Year: | 2018 |
Team: | Utah Utes |
Sport: | football |
Conference: | Pac-12 Conference |
Division: | South Division |
Short Conf: | Pac-12 |
Record: | 9–5 |
Conf Record: | 6–3 |
Hc Year: | 14th |
Oc Year: | 2nd |
Dc Year: | 3rd |
Off Scheme: | Multiple |
Stadium: | Rice–Eccles Stadium[1] |
Champion: | Pac-12 South Division champion |
Bowl Result: | L 20–31 vs. Northwestern |
The 2018 Utah Utes football team represented the University of Utah during the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Utes were led by 14th-year head coach Kyle Whittingham and played their home games in Rice–Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, UT. They were members of the South Division of the Pac-12 Conference.
The Utes completed the regular season with a 6–3 record in conference play, winning the South Division for the first time since joining the Pac-12 Conference in 2011. In the Pac-12 Championship Game, the team lost to North Division champion Washington by a score of 10–3. They were invited to the Holiday Bowl to play Big Ten Conference runner-up Northwestern, where the Utes lost by a score of 31–20 to end the year at 9–5 overall.
Utah was led on offense by quarterback Tyler Huntley until he suffered a season-ending collarbone fracture in the game against Arizona State on November 3. Redshirt freshman Jason Shelley started for the rest of the season.[2] Running back Zack Moss compiled 1,096 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns. Two members of the Utah offensive line earned first-team all-conference honors, Jordan Agasiva and Jackson Barton. Utah's defense featured four members of the first-team All-Pac-12: defensive linemen Bradlee Anae and Leki Fotu, linebacker Chase Hansen, and cornerback Jaylon Johnson. Hansen led the conference in tackles for loss with 22, and Anae tied for the conference lead in sacks with 8.[3]
Back | B | Center | C | Cornerback | CB | Defensive back | DB | |||
Defensive end | DE | Defensive lineman | DL | Defensive tackle | DT | End | E | |||
Fullback | FB | Guard | G | Halfback | HB | Kicker | K | |||
Kickoff returner | KR | Offensive tackle | OT | Offensive lineman | OL | Linebacker | LB | |||
Long snapper | LS | Punter | P | Punt returner | PR | Quarterback | QB | |||
Running back | RB | Safety | S | Tight end | TE | Wide receiver | WR |
The Utes signed a total of 20 recruits.
Listed in the order that they were released
Lott Trophy[4] | Chase Hansen | LB | SR | |
Rimington Trophy[5] | Lo Falemaka | C | SR | |
Chuck Bednarik Award[6] | Julian Blackmon | CB | JR | |
Bradlee Anae | DE | JR | ||
Maxwell Award[7] | Zack Moss | RB | JR | |
Doak Walker Award[8] | Zack Moss | RB | JR | |
Bronko Nagurski Trophy[9] | Julian Blackmon | CB | JR | |
Outland Trophy[10] | Lo Falemaka | C | SR | |
Lou Groza Award[11] | Matt Gay | K | SR | |
Ray Guy Award[12] | Mitch Wishnowsky | P | SR | |
Wuerffel Trophy[13] | Chase Hansen | DB | SR | |
Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award[14] | Tyler Huntley | QB | JR |
The 2018 Pac-12 media days are set for July 25, 2018 in Hollywood, California. Kyle Whittingham (HC), Chase Hanson (LB) & Lo Falemaka (OL) at Pac-12 Media Days. The Pac-12 media poll was released with the Utes predicted to finish in second place at Pac-12 South division.[15]
Media poll (South) | |||
1 | USC | 225 (22) | |
2 | Utah | 209 (14) | |
3 | Arizona | 178 (3) | |
4 | UCLA | 116 (2) | |
5 | Colorado | 80 (1) | |
6 | Arizona State | 72 |
Utah announced their 2018 football schedule on November 16, 2017.[16] The Utes will play FCS Weber State and Northern Illinois and returning to the traditional last game of the year spot, Utah will play in-state rival BYU Cougars football in out-of-conference play. In Pac-12 conference play, the Utes will not play cross-divisional foes California and Oregon State.
Source:[17]
See also: 2018 Weber State Wildcats football team.
See also: 2018 Northern Illinois Huskies football team.
See also: 2018 Washington Huskies football team.
See also: 2018 Washington State Cougars football team.
See also: 2018 Stanford Cardinal football team.
See also: 2018 Arizona Wildcats football team.
See also: 2018 USC Trojans football team.
See also: 2018 UCLA Bruins football team.
See also: 2018 Arizona State Sun Devils football team.
See also: 2018 Oregon Ducks football team.
See also: 2018 Colorado Buffaloes football team and Rumble in the Rockies.
See also: 2018 BYU Cougars football team, Holy War (BYU–Utah) and Beehive Boot.
The Utes scored 28 unanswered points and overcame a 27–7 deficit in the third quarter to defeat their in-state rival, the BYU Cougars, for the eighth consecutive time.
See also: 2018 Pac-12 Football Championship Game and 2018 Washington Huskies football team.
See also: 2018 Holiday Bowl and 2018 Northwestern Wildcats football team.
See also: 2019 NFL draft.
2 | 47 | S | Seattle Seahawks | ||
3 | 88 | LB | Seattle Seahawks | ||
4 | 110 | P | San Francisco 49ers | ||
5 | 145 | K | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | ||
7 | 240 | OT | Indianapolis Colts |