Utah

Big 12 power rankings: Where do Utah and BYU stand before conference play begins?

Published

1 year ago

September 18, 2024

Big 12 power rankings: Where do Utah and BYU stand before conference play begins?

Only three points separate the top two teams in this week’s Big 12 Power Rankings.

Utah remained No. 1 for the third consecutive week, receiving eight of a possible 16 first-place votes from a panel of media that regularly covers the Big 12. Kansas State, one of the league’s seven unbeaten teams, moved up to No. 2 with six first-place votes and 242 points.

The marquee matchup of the weekend will feature the Utes and No. 3 Oklahoma State, which received the other two first-place votes.

UCF climbed to fourth this week after a 21-point comeback at TCU, while Kansas had the biggest drop – from ninth to 14th – after a second straight loss.

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Utes quarterback Cameron Rising (7) as Utah State hosts the University of Utah of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Logan, Utah.

Previous ranking: 1

Points: 245 (eight first-place votes)

Record: 3-0 (0-0 Big 12)

Last week: beat Utah State, 38-21

This week: at No. 14 Oklahoma State

Comment: Without Cam Rising under center, Utah’s offense finally looked serviceable against Utah State. The good news for the Utes is that Rising is expected to be back this week.

Did you know? This will be Utah’s second all-time matchup against Oklahoma State. Their last game occurred on Oct. 20, 1945. — Jason Batacao, The Salt Lake Tribune

Previous ranking: 3

Points: 242 (six first-place votes)

Record: 3-0 (0-0 Big 12)

Last week: beat No. 20 Arizona, 31-7

This week: at BYU

Comment: K-State will be looking to start its season 4-0 for the first time since 2012. The Cougars and Wildcats are squaring off for the ninth time in history, each team winning four games. The last time the K-State came away with a win in the series was 1976.

Did you know? K-State has scored non-offensive touchdowns in all three games this season, the first time doing so to start the year since the first three games of the 2002 season. — Tim Everson, The Manhattan Mercury

Previous ranking: 2

Points: 230 (two first-place votes)

Record: 3-0 (0-0 Big 12)

Last week: beat Tulsa, 45-10

This week: vs. No. 12 Utah

Comment: Despite the return of Doak Walker Award winner Ollie Gordon and his entire offensive line, Oklahoma State hasn’t been able to run the ball against anyone this season. Only 25 teams average less yards per carry than the Cowboys (3.37). Up next, Utah which limits teams to 3.14 yards.

Did you know? Oklahoma State is one of eight teams in the country yet to allow a sack this season. — Tyler Waldrep, Tulsa World

Previous ranking: 6

Points: 196

Record: 3-0 (1-0 Big 12)

Last week: beat TCU, 35-34

This week: Open date

Comment: The Knights rallied from 21 points down in the third quarter to open conference play with a come-from-behind win at TCU. Quarterback KJ Jefferson’s 20-yard pass to Kobe Hudson with 36 seconds remaining capped off the comeback, giving UCF an improbable road win. Running back RJ Harvey rushed for 180 yards, his fifth consecutive 100-yard game.

Did you know? The 21-point comeback was the largest since UCF rallied against Boise State on Sept. 2, 2021, which was Gus Malzahn’s first game as UCF’s coach. — Matt Murschel, Orlando Sentinel

Previous ranking: 4

Points: 195

Record: 2-0 (0-0 Big 12)

Last week: Open date

This week: vs. Arkansas State

Comment: Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht is 276 yards from becoming the 10th player in program history to eclipse 4,000 career passing yards — and he’s only made 15 career starts. The redshirt sophomore owns a 14-to-2 touchdown-to-interception ratio over his past six games dating back to last season.

Did you know? Cyclone head coach Matt Campbell is one win away from tying Dan McCarney for the most in program history (56). — Rob Gray, The Cedar Rapids Gazette

Previous ranking: 8

Points: 167

Record: 3-0 (0-0 Big 12)

Last week: beat Texas State, 31-28

This week: at Texas Tech

Comment: The Sun Devils showed some resiliency, coming from a 14-point deficit and beating a team on the road that had been receiving votes in the national poll and did so in a short week, having to play on Thursday. They also had to survive a clock fiasco with the home team given one more play after time had run out.

