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2024 Utah Utes football team

2024 Utah Utes football
ConferenceBig 12 Conference
Record5–7 (2–7 Big 12)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorAndy Ludwig (10th season; first 7 weeks)
Mike Bajakian (interim; remainder of season)
Offensive schemeSpread
Defensive coordinatorMorgan Scalley (9th season)
Base defense4–2–5
Home stadiumRice–Eccles Stadium
Seasons
← 2023
2025 →
2024 Big 12 Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 7 Arizona State y$^   7 – 2     11 – 3  
No. 15 Iowa State y   7 – 2     11 – 3  
No. 13 BYU   7 – 2     11 – 2  
No. 25 Colorado   7 – 2     9 – 4  
Baylor   6 – 3     8 – 5  
TCU   6 – 3     9 – 4  
Texas Tech   6 – 3     8 – 5  
Kansas State   5 – 4     9 – 4  
West Virginia   5 – 4     6 – 7  
Kansas   4 – 5     5 – 7  
Cincinnati   3 – 6     5 – 7  
Houston   3 – 6     4 – 8  
Utah   2 – 7     5 – 7  
UCF   2 – 7     4 – 8  
Arizona   2 – 7     4 – 8  
Oklahoma State   0 – 9     3 – 9  
Championship: Arizona State 45, Iowa State 19
  • ^ – College Football Playoff participant
  • $ – Conference champion
  • y – Championship game participant
Rankings from AP Poll

The 2024 Utah Utes football team represented the University of Utah as a member of the Big 12 Conference during the 2024 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by Kyle Whittingham in his 20th year as their head coach. The Utes played their games at Rice–Eccles Stadium located in Salt Lake City. The season was the Utes' first year in the Big 12.[1]

The Utes were favored to win the conference in the pre-season,[2] ranking #12 in the initial AP poll. During a non-conference win at home against Baylor,[3] starting quarterback Cameron Rising suffered a minor injury to his throwing hand, putting true freshman Isaac Wilson into the starting role.[4] He would succeed in bringing the team to a 4–0 start, including the team's first conference win against then-ranked Oklahoma State.[5] After a home loss to Arizona, Rising returned to the starting role for a road game against Arizona State. Suffering a leg injury on the third play of the game, Rising struggled in the team's second consecutive loss,[6] and eventually underwent surgery for the injury to his leg, causing him to be ruled out for the season.[7] The streak of losses would continue at home against TCU,[8] after which longtime Utah offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig resigned, leaving the role to quarterbacks coach Mike Bajakian.[9] On the road against Houston, Utah picked up another loss on a last-second 43-yard field goal by Houston kicker Jack Martin.[10] At home against 9th-ranked rival BYU, the Utes started sophomore quarterback Brandon Rose over Wilson. Utah was able to nearly seal a win before a 4th-down stop was nullified by a controversial holding call, eventually resulting in a last-second BYU field goal that cemented the loss.[11] Immediately after the game, Utah AD Mark Harlan made an unplanned appearance at the team's post-game press conference, stating in part, "I've been an athletic director for 12 years. This game was absolutely stolen from us. We were excited about being in the Big 12, but tonight I am not."[12] Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark subsequently fined him $40,000 for "challenging the professionalism of our officials and the integrity of the Big 12 Conference."[12] During the following week, it was revealed that Rose had suffered a tear to his lisfranc ligament before halftime during the BYU game, requiring surgery that sidelined him for the remainder of the season.[13] Starting tight end Brant Kuithe also suffered a season-ending injury during the game.[14] Wilson returned to the starting lineup on the road against Colorado, where a blowout loss gave Utah its first six-game losing streak since 2002.[15] Against Iowa State, Isaac Wilson became the fourth Utah quarterback to suffer a season-ending injury after a "gator roll" tackle injured his knee, putting Luke Bottari into the starting role.[16] Despite two touchdowns from the defense, a missed game-tying field goal cemented Utah's first losing season since 2013.[17] In the team's final game against UCF, the defense was able to score another two touchdowns, breaking the seven-game losing streak with a two-score win.[18]

In a press conference prior to the team's final game, Kyle Whittingham had alluded to potentially retiring, stating “My decision will be made on what’s best for the program, not what’s best for me”, calling defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley "the coach in waiting".[19] New Mexico Lobos offensive coordinator Jason Beck was hired to fill the vacant OC role for Utah on December 5.[20] On December 8th, Whittingham announced he would be returning for his 21st season at head coach via an announcement styled after Michael Jordan's 1995 comeback statement.[21]

  1. ^ Coles, Joe (August 2, 2024). "How Utah ended up in the Big 12, and what the future looks like in its new conference". Deseret News. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ This game was originally scheduled before Utah's move to the Big 12 Conference, and was still considered a non-conference game.
  4. ^ "Quarterback Cam Rising injures throwing hand as No. 11 Utah beats Baylor 23-12". AP News. September 7, 2024. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
  5. ^ Bartle, Steve (September 21, 2024). "Reactions From Utah Football's 22-19 Win Over Oklahoma State". KSL Sports. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
  6. ^ Bartle, Steve (October 12, 2024). "Instant Takeaways from Utah's 27-19 loss to Arizona State". KSL Sports. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
  7. ^ "Utah's Cam Rising will undergo surgery next week with future unknown". Utah Utes On SI. October 30, 2024. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
  8. ^ "Utah struggles offensively in 13-7 loss vs. TCU". FOX 13 News Utah (KSTU). October 20, 2024. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
  9. ^ "Utah names Mike Bajakian interim offensive coordinator". Utah Utes On SI. October 21, 2024. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  10. ^ "Same old story for Utes as offense struggles in last-second loss at Houston". Deseret News. October 27, 2024. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
  11. ^ "Utah loses Holy War to 9th-ranked BYU on controversal 22-21 final". Utah Utes On SI. November 10, 2024. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  12. ^ a b "Utah AD Mark Harlan on 'Holy War': "This game was absolutely stolen from us'". Utah Utes On SI. November 10, 2024. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  13. ^ Tripp, Tanner (November 14, 2024). "Injury: Utah QB Brandon Rose Tore Lisfranc Ligament Versus BYU". KSL Sports. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  14. ^ Bartle, Steve (November 11, 2024). "Utah TE Brant Kuithe Is Officially Out For Remainder Of Season". KSL Sports. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  15. ^ "Utah football coach Kyle Whittingham experiences a first he'd hoped to avoid". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  16. ^ Bartle, Steve (November 25, 2024). "Utah Quarterback Isaac Wilson Injury Update". KSL Sports. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  17. ^ Bartle, Steve (November 24, 2024). "Utah Football: Takeaways From 31-28 Loss To No. 22 Iowa State". KSL Sports. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  18. ^ "Utah ends disappointing season on a positive note, breaking seven-game losing streak in 28-14 win at UCF". Deseret News. November 30, 2024. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  19. ^ "'What's best for the program, not what's best for me': Kyle Whittingham has a decision to make about his future". Deseret News. November 25, 2024. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  20. ^ "New Mexico's Jason Beck hired as Utah's offensive coordinator". Deseret News. December 6, 2024. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  21. ^ "Utah coach Kyle Whittingham channels Michael Jordan, announces 'I'm back' for 2025 season". CBSSports.com. December 8, 2024. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
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