What new college football rankings say about Utah's place in the Big 12 going into 2026 season

The lack of a spring transfer portal window gave the Utah football program opportunities to continue laying the foundation for the 2026 season with the returners and additions to both the coaching staff and the roster without the added stress of potentially losing a key contributor to free agency.

As for fans and pundits everywhere, the stability the NCAA provided its members with its dismissal of the spring transfer window last fall allowed followers of the sport to gauge where the top teams in the country stand in the months leading up to fall camp.

It just so happened that, while everyone was recalibrating their expectations and sorting their top 25 lists, a betting scandal involving Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby came to light in late April, causing many to question the legitimacy of the Red Raiders' national championship hopes without their starting signal-caller under center (among other questions regarding sports betting in college sports).

With Sorsby's eligibility status unknown, here's how a few analysts from ESPN, USA Today and CBS Sports view Utah's place in the Big 12.

Where Utah places in latest college football rankings

ESPN: No. 18 (No. 3 in Big 12)*
USA Today: No. 19 (No. 3 in Big 12)
CBS Sports: No. 24 (No. 3 in Big 12)

* = Published prior to Sorsby betting scandal

Utes are No. 3 team in Big 12

Even before Sorsby's scandal came to light, Utah has been viewed as the No. 3 team in its conference going into 2026. In fact, the Red Raiders — whose transfer portal class ranked No. 10 in the country on 247Sports — were the first Big 12 squad mentioned in two of the three aforementioned rankings, with the lone exception being USA Today's list, which dropped them down to No. 15 behind No. 14 BYU.

The offseason additions Texas Tech made besides Sorsby, like four-star defensive lineman Adam Trick and Mateen Ibirogba, are probably why most prognosticators are hesitant to move the Red Raiders off the No. 1 pedestal in the Big 12. Not to mention, the team's backup quarterback, Will Hammond, looked good in spurts last season when stepping in for then-starting quarterback Behren Morton.

Utah fans know its best not to underestimate Hammond, who threw two touchdown passes to power Texas Tech past the Utes in a 34-13 final last season. The final score didn't highlight how competitive of a game it was through three quarters, though it didn't change the fact Hammond torched the Utes when it mattered most. Unfortunately for Scalley and company, they won't have a chance to get Texas Tech back in the regular season because of how the conference scheduling matrix worked out.

Speaking of which, the Red Raiders won't have to see the Cougars in league play either. BYU, which brought back its quarterback, Bear Bachmeier, and most of its talent on the defensive side of the ball, has been tabbed by many prognosticators as the No. 2 team to beat in the Big 12.

Admittedly, Utah received a favorable draw for its conference schedule as well. The Utes have just one game in the East Coast Time Zone (at Cincinnati, Oct. 31) and will face just one league opponent ranked inside the top-40 of ESPN SP+'s rankings prior to November (vs. No. 36 Houston, Oct. 24). They also get to play their Black Friday game at home this season.

That being said, Utah will have to take care of business week in and week out if its to compete for the top spot in the conference standings. The Utes will more than likely have to beat their in-state rival Cougars on Nov. 7 to have a chance at playing for the conference championship belt in December.

How will Morgan Scalley's first season go?

It's the question most in the national media are asking going into 2026: After seeing Kyle Whittingham roam the sidelines for two-plus decades, how will the transition to Morgan Scalley pan out in year one of the post-Whittingham era?

For some, like CBS Sports' Brandon Marcello, Utah's success will hinge greatly on whether the Utes' toughness in the trenches carries over under Scalley's guidance. It doesn't help Utah that several starters on both the D-line and O-line have graduated, transferred or left for the NFL.

Others, like the staff at USA Today, feel that Utah still has enough at its core to remain competitive in the Big 12 following Whittingham's departure. After all, Devon Dampier is back under center, Wayshawn Parker is beside him in the backfield and the defense's identity should remain largely the same with longtime linebackers coach, Colton Swan, stepping in to fill Scalley's void.

Only time will tell whether the additions and retentions Utah made in the offseason lead to another double-digit win season in 2026.

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