Did you know? This is the first time ASU has started the season 3-0 since 2019, but first since 2007 the Sun Devils won all three against FBS opponents. — Michelle Gardner, Arizona Republic

Previous ranking: 5

Points: 150

Record: 2-1 (0-0 Big 12)

Last week: lost to No. 14 Kansas State, 31-7

This week: Open date

Comment: After getting boat-raced by 24 points at Kansas State, Arizona enters a much-needed open date. Arizona’s biggest weakness is stopping the run and penalties. Arizona’s rushing defense is ranked 103rd out of 133 teams in FBS after surrendering 200 yards on the ground in two games this season, and they’re also tied for the fourth-most penalty yards (269) in college football. Arizona will have to do some soul-searching during its week off.

Did you know? Arizona had its nine-game winning streak snapped, the longest active streak in college football. The longest active winning streak now belongs to Missouri. Arizona also ended its streak of appearances in the Associated Press Top 25, which started in Week 10 of last season. — Justin Spears, Arizona Daily Star

Previous ranking: 7

Points: 125

Record: 2-1 (0-1 Big 12)

Last week: lost to UCF, 35-34

This week: at SMU

Comment: TCU blew a 21-point lead in the third quarter to fall to the Knights, conceding 289 rushing yards and raising questions about the Frogs’ ability to defend the run. Next up, the second to last Iron Skillet game against the Mustangs.

Did you know? TCU leads the all-time series against SMU 53-42-7. — Jamie Plunkett, Horned Frog Blitz

(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Brigham Young Cougars tight end Mata’ava Ta’ase (88) and Brigham Young Cougars tight end Keanu Hill (1) as BYU hosts Southern Illinois, NCAA football in Provo on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024.

Previous ranking: T10

Points: 123

Record: 3-0 (0-0 Big 12)

Last week: beat Wyoming, 34-14

This week: vs. No. 13 Kansas State

Comment: BYU’s final trip to Laramie wasn’t all perfect for the Cougars, but the game was never in doubt. BYU nursed a three-possession lead the entire second half. There are still lingering questions about quarterback Jake Retzlaff’s decision making heading into conference play, but BYU knows its 2024 hopes rest on the quarterback’s playmaking ability.

Did you know? BYU is 3-0 for the second straight season. Last year, the Cougars finished 2-7 in conference play. — Kevin Reynolds, The Salt Lake Tribune

Previous ranking: 13

Points: 90

Record: 2-1 (0-0 Big 12)

Last week: beat Colorado State, 28-9

This week: vs. Baylor

Comment: The Buffs got back on track last week with a dominating win at Colorado State. CU’s run game showed some life for the first time this season, Shedeur Sanders threw four more touchdown passes and Travis Hunter was special on both sides of the ball, but the Buffs’ defense set the tone from the start. CSU’s only touchdown and 41% of its yards came in the fourth quarter after the Buffs were already in control of the game.

Did you know? Last week was just the third time in 15 games under head coach Deion Sanders that the Buffs reached 100 rushing yards, finishing with 109. In those 15 games, the Buffs have 1,011 rushing yards (67.4 per game). — Brian Howell, Boulder Daily Camera

Previous ranking: 12

Points: 86

Record: 2-1 (0-0 Big 12)

Last week: beat Air Force, 31-3

This week: at Colorado

Comment: Sawyer Robertson stepped in for injured starter Dequan Finn and had the game of his life against Air Force, completing 75% of his passes, throwing for a career-high 248 yards and rushing for a touchdown in the win. Finn is dealing with an injured shoulder, and his status for the game in Boulder against Colorado won’t be decided until the middle of the week.

Did you know? Baylor’s win against Air Force on Saturday was the first win against an FBS team at McLane Stadium since the Bears beat Kansas on Oct. 22, 2022, a streak of nine games — Zach Smith, Waco Tribune-Herald

Previous ranking: T10

Points: 83

Record: 1-2 (0-0 Big 12)

Last week: lost to Pitt, 38-34

This week: vs. Kansas

Comment: The Mountaineers need to flush nonconference play and get ready for a tough Big 12 slate. WVU and Kansas meet in a matchup between teams desperate for a win. Unfortunately for the Mountaineers, their biggest weaknesses — defending deep passes and quarterback scrambling — are what Jayhawks quarterback Jalon Daniels does best.

Did you know? The last time Kansas was in Morgantown, the Jayhawks came away with the rare two-touchdown overtime win, 55-42, as JT Daniels threw a pick-six to Cobee Bryant. — Cody Nespor, The Dominion Post

Previous ranking: 14

Points: 82

Record: 2-1 (0-0 Big 12)

Last week: beat North Texas, 66-21

This week: vs. Arizona State

Comment: The Red Raiders who took the field against North Texas were a stark contrast to how they started the year. They looked much more like the team coaches gloated about in the preseason, but now how to replicate that kind of effort on offense and defense in games that matter.

