10 Sports Predictions for 2022

 The Sad

1. The Tour of Utah will be permanently terminated.

The Happy

2. New RSL ownership and the NWSL announces the return of the Utah Royals for 2023 season.

3. Salt Lake City awarded the 2034 Winter Olympic Games

4. Rio Tinto Stadium announced as site of the Women's College Cup for 2023

5. The Hawaii bowl is decertified after two consecutive cancellations and no Aloha Stadium.  This leaves BYU without a bowl contract for 2022. The Big 12 has Oklahoma in the playoff, and not otherwise having enough bowl eligible teams, the Big 12 allows BYU to play in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl.

6. Utah gets to play in the Rose Bowl again. (Notice that I did not say they would repeat at conference champion.)

7. Utah State plays in 2nd consecutive LA Bowl after repeating as MW championship

8. BYU, Utah State, Utah Valley and Weber State are in the NCAA tournament

The Controversial

9. The entire 2022 MLB baseball season is canceled due to the owner lockout.

10. Utah Jazz announce they will no longer be known as the Utah Jazz.  New owner Ryan Smith will rebrand with a new nickname and logo.

Southern Utah Parts Ways with Demario Warren

 After a 1-10 season is Cedar City, Demario Warren is now done at Southern Utah.  He had been the head coach in Cedar City for six seasons after Ed Lamb left to be the Assistant Head Coach at BYU.  Warren spent 14 years at SUU.

This is no surprise.  It was clear the program is heading in the wrong direction.  The Thunderbirds were 1-10 this year.  SUU is leaving the Big Sky Conference for the Western Athletic Conference next season and the new conference isn't much easier.  The WAC is also the home of the other school in the Southern part of Utah, namely the newly named Utah Tech, who will likely be the Thunderbird's new primary rival.

As far as who could replace Warren, there are some good options.  FCS programs in Utah do best when they get a coach who is already familiar with the state and the challenges of recruiting here and already has a relationship with the high school coaches.  This is what Weber State did by hiring Jay Hill who was an assistant at Utah.

In considering who might coach at Cedar City, a coordinator at a power-5 school like Utah is making north of 1 million.  Other assistants are likely making anywhere between 100,000 and 200,000.  The head coach at an FCS school likely makes around 250,000.  Ed Lamb, when he left Cedar City to be the assistant head coach at BYU, who is not yet a power-5 program, likely left a 200,000 salary behind for likely no more than 300,000--but this is my guess.  (BYU does not publicize their staff's salary.  They are a private institution and are not required to disclose it.)  Jay Hill at Weber State earns a reported 275,000 per year, about 90,000 is paid by sponsors.

An FCS program likely has a pool that includes the following coaches:

-Non-coordinator assistants from Power-5 schools.
-FBS coordinators and assistants
-Coordinators from other FCS schools
-Head coaches from Division II, Division III, NAIA and junior colleges
-Former head coaches from any level
-High school coaches

In naming names, keep in mind that I do not have any inside information and have no idea who the administration at Southern Utah has in mind.  This is simply my opinion.  Here are my options.

Frank Maile who was the interim coach at Utah State and now an assistant at Boise State.  I think he did a good job as the interim coach and a person who deserves a chance to be a head coach.  Frank Maile would likely leave Boise for Cedar City for even money.  According to sources in Boise, Maile's Salary is 260,000.

Colton Swan or Jim Harding who are assistants at Utah. Swan was once the defensive coordinator at Weber State.  Sharrieff  Shaw is the special teams coordinator, the same position Jay Hill had before he left Utah for Weber State.  Shaw may have to take a pay cut to go to Southern Utah.  Defense coordinator Morgan Scalley is likely still the head coach in waiting and is still being groomed to take over for Kyle Whittingham when he retires .  Offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig would likely take a cut in pay to be the head coach in Cedar City.  Neither Scalley or Ludwig would consider coaching at the FCS level.

Fesi Sitake who is now the passing game coordinator at BYU.  Ilaisa Tuiaki, who is the defensive coordinator at BYU and SUU alum former SUU head guy Ed Lamb are probably names who people think will be considered.  Both would take a considerable pay cut to coach in Cedar City.  Sitake is probably the top Cougar assistant who would coach at SUU.  Other assistants who would probably take the head job in Cedar City are Tight Ends coach Steve Clark or linebackers coach Kevin Clune.

Matt Hammer, Grant Duff or Joe Dale from Weber State.  Hammer is the offensive coordinator while Duff and Dale are the co-defensive coordinators.

If I was SUU athletic director, Debbie Corum, this is who I would consider:

Frank Maile
Colton Swan
Jim Harding
Fesi Sitake
Steve Clark
Matt Hammer
Grant Duff
Joe Dale

Is Weber State Ready for FBS Football?

 As Conference USA struggles for survival, the WAC is proposing to bring schools from the FCS level to restore football at the FBS level.  Weber State may be one of those schools.

In terms of facilities and sports success, no one doubts that Weber State can compete at the FBS level.  The question is if Northern Utah has the population to support 2 FBS programs, with Utah State and Weber State.

In my research, I found it takes a population of 1 million to support an FBS program.  Even if you are in the shadow of a power-5 program, having a population of 1 million is usually enough to have the local recruiting base to support your program.  If we exclude Salt Lake County and Utah County, let's look at the projected growth from Utah State's and Weber State's area for the next 40 years, then the state of Utah as a whole.  Here is my source for Utah.  Here is my source for Idaho.

Utah State's area is Box Elder, Cache and Rich Counties in Utah with Bear Lake, Franklin and Oneida Counties in Idaho

The 2020 population for these counties is:

Box Elder--58,000
Cache--133,000
Rich--2,500
Bear Lake--6,300
Franklin--14,000
Oneida--4,500

Currently, the population in this area is 218,300.  You will notice that if you compare my source for Utah with the 2020 Census listed in Wikipedia that the population is Cache county is already much higher than originally projected in 2017.  This is not just a serious underestimate, but likely the effect of pandemic and people working at home who can live where they want.  (Why not Logan?)  But that is not quite 1 million.  Projects in the next 50 years show this area growing by over 120%.  That is mostly in 

Ogden's area is Davis, Weber and Morgan Counties.  The 2020 population for these areas are:

Davis: 363,000
Morgan: 12,000
Weber: 262,000

Currently, the population is 637,000.  It is projected to surpass 1 million after 2070.  However, again, given the date of my source, it may happen sooner.  There is plenty of room for growth in Weber County.  It's growth rate will be about half of the Utah State University area.  That is because there are people already there.

