Utah’s quarterback room isn’t just stable heading into 2026 - it’s stacked. While much of college football spent the offseason scrambling for a single answer under center, the Utes emerged with two.
Starter Devon Dampier confirmed he’s coming back, even after his former head coach and offensive coordinator packed up for the Midwest. That announcement, paired with backup Byrd Ficklin’s earlier commitment to return, gives Utah a rare luxury: two dynamic quarterbacks with experience and upside.
It’s the kind of depth that makes you sit up and take notice - especially in a Big 12 that’s wide open behind perennial contender Texas Tech. And after finishing 11-2 last season, Utah doesn’t need a rebuild.
It needs a nudge. A few breaks.
A couple of plays. Because that’s all that separated the Utes from a spot in the conference championship game in 2025.
Let’s rewind.
Utah technically ended the regular season behind Texas Tech and BYU in the Big 12 standings, thanks to head-to-head losses. But the margin was razor-thin - three plays, to be exact.
Play No. 1: The Texas Tech Game-Changer
In the conference opener, Dampier hit Jackson Bennee for what looked like a 69-yard touchdown that would’ve tied things up early. Instead, a flag came out - ineligible man downfield on tackle Spencer Fano - and the score was wiped off the board.
Momentum vanished. Utah fumbled a few plays later, and the game started slipping away.
That penalty didn’t just cost them six points - it flipped the entire script.
Plays No. 2 and 3: The Holy War Missed Chances
Rivalry games are always tight, and the 2025 edition of the Holy War was no different. Utah moved the ball but stalled in the red zone twice.
Both times, head coach Kyle Whittingham opted to go for it on fourth down rather than kick short field goals. Both times, BYU’s defense stood tall - once at the 12-yard line, once at the 8.
That’s six points left on the field in a game Utah ultimately lost 24-21. You do the math.
Flip any one of those three plays, and Utah might’ve been playing for a Big 12 title in Arlington.
So yeah, that “short step” into the championship conversation? It’s not just coach-speak. It’s reality.
Now, the Utes are entering a new era. Whittingham is off to Michigan, and defensive coordinator-turned-head coach Morgan Scalley takes the reins.
Any time a first-year head coach steps in, especially after a long-tenured legend, there’s risk. But Scalley’s transition has been anything but chaotic.
His biggest win so far? Nailing the offensive coordinator hire.
Kevin McGiven brings a system that’s familiar enough to keep Dampier and Ficklin comfortable, but proven enough to add wrinkles. McGiven’s track record suggests he’ll keep the offense humming without forcing a full reset. Continuity matters, especially when you’re this close to breaking through.
And here’s the other thing: Utah’s health outlook is finally trending in the right direction. The 2023 and 2024 seasons were marred by injuries up and down the roster. But if the Utes can keep their key pieces on the field in 2026, they have the firepower to make a serious run.
The Big 12 Landscape: Opportunity Knocks
This version of the Big 12 is all about margins. A handful of plays across a couple of games can decide who’s playing for the title and who’s watching from home. Even BYU, who made it to the championship game, needed three nail-biters - including an overtime win - to get there.
Utah’s schedule? About as favorable as it gets.
Non-conference matchups with Idaho and Utah State should be manageable. Arkansas is a tougher test, but the Razorbacks may already be looking ahead to their SEC opener against Georgia. That’s a potential trap game - for them.
In Big 12 play, Utah avoids Arizona State and Texas Tech entirely. They get BYU and Houston at home.
The only road trip that jumps off the page is Arizona, and even that’s winnable if Utah plays to its potential. Iowa State is also on the road, but with Matt Campbell now at Penn State, the Cyclones are a bit of a mystery.
Meanwhile, the rest of the league is dealing with its own turbulence.
- Iowa State lost its head coach.
- Arizona State lost its quarterback.
- BYU lost defensive coordinator Jay Hill - to Michigan, of all places, following Whittingham’s move.
The timing couldn’t be better for Utah. The Utes lost some staff and players, sure - that’s the cost of doing business in today’s college football. But they’ve weathered the storm better than most, and the path ahead is as clear as it’s been in years.
Texas Tech still looks strong, and their schedule is soft enough to make another title-game run. But they can only fill one of those two spots in Arlington.
The other? It’s wide open.
And Utah, with two quarterbacks, a retooled staff, and a chip on its shoulder, might just be the team to take it.