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The Cougars flipped the script on the Utes, proving the doubters and 'experts' wrong

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The Cougars flipped the script on the Utes, proving the doubters and 'experts' wrong


If the University of Utah football season were a movie, it would be “The Perfect Storm.” You know the story. Captain Whittingham and the gang catch a lot of big fish and think they’re headed for a big pay day. There are lots of warning signs that trouble is coming, but, yeah, they sail on — right into the perfect storm.

Parts are flying off the boat. Members of the crew are being thrown to the floor and getting injured, especially first mate Cam Rising. Senior XO Andy Ludwig jumps overboard. The boat is heavy and slow. They are thrown for a loss, over and over … and then they get steamrolled.

Everything that can go wrong, goes wrong.

Special Collector’s Issue: “1984: The Year BYU was Second to None”

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Get an inclusive look inside BYU Football’s 1984 National Championship season.

Meanwhile, their neighbors, BYU, are living in La La Land. Everything they touch is gold. Everything that can go right, goes right. It’s one big Hallmark movie, with Reese Witherspoon in the lead. Sometimes it looks like they’re in trouble, but, nope. Take the Kansas State game. The offense slept through the whole thing, but the team won 38-9 behind punt returns, fumble returns and interceptions. It was like Christmas, a birthday and an anniversary rolled into one half of a game.

Then there was Baylor, which outgained BYU by 120 yards — and lost.

The Cougars are living a charmed life.

Exactly no one saw any of this coming. Can we all agree that preseason polls — and polls in general — are fun but worthless. In both the AP and ESPN preseason polls, Utah was 12th and BYU unranked (the Cougars also didn’t get a single vote for the “others receiving votes,” which was 17 teams deep).

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Utah was picked to finish first the Big 12; BYU was picked to finish 13th.

As of this week: BYU is first, Utah 13th.

BYU is 8-0, Utah 4-4 and riding a four-game losing streak. BYU is ranked No. 9 in the national polls; Utah has fallen out of the rankings.

They flipped the script.

Utah and BYU will meet in Rice-Eccles Stadium on Saturday.

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Utah’s season is an unmitigated disaster. Much has been made of the loss of injury-prone quarterback Cam Rising, who missed all of last season while recovering from surgery. He played one and a half games this season before getting injured again, only to return for one game weeks later and incurring another injury on the second play of the game, one that sidelined him for the season. He could return for an eighth season next year, which invites comparisons to the old bit in “Tommy Boy.”

Lots of people graduate in seven years!

Yeah, they’re called doctors.

Anyway, the point is — and Coach Kyle Whittingham would be the first to say this — a solid program should be able to weather the loss of any one player without falling off a cliff. The Utes managed to win eight games without Rising last season. In retrospect, heading into the 2024 season maybe they should have planned better for a potential injury to Rising, especially given his long list of injuries. Instead, they replaced him with a true freshman quarterback, one who was in the state high school playoffs a year ago.

If the transfer portal were a physical place, you wouldn’t want to stand in front of the doors this winter at Utah. There’s going to be a stampede. Also, the Utes will go quarterback shopping.

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On the 40th anniversary of BYU’s unbeaten national championship season, BYU is doing a good imitation of that magical run. A year ago they won only five games. Good luck finding any preseason predictions that placed BYU in the top 10 of the Big 12 or the national top 25.

It’s time to take BYU seriously. The Cougars handed 13th-ranked SMU its only loss of the season. It handed No. 22 Kansas State one of its two losses. Another of their victims, Oklahoma State, has been ranked as high as 13th. The Cougars rank 29th in strength of schedule, according to the highly respected Sagarin ratings, even though five of their wins have come against teams that currently have losing records.

The Cougars suddenly find themselves among the leading candidates for a berth in the newly expanded, 12-team College Football Playoff. The schedule favors them; their final four regular-season games match them with Utah (four wins, four losses), Kansas (2-6), Arizona State (5-2) and Houston (3-5). The two road games — Utah and Arizona State — pose the biggest challenges.

The Cougars have a lot riding on those games.

Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham looks looks on from the sideline during game against TCU at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024. The Utes will look to spoil the Cougars’ perfect season Saturday night at Rice-Eccles Stadium. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News



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Utah

Large police presence responds to the area of Crestwood Drive in South Ogden

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Large police presence responds to the area of Crestwood Drive in South Ogden


SOUTH OGDEN, Utah (ABC4) — There is a heavy police presence in the area of Harrison Blvd in South Ogden. ABC4 is working to learn more.