I have said that it takes about 1 million to make a successful FBS program, neither area has or will have 1,000,000 in the near future.  There are some unique things about the State of Utah to mention.  First, let's consider BYU's recruiting area.

BYU recruits mostly among members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, which has about 7 million members in the United States.  They do not exclusively recruit in their own back yard.  Nor does every Latter-day Saint community consider themselves primary BYU fans in the way that Roman Catholic communities would consider themselves Notre Dame fans. In Utah Valley, however, BYU has plenty of young men that they can't recruit because they don't have the room for them.  In fact, many in the PAC-12 have taken advantage of this. BYU has and uses a recruiting reach that the other schools in the state do not have.  Being a member of the Big 12 will give BYU access to a pool of recruits in Texas, with only a fraction of those who are members of the Church.

Utah County currently has a population of 659,000 and is expected to catch Salt Lake County by the 2050s.  Not quite a million there, but they will add 1 million in the future. 

Salt Lake County is the only county in Utah that has a population over 1 million.  Currently it is 1,183,000.  It is projected to reach 1.6 million by 2050.  As a member of the PAC 12, Utah has access to recruiting on the West Coast and in Arizona and in Colorado.  Other PAC 12 schools come to Utah to recruit.  Highly touted recruits in the Salt Lake area have ended up at Oregon, Stanford and USC.

Utah State has thrived, and Weber State has thrived at the FCS level on recruits in the state of Utah that BYU and Utah have passed over.  Utah's overall population is currently just above 3,000,000.  It is projected to hit 4,000,000 by the end of this decade.  The growth may slow after Utah hits 4,000,000 as by then the Wasatch Front may be full, building up instead of out.  Then the growth will go to the ring counties: Box Elder, Cache, Morgan, Summit, Wasatch, Sanpete, Juab and Tooele counties.  Utah may not hit 5,000,000 until the 2050s.  There will also be serious water, pollution and transportation issues to address before Utah hits 4,000,000 so that there will be a quality of life in the state by the time the population reaches 5,000,000.  Utah should do what it can to avoid being another California, but that discussion, in detail, does not belong here.

Certainly, in the 2030s Weber State should be able to succeed as a FBS level.  But if they make the move now, they may struggle for a few years to find that success.  But they likely would not transition until the middle of the decade.  That may be just enough time for the program to prepare.  Jay Hill is certainly the right man at the helm right now to accomplish that feat, if Weber State can hold on to him.  If Weber State moves to the FBS in 2024, I would expect a bowl game 6-7 years later, in 2031.  But that would be under normal circumstances.  If they end up being part of a conference with mostly transitioning programs, they would likely find success sooner rather than later.  In other words, lose four non-conference games but possibly win a conference championship.

If Weber State fans see WSU make the move, patience would be the key.  The years after Ron McBride retired were trying for WSU fans.  It certainly will not be THAT bad.  (Five consecutive 2-win seasons).

The knee-jerk reaction to a Weber State transition is that Utah does not have the population for another FBS school.  The real counter argument is that Utah does not have the population for another FBS school, yet.  But they will sooner rather than later.  Now may be Weber State's time to move.

Proposal to save Conference USA and bring the WAC back to FBS status

Ten FBS conferences and the latest conference realignment has hit a brick wall.  Conference USA is now down to three schools.  UTEP, Louisiana Tech and Florida International.  It seems the conference is lost unless a bunch of FCS schools wish to re-classify.

Conference USA is losing six schools to the American Athletic Conference, three schools to the Sun Belt Conference and two schools to the Mid America Conference, leaving them with only three.  Before the last two schools, Middle Tennessee and Western Kentucky announced they are leaving to the MAC, there were plans to build Conference USA back up by adding New Mexico State and Liberty, who are now independent, with UConn as a football-only member and adding Sam Houston State and Jacksonville State from the FCS.  The latest plans from the MAC have been a monkey-wrench in the pile.

The WAC has come up with a proposal to reclassify as FBS, bring schools who want to reclassify with them and restore 11 FBS conference.  There are schools that want to reclassify, and those have the resources to do it, but they are all over the country.  I do not know all of the schools, yet who will be involved or how it will yet work out.  There are schools in the West who have the market and the facilities to reclassify to the FBS, but they are no where near Jacksonville State, which is in Eastern Alabama.

The WAC proposal is simple.  Bring up enough schools from FCS to FBS to have 11 FBS conferences, but the Eastern ones will go to Conference USA presumably with Louisiana Tech, Liberty and UConn.  While the WAC rebuilds with UTEP and New Mexico State. Presumably Schools like Southern Utah and Dixie (soon to be Utah Tech) that are not ready to reclassify will join other FCS conference.  Southern Utah and Dixie, in particular would return to the Big Sky Conference.

In the west, other than Idaho, there are five schools, currently in the Big Sky Conference, that could reclassify and be part of the WAC.  They are UC Davis, Cal Poly, Portland State, Eastern Washington and Weber State.  Montana could, but would have to do so without Montana State, which they wont.  You would still have Montana, Montana State, Idaho State, Southern Utah, Dixie State, Northern Arizona and Northern Colorado in the Big Sky Conference.  The BSC could also add Alaska Anchorage if UAA wants to add Football and become a Division I school.

The New WAC Could then be UTEP, New Mexico State, Idaho, UC Davis, Cal Poly, Sacramento State, Portland State, Eastern Washington and Weber State.  New bowl games could be certified in Sacramento, Portland, and San Louis Obispo.

In addition to Sam Houston State, and Jacksonville State, Conference USA could add Stephen F. Austin, Delaware, Georgia Southern, William and Mary, James Madison and Richmond.  New Bowls could be certified in Huntsville, Texas and Richmond.  

