moves Rodriguez and his staff made in the offseason translate to more than four wins for West Virginia in 2026. But the fact this game is played after essentially two straight months of football (and on a short week nonetheless) is what could make this matchup more difficult than it otherwise would be for Scalley and crew. Don't be surprise if fatigue is a major talking point in the days leading up to this one.

3. Week 2 vs. Arkansas (Sept. 12)

Like some other teams on this list, it's hard to know just how good the Razorbacks will be as they enter 2026 with a new head coach and a roster featuring over 40 incoming transfers. They rank No. 47 on ESPN SP+ with the projected No. 13-ranked offense and No. 91-ranked defense. Former starting quarterback Taylen Green is taking his first steps in the NFL, though there's optimism former four-star prospect KJ Jackson is ready and able to keep Arkansas' offense near the top of the SEC leaderboards as a redshirt sophomore.

If the Razorbacks don't miss a beat on offense, they could present an early test for first-year defensive coordinator Colton Swan during their Week 2 meeting. Time will tell if Arkansas' new offensive coordinator Tim Cramsey will be able to replicate the success Kolby Smith enjoyed before moving on to Kentucky. If the projections from SP+ are indicative of anything, it's that Arkansas is expected to be a juggernaut on that side of the ball again.

Arkansas, which put up nearly 33 points per game in 2025, is also coming off a disappointing 2-10 campaign. A nonconference win over a Power 5 opponent would give Ryan Silverfield and company the momentum they need to be more competitive in 2026.

2. Week 8 vs. Houston (Oct. 24)

If it wasn't for the Holy War, this late October matchup would be No. 1 on the list. Houston returns over 70% of its offensive production, including quarterback-wide receiver tandem of Conner Weigman and Amare Thomas, from a group that averaged 29.1 points under offensive coordinator Slade Nagle, who's back at the controls for his second year with the Cougars. Houston also adds Oregon transfer running back Makhi Hughes, who rushed for over 2,700 yards across two seasons at Tulane prior to his Ducks stint in 2025.

Willie Fritz's squad appears poised for another 10-win seasons and ranks No. 24 in the early version of ESPN's top 25. How this Oct. 24 tilt plays out could very well shape the Big 12 title race.

1. Week 10 vs. BYU (Nov. 7)

Surprise, surprise: The biggest rivalry game in the Big 12 is No. 1 on the list of Utah's toughest home games. It would've been the case if Utah and BYU aren't expected to contend for the conference title; the fact both are likely to be competing for the top two spots in the table when their Week 10 tilt rolls around is a cherry on top. It could also make this game a contender to host College GameDay.

This'll be the first meeting between the two schools at Rice-Eccles Stadium since the Utes rallied from down 27-7 to beat the Cougars, 35-27, in November 2018. If history holds, the 2026 matchup will be another tight one; eight of the past 10 Holy War games have been decided by eight or fewer points. That stretch includes last season's 24-21 BYU win in Provo.