Fair or not, Utah’s performance in Pac-12 will be seen as test case of mid-major legitimacy. MWC teams need to root hard for Ute defectors. If, short-to-medium term, Utah is mediocre, it’ll be perceived as “proof” that mid-majors can’t compete “day in, day out” against big boys. OTOH, if Utah comes right in and competes, it’ll be perceived as vindicating mid-major advocates like @slmandel and me. So, uh, GO UTES! 🙂 Of course, some will have unreasonable expectations & say that even Utah going, say, 10-2 isn’t enough to vindicate mids. #HatersAlwaysHate.
If, short-to-medium term, Utah is mediocre, it’ll be perceived as “proof” that mid-majors can’t compete “day in, day out” against big boys. OTOH, if Utah comes right in and competes, it’ll be perceived as vindicating mid-major advocates like @slmandel and me.
Maybe both assertions are true. On average, mid-majors can’t compete day in and day out against big boys, and there are very good mid-major teams that deserve a shot at the title because they went 12-0. IOW, Utah is a mid-tier Pac-10 team at best, but going undefeated in the MWC should still give you a chance at the title.
They are a mid-tier Pac-10 team at best now, but what happens down the line now that they have the advantages of being in the Pac-10? Will they be an also ran like Arizona, or a potential contender like Oregon State? I’d lean toward the later actually. I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if Utah gets to the Rose Bowl before Arizona.
I fully expect Utah to get to the Rose Bowl before Oregon State and Arizona. Utah has altitude in their favor, plus solid recruiting with Pacific Islanders. The sleeping giants are Colorado, Washington, ASU, and fUCLA (assuming we’re considering Cal and Stanford legitimate title threats still), who can all quickly rocket to the top with the right coaching.
Far be it for me to be some sort of Beaver apologist (heh heh, heh heh, Beaver apologist), but Oregon State has been ONE WIN AWAY from the Rose Bowl the last two consecutive years. Granted, the first loss was a humiliating blowout at home, but the second one was quite close, on the road. So it’s surprising to me to hear you put them in the same category as Arizona, and below not just USC and Oregon (of course) and Cal and Stanford, but also Utah, Colorado, Washington, ASU, and fUCLA. Really?? The only team in the Pac-12 clearly below the Beavers in the “future Rose Bowl trips” pecking order, in your estimation, is Wazzu?
You misread me. Washington, Colorado, ASU, and fUCLA all are below Oregon State and Utah and Arizona — right now. But they are “sleeping giants”; they are institutions with built-in advantages that, with the right coaching, can quickly ascend up the Pac-10 ladder.
To me, USC’s biggest threats for the Pac-10 title right now are Oregon and Stanford (I waffle on Cal and Oregon State, and Arizona could be there but I’m not quite sold on them with the massive player and coaching turnover they’re experiencing this year). Oregon State is deceptive because they always start out bumbling, but then pick up their game and become a tough out in league play. Riley is a solid coach, but I think they are punching well above their weight and will have diminished power now that Utah and Colorado are coming into the league.
My take on it was more historical than recent, as U of A is the only Pac-10 team who hasn’t gone to the Rose Bowl.