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The long wait is finally over! College football is back! One of college football's best-kept secrets is the Utah Utes enter 2022 with dreams of winning the Pac-12 Conference and possibly earning their shot at the College Football Playoff. It is time to check out FanDuel’s 2022 NFL over under win total odds, where our Utah prediction and pick will take place.
After a Rose Bowl berth in 2021 that saw the Utes barely come up short against Ohio State, Utah is eager to get back to the gridiron to defend their Pac-12 title from a year ago. The 2022 season will mark Kyle Whittingham's 18th year being the Utes' head ball coach. Since his arrival in 2005, Whittingham has compiled a 143-70 record including two conference titles and 14 bowl appearances.
Fast forward to this fall, and this roster has the chance to be Coach Whittingham's most talented team yet. With a solid quarterback, shifty running back, and a big and sturdy offensive and defensive line, the fall of 2022 may be Utah's best shot to bring glory to Salt Lake City. Now, with September right around the corner and the weather outside slowly but surely getting cooler, Utah's lofty expectations will soon be put to the test.
Here are the 2022 College Football odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
2022 College Football Odds: Utah Over/Under Win Total Odds
Utah Utes:
Over: 8.5 (-170)
Under: 8.5 (+145)
Why The Utes Will Win Nine Games
With a 10-4 overall record that included a 9-1 mark in conference play, the Utes ended up finishing 12th in the AP Poll. After the news broke this offseason that USC and UCLA would be darting from the PAC-12 for the Big Ten, it soon became clear that there was even more motivation for a squad that is returning as defending conference champs.
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To begin, Utah will be returning a good chunk of an offense that averaged 431 yards per game while also scoring 36 points in each contest. With returning quarterback Cameron Rising back under center, the Utes will be equipped with a more dynamic passing attack that should only invoke fear into opposing defenses. Rising shouldn't expect to be on the ground very often, as the Utes also return a majority of an offensive line that ranked fourth in all of America in pass protection. Not to mention, but leading receiver in tight end Brant Kuithe and star running back Tavion Thomas will only make this offensive even more dangerous come the first game at the Swamp versus Florida on September 3rd.
Defensively, Utah always seems to have playmakers on defense that step up. With the defensive line expected to be up to snuff, one stud that should be a lockdown player in the secondary is cornerback Clark Phillips. The star corner balled out in 2021 with 13 pass breakups and 62 tackles and should be a imposing threat to the rest of the Pac 12.
Why The Utes Won't Win Nine Games
Even with expectations high for this team heading into this season, there is a sense from the national audience that Utah is still a Pac 12 team that falls victim to their conference slate. With the Pac 12 Conference falling further and further behind the rest of the college football landscape, the respect that the once storied conference once possessed is no longer. Additionally, the Pac 12 usually cannibalizes itself, as it is often times almost impossible to survive the conference slate because of this. Conversely, this also why the conference is rarely represented in the College Football Playoff, as there is often not a singular dominant school that can run the table.
From a team standpoint, another possible reason that Utah may not win 8.5 games is because of the loss of some key figures on the defensive side of the ball. A year ago, the Utes had the best run defense in the Pac 12 and allowed just 3.7 yards per carry. Fast forward to 2022, and the Utes will be without the services of star linebacker Devin Lloyd and running mate Nephi Sewell will be tough to replace. Stopping the run won't be as simple of a task this fall, and if they have troubles doing so, winning 8.5 games may be difficult to do. In fact, since 2017, Utah is 0-8 when surrendering at least 200 rushing yards in a game.
Final Utah Win Total Prediction
Ranked as the #7 team in the AP prior to the season, it is hard to imagine that this team takes a step back with multiple returnees on both sides of the ball. With an expected dominant offensive line and the right signal caller for the job in Cam Rising, the Utes should be a dark horse contender to become the first Pac 12 team to reach the College Football Playoff since Washington in 2016.
Final Utes Win Total Prediction: Over 8.5 (-170)
