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As Utah quarterback Devon Dampier spoke to the media on Monday, Cheez-Its rained down on him from above.
Utah’s offensive line was celebrating Dampier’s “Cheese-It Crunch Time Play of the Week” – which Dampier had earned after his go-ahead touchdown in Utah’s comeback win versus Kansas State – by dumping boxes of the snack on their quarterback.
Yep, the Utes are having a lot of fun right now.
This is a big change from last year’s Black Friday game, when the Utes were on a seven-game losing streak and lacked a productive offensive tackle.
As Utah prepares to hit the road for this year’s Black Friday contest at Kansas (10 a.m. MST, ESPN), excitement is high.
After a thrilling win over Kansas State, where the Utes erased a 12-point deficit with seven minutes left, Utah is 9-2 – already a four-game improvement from last year.
The 2025 Utes have a chance to do what only 10 Utah teams have done before them and add a 10th win to their record. If Utah is able to defeat Kansas on Friday, it will become the first Ute team since 2019 to win 10 games in the regular season.
“Looking for a chance to win our 10th game of the regular season,” Whittingham said.
Utah also has a chance to break some school records.
The Utes need 188 rushing yards to break the program record for rushing yards in a season, which has stood since 1984. If Utah even has an average rushing day (279.6 yards per game), he’ll break that easily.
The Utes also need two rushing touchdowns to set a new program record in that category (39).
Meanwhile, Kansas is fighting for its postseason life.
After losing four of their last five games, including a 38-14 loss at Iowa State, the Jayhawks are 5-6 and need a surprise win over the Utes to become bowl eligible.
Obviously, a big emphasis for the Utes this week will be on stopping Kansas’ run game.
“We had a meeting. We had a conversation with the defensive line. We got punched in the face,” linebacker Johnathan Hall said. “Now it’s time to get back up. Now we have to see what we can do. Now we have to see how we bounce back. I think we will bounce back very well.”
Kansas ranked 11th in the Big 12 and 69th nationally in rushing yards per game (157.2), but Kansas State’s rushing numbers didn’t jump off the page next to the Wildcats’ incredible performance.
Daniel Hisshaw Jr. (480 yards, four touchdowns) and LeShon Williams (456 yards, seven touchdowns) are two Jayhawk running backs to watch, but quarterback Jalon Daniels (370 yards, three touchdowns) can also get it done on the ground.
“Pretty much like the team we just played, personnel-wise. Physical, got some athletic guys and so there’s a lot of carryover, from the last few games, schematically there’s a lot of carryover into this game on both sides of the football, things that we’ve seen and so we have to be prepared,” Whittingham said.
Offensively for Utah, it will be the same game plan, with a heavy dose of the ground game. Kansas has not fared well, giving up 174.2 yards per game (No. 104 in the country), including 221 the previous game to Iowa State.
Utah’s hopes of making the College Football Playoff at large are all but gone, and its only path to the Big 12 Championship Game is extremely unlikely – it would require BYU to beat UCF, Utah to beat Kansas, Arizona State to beat Arizona and West Virginia to beat Texas Tech.
In all likelihood, the Utes will fall just short of their pre-season goal for the year, which was a College Football Playoff berth, but a win against Kansas and finishing the season with a five-game winning streak would still be a successful season, especially considering how last year went.
Whittingham attributed the turnaround to the leadership shown by the senior class that began in January.
Whittingham said, “Credit to the seniors for not having a postseason hangover… We started the offseason in January on a very positive note, again, because of their great leadership and they have been instrumental in turning things around.” “I mean, what the success of this season really hinges on is the real bottom line, the ownership that the players have taken on the program.”
For those seniors, who include linebacker Lander Barton, cornerback Blake Cotton, linebacker Levani Damuni, center Jaren Kump and guard Michael Mokofisi, Friday is another chance to wear a Utah uniform.
For star offensive tackle Spencer Fano, who is projected to be one of the first offensive linemen on the board in the 2026 NFL Draft, this will also be the last time he dons the red and white.
Friday is also potentially the final regular season game for Whittingham. According to his latest contract amendment, he must notify the university in writing by Dec. 5 whether he will retire or return for a 22nd year in charge of the Utes.
However, this decision will not be taken before December.
“No, it’s after the season. When it’s all said and done and whatever happens to us after the season, whatever situation we find ourselves in. As soon as everything is over and over you have a few days or maybe a week or two to sit and evaluate and see where you are and go from there,” Whittingham said. “So I guess that’s the best answer I can give you right now.”
In Case You Missed It
Offensive coordinator Jason Beck has exceeded expectations in his first season at Utah. Beck has brought about an amazing turnaround and has had the best year-to-year offensive improvement at Utah since at least 1996.
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