The schools I have suggested, may not be the ones that make the jump.  However, these schools have the market and facilities to make the jump and be successful at the FBS level.  They have all had some degree of success at the FCS level in recent years.

This would allow all existing FCS conferences to remain in tact without a lot of continued realignment, which is what is needed at this point.

C-USA, the next steps

All six teams that the American is adding are coming from Conference USA.  When I heard about it, I began feeling sorry for UTEP.  Then things got worse, it appears that Marshall and Old Dominion will leave for the Sun Belt conference.  This would leave Conference USA with UTEP, Middle Tennessee, Western Kentucky, Southern Mississippi, Louisiana Tech and Florida International.  But there is hope on the horizon.  

New Mexico State and Liberty will be taken from the pool of FBS independents.  While FCS top schools Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston State appear to be transitioning to keep Conference USA at least 10 schools.  While there may be others coming to allow the conference to break into divisions.  Those that could include Missouri State and Southern Illinois, but only the schools name for the founding fathers of Texas have been mentioned by others.

For FBS independents, this would leave only four.  Army, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Notre Dame, with BYU joining the Big 12 in 2023.

At the FCS level, Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston State are set to help bring football back to the WAC.  (New Mexico State has their non-football programs in that conference.) However, the WAC is still left with Lamar, Houston Baptist, Incarnate Word, Abilene Christian, Dixie State, Southern Utah and California Baptist with Utah Valley and Cal State Bakersfield as non-football schools.  There are several Division II schools that could transition to Division I that would help the WAC remain as a football conference.

American Expansion

 I was trying to get back to regular posts on this blog, but there was another professional interruption.  For now, let me just say that I have plenty of time to devote to this blog, at least for the next few weeks.

The news I wish to discuss is the expansion of the American Athletic Conference.  They will be adding 6 to go to 14 members for football.  Two of the six additions are not a surprise to me: Texas San Antonio and Alabama Birmingham.  The other four took me by surprise as they are in larger markets, but have not exactly been a recent success on the gridiron.  Those schools are North Texas, Rice, UNC Charlotte and Florida Atlantic.  While this does give the AAC access to large markets and recruiting bases, it is not exactly ideal.

From worst to best  

North Texas is in Denton, Texas, which is in the north portion of the DFW metroplex.  This is a metro area the AAC already has a foothold in with SMU.  I have to wonder if this addition really adds anything to the conference or is this pro-active add just in case the Big 12 invites SMU.  (Considering the history of the Ponies, don't expect that to happen-BTW)

Florida Atlantic only recently started playing football and for much of the 20-00s, was consistently considered on of the worst teams in the FBS.  They have improved since getting their own stadium.  Sure, it gives the conference a foothold in South Florida, a place where the Miami Hurricanes dominate.  But with the number of people who live in Miami, there should be more than enough left-overs for everyone.

Rice is in the Houston area.  There is plenty to go around there.  However, Rice is a small university and has a small alumni base.  Doesn't bode well for the streaming potential.

UNC Charlotte has not only not been playing FBS football for long, but football period.  And yes, there are Power-5 programs in the state of North Carolina, the research quad is in the Raleigh area.  (UNC, NC State, Wake Forest and Duke).  This would be a better move if Charlotte had a better track record, or any track record to speak of.  But it isn't terrible.

For those of you unfamiliar with history, UAB used to play at Legion Field, which sometimes the Iron Bowl took place.  (The annual game between Alabama and Auburn.)  Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama, closer to Tuscaloosa than it is to Auburn, but far enough away from either to be considered neutral..  That also translates to not that close to either.  Kids that grow up in Alabama are going to pick either Auburn or Alabama, those that do not still have a good choice of schools.  It would be nice to have one close to home.

UTSA is the best add for the American.  San Antonio is an hour away from Waco and Austin.  It's a growing community where high school football is big.  It's a good recruiting base for the AAC.  The MWC should be kicking themselves for not getting UTSA on board, and it is a move that I think they will regret.

The Future of the Mountain West Conference

Often, it pays to wait to post these.  Word is that Air Force and Colorado State have said no to the American Athletic Conference.  The AAC was attempting to get a foothold in the growing Front Range market by taking its second and third most popular college programs.

There are programs that would be happy to join the AAC to replace Cincinnati, Central Florida and Houston.  Those include Alabama Birmingham and others.  There are programs that would consider this move a upward move.  Moving from the MW to the AAC is a lateral move.

The Mountain West Conference is not without threat.  However, some of the moves that others have suggested, like inviting Gonzaga, are pipe dreams.  The MW offers nothing to strong basketball-only programs like Gonzaga and Creighton that they don't already have.  The Mountain West Conference is not without threat.  Most likely, Boise State may end up getting an invite to either the PAC-12 or Big 12.  BYU needs a travel partner in their neighborhood.  San Diego State is getting stronger.  Air Force is strong in football, but not in other sports.  The American could make a move to bring all three service academies together.

It would help the MW to look at programs that could enhance the conference now.  Don't wait for Boise State to be invited elsewhere.  Look to expanding to 14 now.  However, the MW is like the NBA team picking in the middle of the draft.  They will have to look for potential.  The programs that they add may not be successful on the field or court today, but could be in the future if they make the right moves.  In my opinion, don't look for the next BYU or the next Boise State when the next San Diego State is available.

By the next San Diego State, look at the following: 1. The University is in a relatively large city.  2.  The City has a major league sports program.  3.  There is not another FBS program in the city.  There may be a Power-5 program nearby, but not in the same city.

Obviously, Texas San Antonio is the program I refer to.  Beyond that, since the AAC raided the MW, the MW can return the favor and try to poach SMU.  Beyond that, the best the MW can do is promote FCS programs such as UC Davis, Sacramento State or Portland State.  But there are no real perfect solutions for the conference.  No wonder there is talk about basketball-only expansion or perhaps killing the conference and starting over. But I should also note that such talk is coming from official sources.

