2020 Utah Utes football team explained

Year:2020
Team:Utah Utes
Sport:football
Conference:Pac-12 Conference
Division:South Division
Short Conf:Pac-12
Record:3–2
Conf Record:3–2
Head Coach:Kyle Whittingham
Hc Year:16th
Off Coach:Andy Ludwig
Oc Year:6th
Def Coach:Morgan Scalley
Dc Year:5th
Captain:Jake Bentley, Devin Lloyd, Mika Tafua, Orlando Umana
Stadium:Rice–Eccles Stadium

The 2020 Utah Utes football team represented the University of Utah during the 2020 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Utes were led by 16th-year head coach Kyle Whittingham and played their home games at Rice–Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah, as members of the South Division of the Pac-12 Conference.

On August 11, 2020, the Pac-12 suspended all fall sports competitions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[1] On September 24, the Pac-12 announced that football teams would return to play a seven-game conference-only season beginning on November 6, with the conference championship game scheduled for December 18.[2]

On December 18, with a 2–2 record and one game left to play, the Utes announced that they would not pursue a bid to a bowl game.[3] The Utes won their final game, finishing their season with a 3–2 record. Running back Ty Jordan was voted the Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year.[4]

Schedule

Utah had games scheduled against BYU, Montana State, and Wyoming, but canceled these games on July 10 due to the Pac-12 Conference's decision to play a conference-only schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[5]

On November 24, Utah's scheduled game at Arizona State for November 29 was canceled after a COVID-19 outbreak within the Arizona State program.[6] The Pac-12 then announced that Utah would instead play at Washington on November 28;[7] the Huskies' scheduled game at Washington State had also been canceled after Washington State had a COVID-19 outbreak.[8]

Original 2020 Utah Utes schedule
DateOpponentSite
September 3 BYURice–Eccles StadiumSalt Lake City, UT (Holy War)
September 12 Montana StateRice–Eccles Stadium • Salt Lake City, UT
September 19 at Wyoming* War Memorial StadiumLaramie, WY
September 26 California Memorial Stadium • Berkeley, CA
October 2 Rice–Eccles Stadium • Salt Lake City, UT
October 10 Martin StadiumPullman, WA
October 17 Rice–Eccles Stadium • Salt Lake City, UT
October 29 Rose BowlPasadena, CA
November 7 Rice–Eccles Stadium • Salt Lake City, UT
November 14 Rice–Eccles Stadium • Salt Lake City, UT
November 21 Sun Devil StadiumTempe, AZ
November 28 Folsom Field • Boulder, CO (Rumble in the Rockies)
[9]

Depth chart

Game summaries

USC

See also: 2020 USC Trojans football team.

At Washington

See also: 2020 Washington Huskies football team. Due to Arizona State not having the minimum number of scholarship players available due to positive COVID-19 tests Utah was rescheduled to play at Washington.

Oregon State

See also: 2020 Oregon State Beavers football team.

At Colorado

See also: 2020 Colorado Buffaloes football team.

Washington State

See also: 2020 Washington State Cougars football team.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Pac-12 Conference postpones all sport competitions through end of calendar year . pac-12.com . August 11, 2020. August 11, 2020.
  2. Web site: Pac-12 announces resumption of football, basketball & winter sports seasons . pac-12.com . September 24, 2020. September 24, 2020.
  3. Web site: Call . Jeff . Utah Utes won’t play in bowl game, season finale will be Saturday vs. Washington State . Deseret News . December 18, 2020 . en . December 18, 2020.
  4. Web site: 2020 Pac-12 Football All-Conference honors and annual awards announced. December 22, 2020. Pac-12 Conference. https://web.archive.org/web/20201222200437/https://pac-12.com/article/2020/12/21/2020-pac-12-football-all-conference-honors-and-annual-awards-announced. dead. December 22, 2020. December 27, 2020.
  5. Web site: Bromberg . Nick . Pac-12 follows Big Ten's lead and won't play non-conference games in 2020 . Yahoo News . 10 July 2020.
  6. Web site: Pac-12 statement on Utah at Arizona State football game. https://web.archive.org/web/20201124235545/https://pac-12.com/article/2020/11/24/pac-12-statement-utah-arizona-state-football-game. dead. November 24, 2020. 2020-11-24. pac-12.com. en.
  7. Web site: Pac-12 statement on Utah at Washington football game. https://web.archive.org/web/20220514110522/https://pac-12.com/article/2020/11/24/pac-12-statement-utah-washington-football-game. dead. May 14, 2022. 2020-11-24. pac-12.com. en.
  8. Web site: Pac-12 statement on Washington at Washington State football game. 2020-11-22. pac-12.com. en.
  9. Web site: 2020 Pac-12 Football Schedule. July 31, 2020. Twitter.com.