Utah’s first Big 12 road trip of the season now has a time and a national TV spotlight.
The No. 17 Utes will face Iowa State at 1:30 p.m. MT on FOX on Sept. 26 in Ames, giving Utah its second straight week on FOX and its third scheduled appearance on the network this season.
That trip sends Utah back to a place that still carries a little history. The Utes haven’t been to Jack Trice Stadium since 2010, when former Utah quarterback Jordan Wynn authored one of the program’s memorable road showings in a 68-27 win over the Cyclones. That game came in Utah’s final Mountain West season, before the school moved on to the Pac-12 and the “power conference” stage.
This time, the backdrop is different, but the stakes are just as clear in conference play. Utah and Iowa State will meet for the first time in Ames as Big 12 opponents, with the Utes set to arrive after a strong opening stretch. Utah is expected to be undefeated entering the game, with blowout wins over Idaho State and Arkansas already on the board and Utah State up next in what will be the team’s first road game of the year.
The Utes have also looked the part offensively. They rank sixth nationally in scoring at 54.5 points per game, fueled by an offense that spreads the load and leans on a variety of players and schemes to keep defenses off balance.
Iowa State took the first Big 12 meeting between the schools, edging Utah 31-28 at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Nov. 23, 2024.
After the Ames trip, Utah goes into its only bye week of the season before returning home to Rice-Eccles Stadium on Oct. 10 to host Kansas. The kickoff time and TV details for that game will be announced during the week of Sept. 27.
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The biggest change has been in the feel of the offense, which has been built around diverse play calls, multiple receivers getting involved and a mix of formations that keeps opponents from settling in. For a program long associated with a tougher, more methodical identity, that kind of variety gives Utah a different look and a different ceiling. The early performance suggests the shift is real, even if the fuller test of how sustainable it is still lies ahead. [Read more 🡒]