Obviously the basketball talk revolves around Gonzaga.  I don't know that the Mountain West Conference has anything to offer the Zags that they don't get from the West Coast Conference other than a collection of real college arenas.  However, the main revenue source now-a-days is becoming online streaming.  A half-full arena in Laramie isn't going to generate much more revenue than a streamed game from Malibu.  Also to be considered, since BYU left the MW, every school is public.  Gonzaga is a better fit with other religious schools than they are otherwise.

Now that I have mentioned it, let me get to the afore briefly mentioned Big Sky Conference and others.  You may or may not be curious why I have not mentioned the other usual suspects like UTEP, New Mexico State or North Texas or FCS stalwarts like North Dakota State or Montana.  First of all, as I said, if you have to gamble, which this is, you want to gamble with house money.  It may be easier to get the next San Diego State on a gamble than the next Boise State.  Missoula is a nice town and so is Fargo, but both are a long way from catching Boise.  Fargo is half the size of Boise and Missoula about 1/5 the size.  

Yes, market size matters, but not the number of TV viewers or computers.  A group of five college needs a recruiting base.  No matter where you are, the best football players are going to the Power-5 schools.  There needs to be enough left over for you.  If you are in Fargo, and the top high school star goes to Minnesota, you don't have a lot of locals left to choose from.  Your recruiting options become fewer and father in between.  The odds are better in San Antonio.

If you need an example, look at Utah State.  The Aggies are good now.  In fact, the State of Utah now has three very good football programs.  A power-five and a soon-to-be power-five and a group of five program that no one really wants to play anymore.  It didn't used to be that way.  From the end of the second world war to the 1990s, only one program in Utah was good.  Then Utah's population hit 2 million, Utah and BYU were good.  When Utah's population hit 3 million, there was room for Utah State to be good too.  There are enough high schools athletes in Utah to see the occasional loss to Oregon or Stanford and have enough to make BYU and Utah deep enough to compete at the power 5 level and see Utah State be a force in the MWC.  

In San Antonio, there are enough kids for Texas, Texas A&M and Baylor and still give the Road Runners a decent team.  That is what the MWC needs in its future.  Even if they have to go to Sacramento to get it.

Utah College Football Week 5

Utah Utes

The bye week for the Utes came at the perfect time.  Unfortunately, they had another teammate's funeral to attend.  The game would have been a distraction.  You never get over someone being senselessly cut down so early in life.  Hopefully, they find peace.

Predicted Finish:

(8-4) Losses to Arizona State and UCLA
Bowl: Holiday

PAC-12 Power Rankings

1. Stanford
2. Oregon State
3. Oregon
4. Arizona State
5. Utah
6. Washington
7. UCLA
8. USC
9. California
10. Washington State
11. Arizona
12. Colorado

BYU

The wounded warriors came into Logan with a lot of questions, and left with fewer.  Sure, they can probably beat Boise, who is not having a Boise-like season this year, but can they stay or become healthy enough to hang with Baylor?  If they go to 7-0, they can probably get to 12-0.  Will they then get that elusive NY-6 bowl or will January football wait until 2023?  Hopefully Jaren Hall will be able to start against BSU.

Predicted Finish:

(11-1) Loss to Baylor
Bowl: Independence

FBS Indy standings

1. BYU
2. Norte Dame
3. Army
4. Liberty
5. New Mexico State
6. U Mass
7. U Conn

Utah State

We know the Aggies are good, but not great.  But their progress this year should be acceptable to Aggie fans.  Fortunately they have a week off followed by a couple of MW weaker teams.  With Boise State's loss to Nevada on the Blue, the MW Mountain Division Championship is still within reach.  Also, the schedule has been kind to leave Nevada, San Diego State, Fresno State and Hawaii off.

Predicted Finish

(8-4) Losses to San Jose State and Wyoming
Bowl: Arizona

MW Power Rankings

1. San Diego State
2. Wyoming
3. Nevada
4. Air Force
5. Fresno State
6. Boise State
7. Utah State
8. Hawaii
9. San Jose State
10. Colorado State
11. New Mexico
12. UNLV

Weber State

The schedule gave WSU a break.  A game against a weaker Big Sky team, followed by a week off before a Friday Night tilt against Montana State.  The Wildcats need the time to refocus.  They will need to win out to keep their thin hopes of the post-season, the FCS Playoffs, alive.  Their next two games after the bye week are the toughest games remaining on the schedule.  It can happen, but there are not many 4-loss teams that get into the playoffs, unless two of those four losses are to FBS Power-5 programs.  Montana, Northern Arizona and Eastern Washington boast wins over FBS teams.

Predicted Finish

(7-4) Loss to Eastern Washington

Southern Utah University

SUU lost a close game to Portland State, a game that they probably should have won.  Demario Warren has to be on the hot seat now.  Although anything can happen on any Saturday in the Big Sky Conference, there is likely only one more win left of their schedule, and that is iffy.  There are also no byes on the SUU schedule.  They end their season a week early.  Which also means that if they decide to move on from Warren, they will have a week head start at finding a new coach.

Predicted Finish (2-9) Win against Northern Colorado

Big Sky Power Rankings

1. Montana
2. UC Davis
3. Montana State
4. Eastern Washington
5. Weber State
6. Northern Arizona
7. Sacramento State
8. Northern Colorado
9. Portland State
10. Southern Utah
11. Cal Poly
12. Idaho State

Dixie State

Dixie had a bye week this last week.  Their next game is in Missoula against the Grizzlies.  Who said moving up divisions is easy.

Predicted Finish (2-9) Wins against Tarleton State and Fort Lewis

WAC Power Rankings

1. Sam Houston
2. Stephen F. Austin
3. Abilene Christian
4. Lamar
5. Dixie State
6. Tarleton State

Utah College Football after Week 3.

My observations about college football this week.

1.  Boise State lost a close one at Oklahoma State.  You could say that the Broncos are looking forward to conference play, or are they?  First up is unbeaten Utah State.  Then Nevada.  Back out of conference play to take on BYU. Then Fresno State and Wyoming and Air Force and San Diego State are on the schedule.  Don't let your guard down.

2. PAC-12 argued against expanding the playoffs.  Are they sure?  If Oregon does not run the table, the PAC-12 will likely be shut out of the playoffs again.  If Oregon does run the table, do you put a four loss team in the Rose Bowl against a likely one loss Penn State or Maryland?  What if BYU goes unbeaten?

