1. Utah Utes
And then there’s Utah, this season’s No. 1 surprise team in college football according to Steele. The Utes’ first campaign in the Big 12 could be a special one considering there’s no clear-cut favorite now to win the conference with Texas and Oklahoma jumping to the SEC. Quarterback Cam Rising returns, but does he make Utah a championship contender? Look at the coaching staff and that’s where you’ll find your answer. Kyle Whittingham is underrated, but not undervalued. The Utes managed to sign several key plug-and-play guys in the transfer portal, including former Arizona and USC star Dorian Singer at wideout, and have a roster capable of being in the national title conversation down the stretch.
