facebook-pixel

Beating BYU lifts Utah to No. 13 in the AP Top 25 as the Pac-12’s top-ranked team

(Trent Nelson | Tribune file photo) Brigham Young Cougars quarterback Zach Wilson (1) passes, with Utah Utes defensive tackle Leki Fotu (99) defending, as Brigham Young University hosts the University of Utah, NCAA football in Provo on Thursday, Aug. 29, 2019.

  | Sep. 3, 2019, 6:49 p.m.

Utah’s 30-12 win over BYU last week impressed AP Top 25 voters more than Washington’s 47-14 defeat of Big Sky Conference favorite Eastern Washington.

The Utes and Huskies switched spots, with Utah moving to No. 13 and Washington becoming No. 14 in the first poll of the 2019 regular season, released Tuesday. Utah remained No. 15 in the Coaches Poll. In each case, Auburn moved above the Utes and Oregon dropped below them after Auburn’s 27-21 victory over the Ducks at Arlington, Texas.

The No. 13 ranking is the Utes’ highest ever at this stage of a season. The 2010 Utes moved to No. 13 on Sept. 19 after wins over Pittsburgh, UNLV and New Mexico.

Utah jumped ahead of Oregon and Washington as the Pac-12’s highest-ranked team. That distinction most recently occurred in 2015, when the Utes were No. 3 with a 6-0 record in October before losing to USC.

In addition to Utah, Washington and No. 16 Oregon, Pac-12 teams in the Top 25 include No. 22 Washington State and No. 23 Stanford. WSU is scheduled to become Utah’s first ranked opponent on Sept. 28 at Rice-Eccles Stadium.

Utah is No. 15 in ESPN’s Football Power Index, being projected for 9.7 wins in the 12-game regular season. The FPI gives Utah a 95.5 percent chance of beating Northern Illinois at home Saturday and a 28.1 percent chance of winning the Pac-12 championship.