While police have not confirmed any information, ABC4 has acquired footage from a bystander that shows law enforcement detaining one individual. The individual can be seen handcuffed and without a shirt.

Several residents have also reported seeing over a dozen police vehicles heading to the area and reported hearing gunshots on social media.

Courtesy: Kade Garner // KTVX

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Multiple law enforcement agencies responded to the scene, including Davis County SWAT, Weber County Sheriff’s Department, and Morgan County Sheriff’s Department. Officers from Riverton Police Department, Roy Police Department, Clinton Police Department, and Layton police Department all responded to the scene.

Law enforcement also used several drones and several armored vehicles responded to the scene. Additionally, it appears at least one person was transported from the scene by ambulance

Courtesy: Randy Ferrin

At this time, law enforcement has not confirmed any details regarding this incident. However, they appeared to have cleared from the scene.

This is a developing story. ABC4 will update this post as more information becomes available.

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Penalties to be enforced if Trump’s face covered on national park passes, reports say

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Penalties to be enforced if Trump’s face covered on national park passes, reports say


SALT LAKE CITY — Those using a new national park pass who want to enjoy Utah’s “Mighty Five” better do so with President Donald Trump’s face perfectly intact, or you might pay a literal price.

The new annual park passes, which debuted on Jan. 1, feature Trump’s image alongside that of George Washington. At the same time as the release, the Department of the Interior reportedly updated its rules to ensure Trump’s face remains free and clear.

According to the Washington Post, the updated “Void if Altered” policy prohibits anyone from defacing the pass or covering up any images or information on the cards. Visitors found by rangers to have altered a pass by any means will be ordered to return it to its original condition or possibly be charged a regular entrance fee.

SFGate reported the policy originally prohibited any alteration of the signature portion of the pass, with the updated policy including the front of the card, with a warning that “writing on it or adding stickers or other coverings” is no longer allowed.

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Anti-DEI mandates at national parks include Zion gift shop:

‘History deserves honesty,’ anti-DEI mandates at national parks include Zion gift shop

Many believe the updated policy is in direct response to the large pushback over the inclusion of Trump, leaving people to share creative ways to hide the president’s image from passes, including stickers and sleeves.

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Along with the suggestions on how to hide Trump’s image, a nonprofit environmental group has filed a lawsuit claiming its design did not comply with legislation that requires public participation in the selection.





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Two killed, six wounded in shooting outside Mormon church in Utah

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Two killed, six wounded in shooting outside Mormon church in Utah


Two people were killed, and at least six were wounded when gunfire erupted outside a funeral at a Mormon church in Utah on Wednesday night, according to authorities and reports.

Eight people were hit by gunfire when shots rang out outside The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Redwood Road in Salt Lake City around 7:30 p.m., Salt Lake City Police Department spokesperson Glen Mills told the Salt Lake City Tribune.

Two people were killed, and six people were injured in the shooting that occurred outside in the church’s parking lot as dozens were attending a funeral service inside.

Of the six wounded, three individuals are in critical condition, the Salt Lake City Police Department posted on X. All of the victims were adults.

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Police stand outside the Salt Lake City church where at least eight people were shot, including two fatally on Jan. 7, 2026. AP
People hug outside the church after the shooting in Salt Lake City, Utah. AP

There were no suspects in custody as of late Wednesday night, and it is not immediately clear if there were multiple gunmen involved. A motive was also unknown.

However, police said they have obtained solid leads in the investigation and are working to locate individuals involved in the shooting.

“We believe this was not a random incident,” Salt Lake City Police Chief Brian Redd told reporters. 

The shooting was not believed to be targeting a religion, Redd clarified. 

Roughly 100 law enforcement vehicles swarmed the area in the aftermath of the gunfire as helicopters flew overhead. 

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The area around the Mormon church remained closed into the evening as authorities urged the public to stay clear of the still active scene.

Funeral attendees walk out of the meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Jan. 7, 2026. AP

“This should never have happened outside a place of worship. This should never have happened outside a celebration of life,” said Mayor Erin Mendenhall.

The Salt Lake City Police Department did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.

The incident remains under investigation.

With Post wires.

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