ESPN's Power Index Favors Utah in Five of Six Games This Season
If it was up the Pac-12 media preseason poll, the Utes would finish in third place in the Pac-12 South Division — and play Washington in the final game of the regular season in the conference-crossover games.
But according to ESPN's Football Power Index, the Utes are favored in five of their six regular season games — with their lone underdog status coming against Pac-12 South Division title favorite USC. Taking into consideration the FPI, Utah is ranked No. 23 in the nation.
Utah's FPI
*Week 1: Saturday, Nov. 7 — vs. Arizona = +80%
*Week 2: Friday, Nov. 13 — @ UCLA = +66.7%
*Week 3: Saturday, Nov. 21 — vs. USC = -60.9%
*Week 4: Saturday, Nov. 28 — @ Arizona State = +66.2%
*Week 5: Saturday, Dec. 5 — vs. Oregon State = +83.9%
*Week 6: Saturday, Friday, Dec. 11 — @ Colorado = +78.4%
Traditionally, the FPI has been good to Utah.
Last season, the FPI predicted the Utes would go 10-2, being the favorites in everything game except for matchups against USC and Washington. Utah ended up going 11-1, with its lone loss coming against the Trojans.
According the preseason media poll, the Utes are scheduled to finish third in the south division, with Arizona State taking second place and USC taking first. Utah gets the Trojans and Sun Devils on back-to-back weekends in mid-to-late November — two weeks that will ultimately determine the outcome of their season.
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