Utah Football Sneaks Into Joel Klatt’s Preseason Top 25 Teams List
Aug 4, 2025, 1:22 PM
(Photo courtesy of KSL Sports)
(Photo courtesy of KSL Sports)
Fox Sports college football analyst Joel Klatt released his preseason Top 25 power rankings Monday on “The Joel Klatt Show.”
In his list, Utah football snuck into the bottom of the rankings with a No. 25 placement.
Thoughts on @joelklatt’s Preseason Top 25? pic.twitter.com/rCrU51YrWw
— The Joel Klatt Show: A CFB Pod (@JoelKlattShow) August 4, 2025
Klatt gave the Utes the benefit of the doubt despite a disappointing first year in the Big 12 Conference.
“Death, taxes, and Utah Football,” Klatt started. “They’re coming back. This is the exact type of year that I love Utah Football because no one is talking about them in the offseason. They’re coming off a season in which they were a much better season than their record indicated. Not a lot of people are talking about Utah, I’m talking about Utah. I think Utah pops back in there and they will threaten in the Big 12 for a potential berth in the championship game.”
Utah came in as the favorite to win the Big 12 in 2024, but injuries and other unforeseen circumstances resulted in them finishing with a 5-7 record and a bottom-four record in the conference.
Now, storied head coach Kyle Whittingham is back to lead Utah into its first Big 12 season after the Cam Rising era.
New Mexico transfer QB Devon Dampier was named the conference’s preseason newcomer of the year, the offensive line features two projected first-round NFL draftees, and the defense looks to be as dangerous as ever.
Things are looking up in Salt Lake City.
Dialed in. #GoUtes | @Ford pic.twitter.com/hsSG66aGnx
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) August 3, 2025
Other Notable Joel Klatt Top 25 Placements
The Utes are one of six Big 12 schools to crack the top 25. Kansas State (15), Arizona State (18), Texas Tech (19), Iowa State (20), and Baylor (23) join Utah.
Klatt’s list begins with the Big Ten’s Penn State Nittany Lions, the first of seven schools in that conference to make his list.
However, the most dominant conference in the ranking remains the SEC. Nine of the 16 schools made Klatt’s preseason ranking.
My Preseason Top 25 is here @joelklattshow
2025 should be an incredible season!
Who is too high? Low? https://t.co/MhlWXlBInW
— Joel Klatt (@joelklatt) August 4, 2025
Joel Klatt’s Full Preseason Top 25 Ranking
- Penn State (Big Ten)
- Texas (SEC)
- Ohio State (Big Ten)
- Clemson (ACC)
- Oregon (Big Ten)
- Notre Dame (Independent)
- Georgia (SEC)
- LSU (SEC)
- Alabama (SEC)
- Michigan (Big Ten)
- South Carolina (SEC)
- Miami (ACC)
- Illinois (Big Ten)
- Florida (SEC)
- Kansas State (Big 12)
- Texas A&M (SEC)
- Indiana (Big Ten)
- Arizona State (Big 12)
- Texas Tech (Big 12)
- Iowa State (Big 12)
- Ole Miss (SEC)
- Iowa (Big Ten)
- Baylor (Big 12)
- Oklahoma (SEC)
- Utah (Big 12)
