Utah football moves up in latest ESPN power rankings
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The Utah Utes faced a test in Week 4, but that was only on paper. Morgan Scalley's team had no trouble with Iowa State, winning 31-17 after leading 24-3 at halftime.
Wayshawn Parker's career-best game with 174 yards and three touchdowns was the difference in this one. Utah controlled the tempo early and didn't let up off the gas. The story of this year's Utes team is about a team that plays with selflessness 100 percent of the time. One week Utah can rely on the pass. The next week, they keep it moving on the ground.
Utah was the second-highest ranked Big 12 team in ESPN's college football power rankings for Week 5. While many might assume Texas Tech is the top team in the conference, it's actually BYU right now at No. 10. There are many similarities between the Power rankings and the AP Top 25 poll. One factor is very clear throughout the early stages of the season. The Utes are firmly in the playoff conversation now and look as complete as we've seen from them in years.
Morgan Scalley's team has gotten better as the season progresses. The evolution of Wayshawn Parker was on full display in the Utes’ win at Iowa State. No longer the supplement back or third-place option, the former Washington State transfer is proving he belongs in the conversation as best in the Big 12. The talented junior running back accounted for 239 yards from scrimmage on Saturday.
That’s just one piece of an encouraging first month for the Utes under Scalley, who is the only Utah coach to start his head coaching career at 5-0 over the past 40 years. The consistency on both sides of the ball, along with the ability to put teams away convincingly make Utah a dark horse in the Big 12 race.
Since Utah hit a bye, Scalley will have an extra week to regroup and recover before hitting the final stretch of the 2026 season. Expect the Utes to continue building on the momentum it has established through the first month of the season.
Utah hosts Kansas as heavy favorites in the whiteout next week. They move on to face Colorado at the foot of the Flatirons in Boulder. There is a very real possibility that the Utes will face their former quarterback. Issac Wilson in three weeks. The brother of NFL QB Zach Wilson will replace former five-star passer Julian Lewis, who was pulled during last weekend's loss to Baylor on Saturday.
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