3.  Speaking of the expanding playoffs, do you think it's the Rose Bowl Committee arguing against expanding the playoff?

4. The four teams joining the Big 12 in the future are a combined 10-2.  BYU and Cincy are unbeaten.  The ten teams of the Big 12 are 24-5, without Texas and Oklahoma, they are 19-4.  Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Baylor, Texas Tech and Kansas State are still unbeaten.  The six teams of the PAC-12 south are a combined 8-10.  The PAC-12 North is 10-8.  Only Oregon is unbeaten in the PAC-12.  If the power 5 are becoming the power 4, I'm not sure the Big 12 is the conference that should be left out.

5. The MW still has 3 unbeatens, In addition to Utah State; Wyoming and San Diego State have gone unbeaten.

6. So far, there have been 10 FCS wins over FBS opponents.  The Big Sky conference has 4 of those wins.  2 of them against the PAC-12.  UC Davis over Tulsa and Eastern Washington over UNLV were the others.  The MW has the same number of losses against the FCS as the PAC-12.  South Dakota State beat Colorado State, to round out the rest.

7.  The AAC is interested in 4 MW schools.  Air Force, Boise State, Colorado State and San Diego State.  The Aztecs are unbeaten.  The other schools are a combined 4-5.  Perhaps the AAC should talk to Utah State and Wyoming instead.

Utah Schools...

Utah Utes

The Utes came out of their post-BYU funk with about 6 minutes left in the 4th quarter against San Diego State.  That was about 43 minutes too late.  This was a game with Kyle's crew should not have lost.  But they did.  Sometimes, it is better to learn lessons this way.  You can't focus on a bad loss for very long.  Don't want to be Washington State this next week...or maybe you do. The funk, however, is not unique to the Utes.  The entire PAC-12 outside of Oregon is struggling.

Current record

1 Win 2 Losses

Projected Record

7 Wins and 5 losses (Losses to Arizona State, UCLA, Stanford and Oregon)

Projected Bowl...Los Angles and a possible SDSU rematch.

PAC-12 Power Rankings:

Oregon
Stanford
USC
Oregon State
UCLA
Arizona State
Utah
California
Washington
Colorado
Washington State
Arizona

BYU Cougars

Arizona State beat themselves?  No, both teams were making mistakes, until the 4th quarter.  I though that there was only one big error in the 4th quarter by BYU.  3rd and long, the play call set up a sack of Jaren Hall.  But it worked out for the better.  The ensuing punt put the Sun Devils deep in Cougar territory...in front of the ROC (BYU Student Section).  The noise forced a uncomfortable number of ASU false starts.  This caused the Sun Devils to burn precious clock and get no where on offense.  By the way, the forced fumble after the Hall interception earlier is the play of the year so far for the Cougars.

I don't see the Cougars going unbeaten, BTW.  But double-digit wins in the regular season is within reach.

Current Record

3 Wins 0 Losses

Projected Record

10 Wins 2 Losses (Baylor and Virginia)

Projected Bowl...Independence Bowl vs. UAB

Note: To get a NY-6 Bowl, BYU will need to move ahead of either Notre Dame, Iowa, Iowa State, or Texas A&M in the playoff standings.  I would love see BYU vs. Cincy in the Fiesta Bowl.  If BYU were in the Big 12 this year, I don't see them getting more than 7 wins.  The Big 12 is that good.

FBS Indy Power Rankings

Notre Dame
BYU
Army
Liberty
UConn 
New Mexico State
UMass

Utah State Aggies

Utah State won a track meet against Air Force.  It looks to me, however, as if the Falcons ran out of gas first.  The question is whose defense was exposed.  Even though the unbeaten Aggies play a team with two losses at home next week, they will still be the underdogs.  BSU has taken a page from BYU and is playing an aggressive non-conference schedule.  Not many would play Central Florida, Oklahoma State and BYU as non-conference opponents (with two of those on the road).  I don't think a division championship this year is unrealistic for the Aggies.  

Current Record

3 Wins 0 Losses

Projected Record

11 Wins 2 Losses (BYU and San Diego State in MW Championship)

MW Power Rankings

San Diego State
Fresno State
Utah State
Wyoming
Nevada
Air Force
San Jose State
Boise State
New Mexico
Colorado State
Hawaii
UNLV

Weber State Wildcats 

Current Record

1 Win 2 Losses

Projected Record

9 Wins 3 Losses (Eastern Washington)

Weber State has to run the table to make the post season.  But should get credit for their aggressive non-conference scheduling.

Southern Utah

1 Win 2 Losses

Projected Record

4 Wins 7 Losses (Additional wins: Portland State, Northern Colorado and Idaho)

The Tbirds get their first win against future WAC foe Tarleton State.

Big Sky Power Rankings

UC Davis
Montana
Eastern Washington
Montana State
Weber State
Northern Arizona
Sacramento State
Idaho
Portland State
Cal Poly
Southern Utah
Northern Colorado

Note: SUU would have a better outlook if they were already in the WAC.  There, a winning record would be realistic.  The Big Sky is the Big 10 of the FCS.  It is that tough a conference.

Dixie State

Current Record 

0 Wins 3 Losses

Projected Record 

2 Wins 9 Losses (Wins against Tarleton State and Fort Lewis)

The Trailblazers gave up 60 to the UC Davis Aggies.  This is a benchmark season for DSU.  When they are winning the WAC and going to the FCS playoffs, people will remember how bad they were in 2021.

WAC Power Rankings

Sam Houston
Stephen F. Austin
Abilene Christian
Lamar
Dixie State
Tarleton State

Predictions for Utah's Football Teams the Rest of the Season, after week 2.

Maybe it's a good thing that I waited until after week 2 to start this in 2021.  Just like Utah losing to BYU may also be a blessing in disguise.

Utah is more talented than BYU, but not that much.  Probably about a field goal in Provo and not a touchdown.  BYU took it too them.  Utah was not prepared or was looking past the Cougars.  They will not make the same mistake again, at least not this season.  They have most of their toughest opponents at home this year.  

