Utah earned its highest preseason ranking this month when it debuted at No. 7 in The Associated Press poll.
But it’s not about where you start, it’s about where you finish.
Where will the Utes end up in 2022?
Utah opens the season with a game Sept. 3 at Florida of the SEC and will face No. 14 USC on Oct. 15 and No. 11 Oregon on Nov. 19.
Will No. 7 be lucky this season for the Utes?
Over the past 15 years, how have teams that ranked No. 7 in the preseason poll fared?
Well, the last two teams that were ranked No. 7 in the preseason, in 2020 and 2021 (Iowa State and Penn State), finished unranked.
From 2009 to 2019, every team that started out No. 7 finished the season ranked.
Seven times, those teams finished in the top 10 — 2018 (Oklahoma No. 4), 2017 (Oklahoma No. 3), 2016 (Michigan No. 10), 2014 (UCLA No. 10), 2012 (Florida State No. 10), 2011 (Stanford No. 7), and 2010 (Oklahoma No. 6).
Time will tell where Utah, which is the defending Pac-12 champion, will finish the season.
Where teams ranked No. 7 in AP preseason poll finished
Year — Preseason No. 7 — Final ranking
2022 — Utah — TBD
2021 — Iowa State — Unranked
2020 — Penn State — Unranked
2019 — Michigan — No. 18
2018 — Oklahoma — No. 4
2017 — Oklahoma — No. 3
2016 — Michigan — No. 10
2015 — Oregon — No. 19
2014 — UCLA — No. 10
2013 — Texas A&M — No. 18
2012 — Florida State — No. 10
2011 — Stanford — No. 7
2010 — Oklahoma — No. 6
2009 — Virginia Tech — No. 12
2008 — Louisiana State — Unranked
2007 — Wisconsin — No. 18