Did you know? Texas Tech tied the program record for points in a quarter (35) and points in a half (52) in the modern era against UNT. — Nathan Giese, Avalanche-Journal

Previous ranking: 9

Points: 78

Record: 1-2 (0-0 Big 12)

Last week: lost to UNLV, 23-20

This week: at West Virginia

Comment: KU may have a quarterback problem it couldn’t possibly have anticipated prior to the season, after key interceptions by Jalon Daniels, who has now thrown more picks in three games than he did in his previous 12, helped sink the Jayhawks in a pair of unexpected early-season losses.

Did you know? The only time the Jayhawks have won a conference opener on the road since 2008 was at West Virginia in 2022. — Henry Greenstein, Lawrence Journal-World

Previous ranking: 15

Points: 46

Record: 2-1 (0-0 Big 12)

Last week: beat Miami (Ohio), 27-16

This week: vs. Houston

Comment: After dropping the Victory Bell game for the first time in 17 seasons last year in overtime, the Bearcats regained the trophy Saturday with a 27-16 win over the defending MAC champion Miami RedHawks. Corey Kiner went over 100 yards for the second straight game, finishing with 126 yards and a touchdown. Kickoff specialist Nathan Hawks beat Carter Brown in a weekly competition and made his debut for the Bearcats with field goals of 55 and 50 yards.

Did you know? Hawks began his college career at Division III Wittenberg and before getting into the transfer portal had enrolled at Cincinnati. He joined the team in time for fall training camp in 2023. His first FBS field goal was the longest of his career (55 yards) and three off the school record of 58 yards. — Scott Springer, Cincinnati Enquirer

Previous ranking: 16

Points: 31

Record: 1-2 (0-0 Big 12)

Last week: beat Rice, 33-7

This week: at Cincinnati

Comment: Don’t look now, but defensive coordinator Shiel Wood’s unit has put together back-to-back impressive showings against Oklahoma and Rice. The Cougars rank in the top 15 in total defense (238.7 yards per game) and passing defense (123.7 yards). The 16.6 points allowed is nearly half the total from the same point last season. In the last six quarters, Houston has forced opponents to punt 80% of the drives (16-of-28), including nine three-and-out possessions.

Did you know? The Big 12 is the fourth different league Houston and Cincinnati have competed together. The two schools were co-members of the Missouri Valley (1957-59), Conference USA (1996-2004) and the American Athletic Conference (2013-22) before joining the Big 12 last season. — Joseph Duarte, Houston Chronicle

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Utah

Utah man dies of injuries sustained in avalanche in Big Cottonwood Canyon

Published

11 hours ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

Utah man dies of injuries sustained in avalanche in Big Cottonwood Canyon

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — A man died after he was caught in an avalanche in Big Cottonwood Canyon over the weekend.

A spokesperson for the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office confirmed on Thursday that Kevin Williams, 57, had died.

He, along with one other person, was hospitalized in critical condition after Saturday’s avalanche in the backcountry.

MORE | Big Cottonwood Canyon Avalanche

In an interview with 2News earlier this week, one of Williams’ close friends, Nate Burbidge, described him as a loving family man.

“Kevin’s an amazing guy. He’s always serving, looking for ways that he can connect with others,” Burbidge said.

A GoFundMe was set up to help support Williams’ family.

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911 recordings detail hours leading up to discovery of Utah girl, mother dead in Las Vegas

Published

23 hours ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

911 recordings detail hours leading up to discovery of Utah girl, mother dead in Las Vegas

CONTENT WARNING: This report discusses suicide and includes descriptions of audio from 911 calls that some viewers may find disturbing.

LAS VEGAS — Exclusively obtained 911 recordings detail the hours leading up to the discovery of an 11-year-old Utah girl and her mother dead inside a Las Vegas hotel room in an apparent murder-suicide.

Addi Smith and her mother, Tawnia McGeehan, lived in West Jordan and had traveled to Nevada for the JAMZ cheerleading competition.

The calls show a growing sense of urgency from family members and coaches, and several hours passing before relatives learned what happened.

MORE | Murder-Suicide

Below is a timeline of the key moments, according to dispatch records. All times are Pacific Time.