Utah, currently 1-1.
Prediction 9-4

Win vs Weber State
Loss @ BYU

Probable Wins
@San Diego State
vs. Washington State
@USC
vs. Arizona State
@Oregon State
vs. UCLA
@Arizona
vs. Colorado

Losses
vs. Oregon
@ Stanford
vs. Oregon in PAC-12 Championship game

Comment: Utah will right the ship.  But Oregon may be too good this year.  UCLA, Stanford and Arizona State are even matches for the Utes.  The advantage is given to the home team.

BYU, currently 2-0
Prediction: 10-2

Win vs. Arizona
Win vs. Utah

Probable Wins
vs. South Florida
@Utah State
vs. Boise State
@Washington State
vs. Virginia
vs. Idaho State
@Georgia Southern
@USC

Probable Losses
vs. Arizona State
@ Baylor

Note: BYU is better than most think they are this year.  But if they were in the Big 12 this season, likely be looking at a 6-6 finish.  They will need to be better. Sagarin would have the Cougars at 8-4 even after beating Utah.  BYU and Boise State and Baylor are very evenly matched.  I have given the edge to the home team in these games.  If BYU beats ASU, who should be ready for them, they have a good shot at running the table.

Utah State, Currently 2-0
Prediction: 8-4

Win @ Washington State
Win vs. North Dakota

Probable wins
@ UNLV
vs. Colorado State
vs. Hawaii
@ New Mexico State
vs. Wyoming
@ New Mexico

Probable Losses
@ Air Force
vs. Boise State
vs. BYU
@ San Jose State

Note: We don't know how good the Aggies are this year.  We may not find out.  They have their toughest three-game stretch coming.  If they win those 3 games, it is unlikely that they will jump ahead of Cincinnati in the CFB playoff polls.  San Jose State and USU are very evenly matched and I have to give the advantage to the Spartans who are the home team.

Weber State, Currently 1-1
Prediction:  8-3

Loss @ Utah
Win @ Dixie State

Probable Wins:

vs. UC Davis
@ Cal Poly
vs. Montana State
@ Idaho State
vs. Portland State
@ Southern Utah
vs. Northern Colorado

Probable Losses:

vs. James Madison
@ Eastern Washington

Note: Weber State does not play Montana this year.  That may end up costing them a post-season bid.  The game at Eastern Washington is key for both teams.  UC Davis and Eastern Washington are evenly matched with Weber State.  I gave the advantage to the home team.

Southern Utah, Currently 0-2
Prediction: 3-8

Loss @ San Jose State
Loss @ Arizona State

Probable Wins

vs. Tarleton State
vs. Portland State
vs. Northern Colorado

Probable Losses

@ Eastern Washington
@ Sacramento State
@ Northern Arizona
@ Montana
@ Idaho
vs. Weber State

Note: Hopefully SUU is better than they have looked against FBS opponents.  Usually, the FCS is.  That is not the only place where the schedule will bite them in the behind this year.  They are very evenly matched with Portland State, Northern Colorado, Sacramento State, Northern Arizona and Idaho.  Advantage goes to the home team.  This could end up being Demario Warren's last year in Cedar City if he does not do better.  Too bad Ed Lamb will soon be making Big 12 Assistant Coach money and the T-Birds will not be able to afford him.

Dixie State, Currently 0-2
Prediction: 2-9

Loss vs. Sacramento State
Loss vs. Weber State

Probable Wins

vs. Tarleton State
vs. Fort Lewis

Probable Losses

@ UC Davis
@ South Dakota State
@ Montana
vs. Stephen F. Austin
@ Delaware
@ Sam Houston
vs. Missouri State

Comments: Transitioning from Division II without a conference is a b****.  Dixie only has 3 games against future WAC opponents.  I think they will improve and will be a force when the WAC goes back to football.

Where does the AAC go from here? (Or what I would do.) Updated

Mike Aresco crushed some sour grapes when discussing the loss of Central Florida, Cincinnati and Houston to the Big 12.  What did the guy expect?  He shares a footprint with the Big 12.  This is something he should have seen coming.  It wasn't exactly like the iceberg heading for the Titanic.  Perhaps he, like a lot of people, assumed that one of the teams would be Boise State and that the Big 12 would only take 2 to replace the two that were lost.

Although things happened fast, consider this.  Do a Google search for the best non-power 5 football programs.  In addition to BYU and Boise State, you would likely also find Central Florida and Cincinnati on that list.  Houston, well its the largest market not currently in the Power 5.  And no, College Station is not THAT close enough to Houston.  It's about 90 minutes by car depending on traffic.  

Also consider that the Big 12 looked into expansion in 2016.  Chances are the Big 12 already knew who they were going to get soon after the PAC-12 decided not to poach their conference.

So what do you do in response?  Poach the Mountain West.  If they do, you would likely end up with a war on your hands.  There are some cool things that AAC could do.  However, they do not make enough money to make a 3 or 4 time-zone conference work.  They can't afford a bidding war with the MW.  While I am thinking about it, perhaps an agreement with the MWC not to poach each other for 5 years.  If the AAC goes after Boise State, Colorado State or someone else, the MWC is going to go after Tulsa and SMU in retaliation.

There are not a ton of options.  I would say, follow the example of the Big 12.  Here are the three schools I would add.

1. Add the best football program neither in the Power 5 or the MWC.  That can only mean one program.  The Thundering Herd of Marshall.

Usually, they have a good program in Football.  They are .518 all time and have a 12-5 record in bowl games.  They have a 38,000 seat stadium.  Outside of football, the men's soccer program is the reigning national champion.

Alternative: Southern Mississippi

2 &3. Add the largest sports market in the footprint, not in the AAC or power 5.  That market is deep in the heart of Texas.  It does not quite make up for the loss of Houston, but helps the conference keep a large footprint in the state.  It will help with recruiting, as well.  At the University of Texas San Antonio Road Runners.

UTSA does not have the history of Marshall, or a Houston.  Also remember that the history of the University of Houston is not all roses and sugar cubes.  UTSA does not have that.  They have 2.5 million people.  A little success, and the Alamodome will be filled to capacity every Saturday.  This is the definition of drafting potential.

