Joel Klatt will be 'pretty surprised' if Utah is not in the Big 12 Championship game

As Utah moves to the Big 12, Fox Sports’ Joel Klatt would be pretty surprised if the Utes didn’t make the conference title game in Year 1.

He credits head coach Kyle Whittingham, one of the best in the business. After finishing 8-5 last year and failing to win a third straight Pac-12 title, Utah has a fresh look in the Big 12 with a lot of veterans back.

Klatt broke down Utah’s chances in a mailbag edition of The Joel Klatt Show.

“They were 8-5 last year,” Klatt said. “It’s pretty good for most teams right? But it hasn’t been up to Utah’s standards. So if you look at them in their recent past, that’s their worst season since 2017. And yet this next year, they’re gonna get Cam Rising back, they’re gonna get Brant Kuithe back. Kyle Whittingham is one of the best coaches in America. I think this program is one of the better programs in America. I’ll be pretty surprised if they are not playing for the Big 12 championship.” 

Since taking over the program in 2004, Whittingham is 162-79, won two Pac-12 titles and even a Mountain West title in 2008.

“Whittingham just knows how to win,” Klatt said. “Morgan Scalley, he’s an excellent defensive coordinator. The defense is going to be ready. I think they’re my favorites to win the Big 12. I think that their ability to win that conference is quite high. And if they do that, they’re probably going to have a first round bye in the College Football Playoff.”

Whittingham knows there are expectations for Utah, despite going to the Big 12. The Utes are one of the preseason favorites.

“I am sure they hear it. I mean, it is out there. But our mentality through the years has been pretty good about not paying attention to the outside noise, just preparing like we always do,” Whittingham said, via Jay Drew. “Hard work is what is going to get you there. No preseason polls or hype are going to do anything for you. You gotta go out and get it done on the field.”

But overall, Utah might look good with the Big 12 branding. It’s a new era the head coach is eagerly looking forward to this fall.

“It is like getting a new job,” Whittingham said. “It is invigorating and energizing and we got a bunch of new venues that we are going to go to, a bunch of new teams coming into Rice-Eccles. So it is a challenge that we are looking forward to.”