Just because No. 21 Utah has closed the book on the Kyle Whittingham era doesn’t mean that all of a sudden, the Utes are going to fall off a cliff.
Heading into this matchup, Kansas will be seven days removed from their final out-of-conference game against the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders. Up to this point, the Utes will be the Jayhawks’ third power-conference matchup. For Utah, Morgan Scalley’s reign would have seen Idaho, Arkansas, Utah State and Iowa State. While the Razorbacks and Cyclones are power-conference teams, both are undergoing coaching overhauls and neither is tipped to have an elite season.
Utah put the stamp on a disappointing 2025 Kansas season
It was the final regular-season game for Whittingham on one side, and the final season for KU hero Jalon Daniels on the other. The task was simple for the Jayhawks: win and guarantee a bowl game to wrap up Daniels’ career on a high. For Whittingham, he and the rest of the Utah contingent were still hanging on to the chance of a possible appearance in the College Football Playoff.
What ensued was a grueling 31-21 contest that the Jayhawks actually led 14-10 heading into the final period of the regular season. But in the fashion of the 2025 campaign, KU let the lead slip, badly. Two interceptions in the fourth quarter from Daniels (one of which was a pick-six) opened up the door for Utah to come back and outscore Kansas 21-7 in the last quarter and walk away with a 31-21 win for Whittingham.
The Utes have reassembled as well as anyone ahead of Scalley’s first season
Prior to being named Utah’s head coach, Scalley had been with the program since 2006. In what started as a role as an administrative assistant, Scalley slowly climbed the ladder, and in terms of first-time head coaches, Scalley is as ready as any.
A 17-man transfer portal class nowadays isn’t too common; need proof? Kansas finished with 30; however, it's clear that this is a Utah team that didn’t hit the panic button after Whittingham’s departure and instead made a couple of great moves, namely in wide receivers, Kyri Shoels and Braden Pegan. Last season for San Jose State, Shoels accumulated 768 yards through the air and 2 touchdowns, averaging 64 yards per game. During the 2025 campaign, Pegan compiled 926 yards and 5 scores for 77.2 yards per game, and an extra one on the ground.
However, the man who will take the most plaudits is quarterback Devon Dampier. In Dampier's first season with the program in 2025, the former New Mexico transfer marked 24 touchdowns to just 5 interceptions, 2,490 yards and 10 rushing touchdowns. A spectacular first season.
You could make a case that Kansas could win each of its first four games; it's unlikely, but it could definitely happen. Trying to convince yourself of a win against Utah looks like a different beast. The best-case scenario is that Scalley comes stumbling out of the blocks and the team suffers an early dip in confidence, giving KU just enough room to pull off the upset.
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