Another school in a large market that has a loner is Old Dominion.  The Virgina Beach area is one of the fastest growing in the country.  It is considered a good site for one of the major sports leagues for expansion.  It is a good expansion site for the American.

Many people are also stating that Alabama Birmingham should be one of the teams.  Since the Blazers brought back football, they have been doing very well.  However, the AAC could add all three, UTSA, Old Dominion and UAB.  It would raise their market profile, but not the football profile.  They have to leave one of them out.

Alternative: Rice, Florida Atlantic, Florida International

4. Now that I've upset all 50 fans of Conference USA, let me suggest a Sun Belt Conference member for the last addition.  No, it's not Boise State, but its who many think may be the next Boise State.  They certainly looked like it the past two years. The Chanticleers of Coastal Carolina.  

The Myrtle Beach/Conway area is about the size of Boise, perhaps a little smaller, but it is growing faster.  If you like Boise State, Coastal Carolina has a lot of the same positives of Boise State, but in some ways they are better.  Name the last time Boise State won the College World Series.

Alternative: Appalachian State

That would be three from Conference USA and one from the Sun Belt.  Other commenters have mentioned Florida International and Florida Atlantic.  Both are in the Miami area and both are in the shadow of Miami.  That may or may not be a good move.

Other Conferences expansion options:

Mountain West: Coming Soon

Conference USA: Coming Soon

Sun Belt Conference: Coming Soon

Big Sky Conference: Coming Soon

Next: Does the West Coast Conference replace BYU?

It will be different after this year....or perhaps it already is.

This coming Saturday, Utah will visit BYU in football.  This will be the last time the two schools will meet with something on the line.

By kickoff, BYU is expected to be formally invited to the Big 12 Conference.  In case you have not yet heard.  You probably have.

The rivalry is taking a two year hiatus.  Next time the Cougars and Utes meet in 2024 in Salt Lake City, the Cougars will also be a member of a Power 5 conference, like their rivals who have been in the PAC-12 for a decade.

This year, BYU enters the game still unbeaten.  Going unbeaten in the Cougars only hope at getting into the college football playoffs or even getting to a big bowl game.  The next time the two meet, BYU could lose the game and still get a bid to the Sugar Bowl or even better.  Now, even if the Utes lose to the Cougars, they could still go to the Rose Bowl or better.

Next time they meet, it will be just for fun.  Hopefully the game is fun this year as well.  The game did not happen last season.  This year, under the spectre of the COVID-19 pandemic, and on the 20th Anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks and with the ending of the war that those attacks started, it seems like the game is less important.

Certainly to many fans, it may be just as important.  However, I do not see the same ribbing from fan to fan that I used to.  Things have changed quite a bit since the last time these two met in 2019.  While we are more divided, there is more than only football diving us.  Outside of football, you will find Cougars and Utes on both sides of the issue.

Perhaps this Saturday at 8:00 when things get ready to go down somewhere south of Draper, we can set aside what divides us, and weather we pull for Salt Lake County or Utah County, the Red or the Blue.  We can also remember that football is only a game.  Perhaps we can remember that Utah coach Kyle Whittingham once played for BYU.  Perhaps we can remember that BYU coach Kalani Sitake once was an assistant coach at Utah.  There is more that unites us that divides us.

We should remember that Utah and BYU have played in the Rose Bowl the same number of times.  That the Utes went to the Sugar Bowl first.  That the Cougars have more national championships than the Utes have.  Both sides have something to brag about.  Both sides have their moments of embarrassment and dread.

Or perhaps this is wishful thinking.  Perhaps more wishful than the Cougar fans hoping their team ends the streak this year.

BYU in the Big 12 is happening.

Things change rapidly, I had a nice post written last weekend, and decided to wait a week and see what happened.  Something did.

The four schools that are being looked at most seriously by the Big 12 for expansion are BYU, Cincinnati, Central Florida and Houston.

The reports are that these four will join in 2023.  That means that the Big 12 will be at 14 for two seasons unless Texas and Oklahoma can negotiate an early buyout.  Likely, and this is my speculation, the divisions will be all of Texas with Oklahoma State and BYU in the west.  Everyone else in the east.  This will force the Red River Rivalry, between Texas and Oklahoma to be a non-conference game.  Although, the conference may go to 8 conference games during that period to accommodate.  This gives a two year period to solidify the four new schools as power-5 programs.  You don't need to get BYU or UCF into the playoffs during that period (Although, I like BYU's chances if Jaren Hall stays at BYU.  He will be a senior in 2023) but they just need to prove they can compete.

BYU will dump a slate of non conference games from 2023 on.  All of them have clauses allowing BYU to cancel the games if they receive a Power 5 conference invite.  For BYU in 2023, I imagine they will keep Tennessee, Arkansas, Rice and Utah State on the schedule.  (Two at home and two on the Road)  What about the other games? UCF is now in the same conference, probably not in the same division.  Virginia and Fresno State could play each-other.  USF and UNLV could play each other.  And the marquee matchup to come out of this...Boise State playing at USC.  But I am not going to devote a whole blog post to that.  All I will say is BYU's non-conference priority will be keeping the rivalry with Utah going and to play the Utes whenever the two can get together.  Utah State will also be a priority for the Cougars as well.  Likely Boise State and BYU will play regularly, but not every season.

Also, if you are a fan of Boise State and Memphis.  (Colorado State or UConn)  Don't fret.  If the Big 14 works, you may get to join in 2025.  

I am sad to see annual games between BYU and Boise State to go by the wayside.  I enjoyed the series and hope that a 14-team Big 12 will work and we will see BSU in the conference.  They are a fun program, and look to be having a "down" year this year. (For them a down year is 9-3.) Being passed over by a power conference is probably a gut punch for the fans and program.  

One thing I am looking forward to is the "cat fight" between BYU and Houston.  In recent years, they have played some classics.  Including a pair of matchups from last decade where they beat each other on the road, Houston winning a close game in Provo, BYU winning a close one in Houston.  They were fun games.  This will be a fun new rivalry.

