Playing its first game in 1892, the University of Utah football program has had many memorable moments and teams.
From its humble beginnings to becoming a regional power in the 1920s-50s, to joining the WAC and busting the BCS as a Mountain West member to now being a member of a Power 5 conference, the Utes have shined at various times in their history. So what Utah teams stand out from the rest?
Here are the rankings of the Top 10 teams in Utah Utes football history.
Week 5 Bowl Projections: Postseason destinations for Utah, BYU, and USU
No. 10 – 2015
The 2015 Utes finished with a 10-3 record (6-3 Pac-12), the first 10-win campaign in the Pac-12 era.
The co-champions of the Pac-12 South Division, Utah recorded seven wins over bowl-eligible teams, highlighted by a pair of wins over ranked opponents – at No. 13 Oregon, No. 23 Cal – and a victory over an eventual 10-win Michigan team.
To cap off the season, Utah took down rival BYU in the Las Vegas Bowl before finishing the season ranked 17th in the AP and 16th in the Coaches polls.
No. 9 – 1947
The 1947 Utes took home the Mountain States Conference title for the first time in five years, tallying an 8-1-1 record and a perfect 6-0 mark in conference play.
Utah beat or tied five teams with a .500 record or better during the season, while also beating rivals BYU and Colorado.
No. 8 – 2019
The Pac-12 South Division champions in 2019, the Utes recorded an 11-3 record (8-1 Pac-12) during the season.
Finishing as the 16th-ranked team in both final polls (AP, Coaches), Utah beat five bowl-eligible teams during the season while making appearances in the Pac-12 Championship and the Alamo Bowl.
No. 7 – 1929
Utah’s 1929 season was a memorable one, with the Utes going a perfect 7-0, including 6-0 in RMAC action.
The RMAC champions beat four teams above .500 during the season, also defeating rival Utah State while outscoring their opponents 219-23.
No. 6 – 2003
In the first of two seasons under Urban Meyer, the 2003 Utes marched to a 10-2 record (6-1 MW) and a Mountain West championship.
Utah took down seven teams with a .500 record or better during the year – including a win over No. 19 Oregon – while also beating in-state rivals BYU and Utah State.
The Utes ended the season with a victory in the Liberty Bowl while being ranked 21st in the final major polls (AP, Coaches).
No. 5 – 1994
The best team of the Ron McBride era, the 1994 Utes finished with a 10-2 record (6-2 WAC) and recorded a number of impressive wins during the season.
Utah defeated three ranked opponents on the schedule – No. 12 Colorado State, No. 20 BYU, No. 15 Arizona – and Pac-10 champion Oregon, an eventual Top 15 team.
The Utes ended the season with a Freedom Bowl victory, finishing in the Top 10 of both the AP (No. 10) and Coaches (No. 8) rankings.
No. 4 – 2021
Finishing with a 10-4 record (8-1 Pac-12), the 2021 Utes won the Pac-12 South before throttling Oregon to win their first Pac-12 championship.
Highlighted by wins over three ranked opponents – No. 18 Arizona State and Oregon twice – the Utes finished 12th in the nation while appearing in the first Rose Bowl in program history.
No. 3 – 2004
The original BCS buster, the 2004 Utes rolled through an 11-0 (7-0 MW) regular season, beating four bowl-eligible teams, a pair of rivals, and added a second win over a P5 team (Arizona).
Winning the Mountain West title, Utah was chosen for the Fiesta Bowl to face Big East champion Pittsburgh.
The Utes crushed the Panthers 35-7, finishing with a perfect 12-0 record and a Top 5 ranking – No. 5 Coaches, No. 4 AP – in the final polls.
No. 2 – 1930
Perhaps the most dominant team in school history the 1930 Utes went a perfect 8-0, including 7-0 in RMAC play.
Winning the RMAC title, Utah beat three teams with a .500 record or better and recorded a win over rival Utah State.
The Utes’ offense averaged an astounding 42.5 points per game – a school record that stood until 2004 – while outscoring opponents 340-20 that included five shutouts.
No. 1 – 2008
The second edition of the BCS buster Utes, the 2008 team stands out as the best in Utah football history.
The Utes began the season with an upset win at “The Big House” over Michigan, before beating UNLV, rival Utah State, bowl-bound Air Force, and in-state foe Weber State.
Utah then beat Pac-10 member Oregon State (that finished ranked), Wyoming, bowl-eligible Colorado State, and New Mexico, setting up a meeting with No. 11 TCU in Salt Lake City.
The Utes eked out a close win over the Horned Frogs before crushing San Diego State and No. 16 rival BYU to finish the regular season as the undefeated Mountain West champions.
Facing No. 4 Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, most gave the Utes no chance at beating the SEC-runner up.
Instead, Utah ran out to a 21-0 lead, coasting to a 31-17 upset victory to finish the season 13-0.
As the only undefeated team in the nation, the Utes finished No. 2 in the final AP poll, the highest in team history.
