Ranking Utah football's toughest games of 2025 season

Given the parity going on around the league, there's certainly a path for the Utes to navigate their way toward the top of the standings and contend for a College Football Playoff berth. But they'll need to take care of business when they're supposed to and capitalize on their marquee matchups for that reality to come to fruition.

Ranking Utah's toughest games in 2025

12. vs. Cal Poly (Sept. 6)

• ESPN FPI rank: No. 122
• Recruiting class rank: No. 141
• Transfer portal class rank: N/A

The Utes' home opener against the Mustangs is considered Whittingham and company's most winnable contest on their 2025-26 schedule. The Mustangs, coming off a 3-8 campaign, have retooled their roster with a transfer portal class headlined by Anthony Grigbsy Jr., a dual-threat quarterback by way of Nevada. The redshirt junior should diversify Cal Poly's offense, but it might not be enough in this matchup against a stout Utah defense.

11. vs. Cincinnati (Nov. 1)

• ESPN FPI rank: No. 53
• Recruiting class rank: No. 63
• Transfer portal class rank: No.

The Bearcats' adjustment to the Big 12 hasn't gone swimmingly, to say the least. They're 8-16 overall and 4-14 in the league since leaving the American Athletic Conference in 2022. Injuries derailed a hopeful start to the 2024 campaign, admittedly, so perhaps continuity and a breakout year from quarterback Brendan Sorsby will change Cincinnati's trajectory in 2025.

10. at West Virginia (Sept. 27)

• ESPN FPI rank: No. 66
• Recruiting class rank: No. 46
• Transfer portal class rank: No. 30

The Mountaineers underwent one of the biggest roster overhauls in the country, with 52 incoming transfers to fill in the voids left behind by 51 departing players. Only time will tell how coach Rich Rodriguez puts all the pieces together, but he won't have to worry about Jahiem White's fit at running back; the rising junior posted 845 yards and seven touchdowns on 149 carries with the Mountaineers last season. As for the Utes, handling business away from home will be crucial to their conference title hopes. This trip out to Morgantown, West Virginia, will be their third game in the Eastern Time Zone since 2011.

9. at Wyoming (Sept. 13)

• ESPN FPI rank: No. 122
• Recruiting class rank: No. 95
• Transfer portal class rank: No. 112

The Utes will have quite a war in the trenches on their hands when they head out to Laramie, Wyoming, to take on the Cowboys and their experienced offensive line in early September. Logan Fano and the rest of the Utes' defensive line will have to slow down the Cowboys' ground-and-pound offense if they're to come out with a win.

8. at UCLA (Aug. 30)

• ESPN FPI rank: No. 47
• Recruiting class rank: No. 43
• Transfer portal class rank: No. 20

Nico Iamaleava will make his highly-anticipated UCLA debut when the Bruins host the Utes at the Rose Bowl Aug. 30. The Tennessee transfer quarterback's ceiling is sky-high coming off an impressive 2024 campaign at the helm of the Volunteers offense, in which he threw for over 2,600 yards, completed 63.8% of his passes and recorded 19 passing touchdowns to five interceptions. His talent level, along with his widely-publicized falling out with Tennessee, will likely draw a lot of viewers to this Week 1 matchup.

7. vs. Colorado (Oct. 25)

• ESPN FPI rank: No. 49
• Recruiting class rank: No. 38
• Transfer portal class rank: No. 19

Deion Sanders' Colorado squad is taking on a new identity in the post-Shadeur Sanders/Travis Hunter era, and it'll actually be on the defensive side of the ball. The Buffaloes' defensive line will once again be led by Jaheim Oatis and Samuel Okunlola, with Amari McNeil in the mix as well. Offensively, Liberty transfer quarterback Kaidon Salter will look to bring some of the magic from the Flames' undefeated regular season with him to Boulder, Colorado.

6. at Kansas (Nov. 28)

• ESPN FPI rank: No. 30
• Recruiting class rank: No. 76
• Transfer portal class rank: No. 39

The Jayhawks' position in the Big 12 hierarchy is intriguing heading into the 2025-26 campaign. Kansas is coming off a 5-7 season in which quarterback Jalon Daniels endured his share of struggles, though the Jayhawks managed to end the season with upsets over three straight opponents ranked in the top 17 (Iowa State, BYU and Colorado) following a 1-5 start. Daniels leads Kansas' offense heading into his sixth year and despite his inconsistencies, is still one of the most electric dual threats in the country when healthy. Even if head coach Lance Leipold doesn't fit all of his new pieces together the right immediately, the Jayhawks have the potential to make noise in November.

5. at Baylor (Nov. 15)

• ESPN FPI rank: No. 33
• Recruiting class rank: No. 37
• Transfer portal class rank: No. 50

The Bears have perhaps the best quarterback-running back duo in the Big 12 in Sawyer Robertson and Bryson Washington, in addition to talented wide receivers Josh Cameron and Kobe Prentice. Tight end Michael Trigg is also back for a fifth year of college football. Defensively, Baylor made some important investments at all three levels while retaining linebacker Keaton Thomas and safety Devyn Bobby. With plenty of star power on both sides of the ball, the Bears will pose plenty of challenges when the Utes visit McLane Stadium in November.

4. vs. Texas Tech (Sept. 20)

• ESPN FPI rank: No. 35
• Recruiting class rank: No. 51
• Transfer portal class rank: No. 2

The Red Raiders were among the nation's biggest spenders in the transfer portal, with 21 commits — including 13 four-stars — making up an incoming class that ranked No. 2 in the country on 247Sports' transfer class rankings. Texas Tech made key upgrades to both lines and brought back wide receiver Micah Hudson after briefly transferring to Texas A&M — only to de-commit four months later — and return program stalwart Behren Morton at the quarterback position. Utah will certainly have its hands full trying to slow down the Red Raiders when they visit Rice-Eccles Stadium for the first time in program history this September.

3. vs. Kansas State (Nov. 22)

• ESPN FPI rank: No. 21
• Recruiting class rank: No. 35
• Transfer portal class rank: No. 57

Kansas State, one of the Big 12's most consistent programs in recent memory, is also visiting Rice-Eccles Stadium for the first time this season. Head coach Chris Klieman has guided the Wildcats to eight or more wins in five of the past six seasons, including a 10-win campaign in 2022. With quarterback Avery Johnson leading the way again, the Wildcats have a lot of upside on the offensive side of the ball. Defensively, they'll have to replace several key contributors; namely Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year Brendan Mott.

2. vs. Arizona State (Oct. 11)

• ESPN FPI rank: No. 24
• Recruiting class rank: No. 45
• Transfer portal class rank: No. 56

The Sun Devils lost their lead back Cam Skattebo to the NFL, but return plenty of significant pieces from last season's 11-3 squad that qualified for the College Football Playoff to enter the 2025-26 season with legitimate aspirations of capturing back-to-back conference championships. Sam Leavitt is back at quarterback following a breakout freshman campaign and has star wide receiver Jordyn Tyson to throw to on the outside. On the defensive side, the Sun Devils bring back nine starters from a unit that ranked No. 3 in points allowed (22.6 per game).

1. at BYU (Oct. 18)

• ESPN FPI rank: No. 29
• Recruiting class rank: No. 42
• Transfer portal class rank: No. 82

Toss all the rankings and statistics out the window when it comes to the Holy War. The Cougars have won the previous two meetings, including last season's improbable 22-21 comeback victory at Rice-Eccles Stadium. BYU will look for a third consecutive victory over Utah when they square off in Provo in October. The Utes, meanwhile, seek their first win at LaVell Edwards Stadium since 2019.

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