How hard is Utah’s schedule in its 2nd Big 12 year? Here’s where the Utes’ strength of schedule is ranked nationally

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Year 2 in the Big 12 doesnt get much easier for the Utah Utes.

After a 5-7 campaign in an injury-riddled inaugural year in the new conference, Utah is trying to get back to its winning way but the Utes wont have a whole lot of gimmes in 2025.

When you take a look at any strength of schedule rating, from Phil Steele to ESPN, Utahs schedule ranks among the upper half of college footballs most difficult schedules.

In his annual preview, Steele who touts Utah as a Big 12 contender this season ranked the Utes schedule as the 38th-toughest in the nation, and the seventh-toughest in the Big 12.

ESPN slots Utahs schedule as the 58th-toughest in the nation and the sixth-hardest in the Big 12, and College Football News has the Utes schedule as the 27th-hardest in the country.

In 2022 and 2023, the Utes opened against Florida.

After playing Southern Utah to open the 2024 season, Utah will travel west to Los Angeles for another Power Four game to open the 2025 slate.

The Utes kick off the year in the Rose Bowl against UCLA, and though the Bruins arent picked to win the Big Ten this season, adding former Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava one of the nations top transfers makes this game one of the more intriguing contests to open up Week 1.

Both teams will be featuring new offensive coordinators and new quarterbacks, and though it will make for an interesting showdown, its a tough game to open up the season.

The closest thing to a guaranteed win on the schedule comes the next week against Cal Poly, and after that, the Utes make the drive to Laramie to play at Wyoming for the first time since 2010.

Utah should be the better team Wyoming comes off of a 3-9 season but winning at War Memorial Stadium isnt easy.

The Utes Big 12 schedule then hits fast, with Texas Tech opening the conference slate at Rice-Eccles Stadium.

The Red Raiders put together one of the nations best transfer classes after last years 8-5 showing, including Stanford edge rusher David Bailey and North Carolina offensive tackle Howard Sampson.

Texas Tech will be an early test for the Utes and could tell us a lot about the 2025 squad.

Other tough Big 12 games include a trip to Provo where the Utes will try to knock off BYU for the first time in three tries, a visit to Waco against a Baylor team that could make some noise in the Big 12 title race, a matchup at Rice-Eccles Stadium against Big 12 champion Arizona State and a home game against Kansas State on Nov.

22.

The rivalry game against the Cougars no matter if starting quarterback Jake Retzlaff will play or not is always the most emotionally-charged game on the schedule.

After an 11-2 season last year, BYU could be in the mix for the Big 12 title again, as the Cougars play one of the easier schedules in college football.

Baylor is projected to make a jump, returning 15 starters, including quarterback Sawyer Robertson.

Last season, the Bears rebounded from a 2-4 start, winning six consecutive games behind good performances from Robertson.

Utah escaped Waco in 2023 with some late-game magic from Nate Johnson, but this years Baylor squad will make the Nov.

15 visit one of the toughest on Utahs schedule.

Kansas State, which was right in the thick of contention down the stretch last season, is the favorite by the majority of publications to win this years Big 12 title, led by quarterback Avery Johnson, a strong defensive line and a great linebacker unit captained by Austin Romaine.

Arizona State, last years Big 12 champion, will also be a tough out.

The Sun Devils do lose a huge chunk of their offensive production as running back Cam Skattebo was drafted by the New York Giants, but they return starting quarterback Sam Leavitt and nearly every other starter from last years team on both sides of the ball.

If the Sun Devils can replace Skattebos production by committee, they could be looking at a second straight trip to the Big 12 title game.

Both Utah and ASU will be coming off of byes and will be well-rested for the midseason clash.

Five of Utahs nine Big 12 games will come against teams projected to finish in the top seven in the conference or above by many national publications.

In addition, the Utes dont face several teams projected to be at the bottom of the conference, including UCF and Arizona.

But even a trip to Morgantown to play West Virginia, a team that is projected by most publications near the bottom of the Big 12 with a new head coach Rich Rodriguez and a brand-new roster, is no easy task.

That being said, trying to project strength of schedule and conference finish two months before the season starts is a futile task.

In last years Big 12 preseason media poll, the Utes were picked to finish first, and the eventual champions, Arizona State, were picked dead last, so take preseason projections with a heavy grain of salt.

Utah Utes 2025 schedule Aug.

30: at UCLA Sept.

6: vs Cal Poly Sept.

13: at Wyoming Sept.

20: vs Texas Tech Sept.

27: at West Virginia Oct.

11: vs Arizona State Oct.

18: at BYU Oct.

25: vs Colorado Nov.

1: vs Cincinnati Nov.

15: at Baylor Nov.

22: vs Kansas State Nov.

28: at Kansas In case you missed it The Utes will receive a visit from one of the top prospects in the country.

Five-star offensive tackle Felix Ojo, who has visited Texas, Michigan, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Florida and Colorado, will take a trip to Salt Lake City this weekend.

From the archives Extra points Utah adds 3-star safety Carter Stewart to 2026 class Big 12 WR/TE rankings: Who has the best and worst receiving group in the league? Are BYU and Utah well-set for the future in comparison to their Big 12 peers?.

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