10:33 a.m. — Call 1

After Addi and her mother failed to appear at the cheerleading competition, Addi’s father and stepmother called dispatch for a welfare check.

Addi and her mother were staying at the Rio hotel. The father told dispatch that hotel security had already attempted contact.

“Security went up and knocked on the door. There’s no answer or response it doesn’t look like they checked out or anything…”

11:18 a.m. and 11:27 a.m. — Calls 2 and 3

As concern grew, Addi’s coach contacted the police two times within minutes.

“We think the child possibly is in imminent danger…”

11:26 a.m. — Call 4

Addi’s stepmother placed another call to dispatch, expressing escalating concern.

“We are extremely concerned we believe that something might have seriously happened.”

She said that Tawnia’s car was still at the hotel.

Police indicated officers were on the way.

2:26 p.m. — Call 5

Nearly three hours after the initial welfare check request, fire personnel were en route to the scene. It appeared they had been in contact with hotel security.

Fire told police that they were responding to a possible suicide.

“They found a note on the door.”

2:35 p.m. — Call 6

Emergency medical personnel at the scene told police they had located two victims.

“It’s going to be gunshot wound to the head for both patients with notes”

A dispatcher responded:

“Oh my goodness that’s not okay.”

2:36 p.m. — Call 7

Moments later, fire personnel relayed their assessment to law enforcement:

“It’s going to be a murder suicide, a juvenile and a mother.”

2:39 p.m. — Call 8

Unaware of what had been discovered, Addi’s father called dispatch again.

“I’m trying to file a missing persons report for my daughter.”

He repeats the details he knows for the second time.

3:13 p.m. — Call 9

Father and stepmother call again seeking information and continue to press for answers.

“We just need some information. There was a room check done around 3:00 we really don’t know where to start with all of this Can we have them call us back immediately?”

Dispatch responded:

“As soon as there’s a free officer, we’ll have them reach out to you.”

4:05 p.m. — Call 10

More than an hour later, Addi’s father was put in contact with the police on the scene. He pleaded for immediate action.

“I need someone there I need someone there looking in that room”

The officer confirmed that they had officers currently in the room.

Addi’s father asks again what they found, if Addi and her mother are there, and if their things were missing.

The officer, who was not on scene, said he had received limited information.

5:23 p.m. — Call 11

Nearly seven hours after the first welfare check request, Addi’s grandmother contacted police, describing conflicting information circulating within the family.

“Some people are telling us that they were able to get in, and they were not in the hotel room, and other people saying they were not able to get in the hotel room, and we need to know”

She repeated the details of the case. Dispatch said officers will call her back once they have more information.

Around 8:00 p.m. — Press Conference

Later that evening, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police held a news conference confirming that Addi and her mother, Tawnia McGeehan, were found dead inside the hotel room.

The investigation remains ongoing.

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Ban on AI glasses in Utah classrooms inches closer to passing

Published

1 day ago

February 26, 2026

Press Room

Ban on AI glasses in Utah classrooms inches closer to passing

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — AI glasses could allow you to get answers, snap photos, access audio and take phone calls—and now a proposal moving through the legislature would ban the glasses from Utah school classrooms.

“I think it’s a great idea,” said Kizzy Guyton Murphy, a mother who accompanied her child’s class on a field trip to the state Capitol on Wednesday. “You can’t see inside what the student is looking at, and it’s just grounds for cheating.”

Mom Tristan Davies Seamons also sees trouble with AI glasses.

“I don’t think they should have any more technology in schools than they currently have,” she said.

Her twin daughters, fourth graders Finley and Grayson, don’t have cell phones yet.

“Not until we’re like 14,” said Grayson, adding they do have Chromebooks in school.

2News sent questions to the Utah State Board of Education:

Does it have reports of students using AI glasses?
Does it see cheating and privacy as major concerns?
Does it support a ban from classrooms?

Matt Winters, USBE AI specialist, said the board has not received reports from school districts of students with AI glasses.

“Local Education Agencies (school districts) have local control over these decisions based on current law and code,” said Winters. “The Board has not taken a position on AI glasses.

MORE | Utah State Legislature:

Some districts across the country have reportedly put restrictions on the glasses in schools.

“I think it should be up to the teachers,” said Briauna Later, another mother who is all for preventing cheating, but senses a ban could leave administrators with tired eyes.

“It’s one more thing for the administration to have to keep track of,” said Later.

The proposal, HB 42, passed the House and cleared a Senate committee on Wednesday.

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