The time has come.

The leaves are teasing a change in color. The air is becoming just a little bit crisper. Oh, and the start of college football.

No. 21 Utah is set to take on Idaho in the program’s first matchup of the 2026 regular season. The game will kick off at 7 p.m. MDT on Thursday in Salt Lake City.

The Utes are heavily favored in the matchup and should have little trouble against the Vandals, but what about the rest of their season? There was a lot of change around the program this offseason, including a new head coach, an overhaul of key staff positions and the departure of multiple star players in the transfer portal.

But Utah still returned many of the key playmakers from last season, so there’s a good chance the program is in for another successful season this fall.

Here are my game-by-game predictions for their 2026 campaign:

vs. Idaho

This is an easy prediction to make (maybe the easiest of the bunch).

Idaho got the best of Utah in 1993, when the Vandals defeated the Utes 28-17. The Utes should get some belated revenge.

Prediction: Utah 55, Idaho 20

Record: 1-0

vs. Arkansas

Arkansas is coming into the season with a new head coach, Ryan Silverfield, and the Razorbacks also have a newly named starting quarterback in KJ Jackson, who passed for 443 yards and three touchdowns in five appearances last year.

The Razorbacks don’t have the highest expectations — Arkansas is projected to finish last in the league this season — but I don’t foresee a big blowout here.

Still, the Utes will pull out their second win of the season against the SEC opponent.

Prediction: Utah 35, Arkansas 21

Record: 2-0

vs. Utah State

Utah State head coach Bronco Mendenhall might have some bad blood for the Utes — and not just from his days leading BYU.

The other reason: Utah keeps taking his offensive coordinators.

New Utah offensive coordinator Kevin McGiven will be facing off against his former boss after leaving Utah State. Former Utah offensive coordinator Jason Beck was on Mendenhall’s staff at New Mexico before he came to Salt Lake City.

Mendenhall is looking to improve from last season’s campaign with the Aggies, after they went 6-7 and 4-4 in the Mountain West.

I don’t see Utah State competing with Utah’s offensive talent at Rice-Eccles Stadium.

Prediction: Utah 42, Utah State 14

Record: 3-0

at Iowa State

Utah’s first road trip of the 2026 season will take place in Ames, Iowa.

The Utes will look to avenge their 2024 loss to the Cyclones, when they came into Salt Lake City and won after Utah missed a game-tying field goal attempt from 54 yards in the final minutes.

This team looks a lot different than the one Iowa State had in 2024, however. The Cyclones recently replaced longtime head coach Matt Campbell with Jimmy Rodgers, who recently won an FCS national championship with South Dakota State.

They also lost 55 players to the NCAA transfer portal this offseason.

Still, Iowa State has been known to surprise some folks, and given it’s a home game for the Cyclones, I think they’ll keep it closer than expected. But Utah still gets a win in Morgan Scalley’s first true road game.

Prediction: Utah 28, Iowa State 14

Record: 4-0 (1-0 Big 12)

vs. Kansas

This matchup, on paper, favors the Utes.

Kansas is coming into the season with a new-look offense led by quarterback Isaiah Marshall and running back Dylan Edwards. Utah had a hard time fending off the Jayhawks last season in Lawrence, Kansas, until about the fourth quarter.

Utah won’t have as much trouble this time. Why?

It will be Utah’s Big 12 home opener, and the Utes will be riding high on a four-game winning streak. Mark down another win for Morgan Scalley’s team.

Prediction: Utah 31, Kansas 13

Record: 5-0 (2-0 Big 12)

at Colorado

There’s a not-so-crazy scenario where Utah will face old friend and former four-star recruit quarterback Isaac Wilson.

Wilson spent two seasons with the Utes, including starting in place of an injured Cam Rising in 2024.

If it’s not Wilson, the Utes will likely face sophomore quarterback Julian Lewis. The Carrollton, Georgia, native finished with 589 passing yards and four touchdowns in 2025.

Utah had little trouble with Colorado last season, beating the Buffs 53-7 in Byrd Ficklin’s coming-out party.

I expect more of the same this season.

Prediction: Utah 45, Colorado 30

Record: 6-0 (3-0 Big 12)

vs. No. 23 Houston

The Cougars were one of the best teams in the Big 12 last year, finishing with a 10-3 record and beating LSU in the Kinder’s Texas Bowl.

They could be even better this season.

Houston head coach Willie Fritz is back, and the Cougars held on to quarterback Conner Weigman this offseason.

And they hand Utah its first loss of the season.

Prediction: Houston 24, Utah 21

Record: 6-1 (3-1 Big 12)

at Cincinnati

Morgan Scalley’s unit absolutely manhandled Cincinnati last season when they came to Salt Lake City, making life miserable for embattled Bearcats quarterback Brendan Sorsby.

New QB JC French IV won’t fare any better.

The Utes will bounce back after a tough loss.

Prediction: Utah 31, Cincinnati 17

Record: 7-1 (4-1 Big 12)

vs. No. 14 BYU

If everything goes as expected, the Utes and Cougars will both be contending for a shot at the Big 12 Championship and even a College Football Playoff spot by this contest.

As if this game even needs any more stakes.

The Cougars have bested the Utes three times in a row in the classic in-state matchup. Utah and Scalley will look to end that streak this season at home in Salt Lake City.

I’ve only covered two rivalry games, but I already know this: the game is always close — and pretty nuts.

This time, I think the scales will tip toward Utah.

I’ll even go further with my prediction: Utah takes the game on a game-winning field goal.

Prediction: Utah 31, BYU 28

Record: 8-1 (5-1 Big 12)

at Arizona

Riding high after a rivalry win, Utah will fall into the trap of this game.

Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita is a bona fide star. Jay’Vion Cole is one of the best cornerbacks in the Big 12. He finished with four interceptions last season and will look to improve on those numbers this year. And he’s just one of Arizona’s defensive playmakers. (I admit I’m more bullish on the Wildcats than other writers in the Big 12.)

That said, Arizona pulls off the upset in Tucson.

Prediction: Arizona 30, Utah 17

Record: 8-2 (5-2 Big 12)

at TCU

The college football world has already gotten a glimpse at TCU after it lost to North Carolina in Week Zero in Ireland.

Was that performance indicative of how the Horned Frogs will play the rest of 2026? Perhaps, perhaps not.

TCU is coming off a 9-4 campaign, which included key late-season wins over Houston and Cincinnati. Will Harvard transfer Jaden Craig look better away from Ireland? If so, the Horned Frogs could be a formidable opponent for Utah.

It’ll be close, but Utah gets back on track in Texas.

Prediction: Utah 28, TCU 24

Record: 9-2 (5-2 Big 12)

vs. West Virginia

The Utes will end their 2026 slate with another Black Friday matchup against the Mountaineers. This time, though, it will be at home — congratulations to all the Ute fans who love home football games after a day of turkey leftovers and shopping.

As for the game, this matchup will be similar to what we saw in Morgantown a season ago: a Utah rout.

Prediction: Utah 45, West Virginia 14

Final regular-season record: 10-2 (6-2 Big 12)