The Ute coach said NFL-style preseason games could be one solution for college football.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham reacts to a call by the officials, in the 4th quarter, in PAC-12 football action between the Utah Utes and the UCLA Bruins, at Rice-Eccles Stadium, on Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023.
Kyle Whittingham hasn’t been shy to share his opinion on the future of college football.
In the past, the Utah head coach has said the sport is moving toward a “minor league” NFL model. And as Whittingham prepares the Utes for their first game of the season this weekend at UCLA, the longtime football coach mentioned another NFL-style change he might like to see in college football.
“I don’t know if college is going to ever go to preseason like the NFL,” Whittingham said during his Monday news conference. “That wouldn’t be a bad idea, in my opinion, to have a couple of preseason games that don’t count on the record.”
While many Power Four schools kick off their seasons with a game against a lower-level opponent, the Utes will start this season on the road against another P4 foe.
That’s not exactly Whittingham’s ideal way to start the year.
“If I was going to say, what would I absolutely prefer is probably to play a lesser opponent so that you can find out who you are early on,” Whittingham said. “I think everyone probably feels the same way.”
But for now the Utes and Whittingham will have to stick to the current model, which has Utah competing in three non-conference matchups and nine Big 12 games.
And the road forward will have the Utes facing off against former Pac-12 rival in the Bruins.
“Well, it gets your players attention right away,” Whittingham said of having a Power Four opponent to open the season. “They’ve been pointing towards this game since last January, essentially. So it’s a little more of an attention getter in that respect. There’s pros and cons, and it’s a level playing field. I mean, UCLA is in the same boat.”
How to watch
Utah at UCLA
Where: Rose Bowl, Pasadena, Calif.
When: Saturday, Aug. 30
Kickoff: 9 p.m. MT
TV: FOX