There will be other dominoes that fall.  I decided rather than one big post about how, to break this up into conference by conference and see where it goes from there.  Obviously, when I write about how the Big Sky Conference is effected by all of this and discuss whether the MW is better with North Dakota State or North Texas, BYU fans will tune out.  They probably don't care.  Those post are in the works.  Particularly interesting to me is a possible war between the AAC and the MWC is brewing.  Obviously, the MWC may be planning for life after Boise State, but they do not want to lose BSU to the AAC.

______________________

Possible alignment for 2023-24 for Big 12(14) conference.

Possible BYU schedule for 2023:
(Note...not the actual schedule)

9/2--Tennessee
9/9--Kansas State*
9/16--At Utah State
9/23--At Arkansas
9/29--Rice
10/7--At Texas*
10/14--Texas Tech*
10/21--(BYE)
10/28--at Baylor*
11/4--Oklahoma State*
11/11--at TCU*
11/18--Cincinnati*
11/25--at Houston*

If I were the Big 12, here is what I would do

Texas and Oklahoma are leaving the Big 12 for the SEC.  While people are talking, it is not likely that the likes of Texas Tech, Iowa State and Kansas State are going to be attractive to other power conference, while Oklahoma State and Kansas are.  Therefore, the Big 12 needs to immediately step up and make moves to keep OSU and KU in the conference.  Therefore, here is my suggestion.

Houston

The program is in the largest city in Texas and in the metro area that has added the most people in the 2010s.  Surely, there is enough people in the Houston metro to add the Cougars.

Boise State

Sure, you won't see the Sooners on the Blue Turf anytime soon.  But this will be a fun add.  Boise is not a big city now, but it will be soon.  Possibly by the end of the decade.

Brigham Young

If any school deserves to be in a Big Conference it is BYU.  If you don't like Sunday play, then add the Cougars as a football-only program.  There other athletics programs are already in a good conference.

Air Force, Army and Navy.

The three service academies deserve to be in a bigger conference.  Army and Navy will be good travel partners for West Virginia.  It will help the schedule for these schools to be in the same conference.

No General Conference on Saturday Night. What it Means for BYU Football

The decision

Earlier this week, the First President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced that there will be no more Saturday evening sessions of General Conference.  This has a potential impact 

The impact of the Friday night game

BYU has had difficulty getting and opponent for the first week of October.  The Cougars have insisted on having that date open. College coaches have been unwilling to schedule BYU on the first week of October.  It is not only the short week in which coaches would have to get their teams prepared.  There is someplace else that they would rather be on a Friday night.  In the stands at a nearby high school.  Friday nights have been for high school football. Not having to insist on a Friday night game will help the Cougars diversify their schedule.

High schools in the area, particularly in the heavily Latter-Day-saint suburbs, for years have been willing to move the first week of October game to Thursday night to not interfere with the Cougars.  They want Cougar coaches, and those from the visiting teams, to come to their games and see the kids play.  The high schools will likely want BYU to return the 1st week in October games to Saturday to give the kids more time to prepare for that game.

Yes, there has been a willing participant for BYU to play on Fridays, which I will discuss later.  There have also been ways to not have a conflict in General Conference, particularly having a game on the West Coast.  This happened frequently when BYU was in the MWC as road games vs. San Diego State or UNLV were common on the first Saturday in October.  In 2023, BYU has a game against Fresno State scheduled for the first Saturday in October.  Games on the West Coast and in Hawaii, which will kick off at night, have been scheduled.  BYU will likely, however, avoid scheduling Hawaii on the first weekend of October, as these games, mountain time, will often go past midnight.  (Hawaii prefers an 8:00 pm Hawaii time kickoff, which is 10:00 pm mountain time.)

More flexibility

The Saturday afternoon session of General Conference ends at around 4:00 pm Mountain Time, or 6:00 pm Eastern.  BYU will now be able to schedule Saturday games on the East Coast as long as the kickoff is after this time.  Likely, it would be 8:00 or 8:30 pm Eastern time, which is prime time on the East Coast.  This will give General Conference goers time to get something to eat and be in front of the TV in time for kickoff.  This could give BYU a chance to schedule return games for Western Kentucky, Louisiana Tech, UTSA and Texas State, who kindly gave BYU a home game during the COVID-19 pandemic. (None of those teams have openings in 2022--BTW)  It will also help BYU have a less murderous opening schedule and perhaps some of those P5 games which dominate BYU's September schedule can be moved to that first Saturday in October.

The series with Utah State

The Aggies have been a willing Friday night opponent for the Cougars.  After all, a significant portion of their fanbase are church members as well.  The series with Utah State is officially on the schedule until 2026.  Not all of those games are the Friday before General Conference.  The 2023 match (inferred to) is one of them, where the Aggies and Cougars will knock heads mid-September in a year where neither has the Utes on their schedule.  

The kickoff for this year's match, as of this writing, is still set for Friday night in Logan at 7:00 pm.  It is scheduled for the CBS Sports Network.  CBS could move the Fresno State at Hawaii game to later (currently set for a 5:00 pm Hawaii time kickoff.   But TV networks do not like to do what Hawaii prefers and Hawaii needs TV games.) and move BYU at Utah State to Saturday at 7:30 PM Mountain Time.  But, it should be noted that BYU/USU is not the only Friday night game CBS Sports network has scheduled this year.  There is at least one Friday night game on the CBS schedule every week.

The other games on the schedule 2022 and 2024-2026 are currently set for the first Friday in October.  Don't be surprised if they move to Saturday or to another week.

For example, 2022.  The game is currently set for September 30, technically the first weekend in October. (October 1 is Saturday)  BYU has two other games set for October, including a home date with Arkansas on the 15th.  If I were Kalani Sitake, I would want a bye week before taking on the Razorbacks.  BYU also has the last Saturday in October and the 2nd week in November free.  They also only have 11 games.  There is a home date against East Carolina that has not been scheduled.  BYU has 6 home and 5 road games scheduled.  BYU may move the Aggies to get a road game in on the first week of October, or perhaps a 7th home game.

If the Aggies will move the BYU game to another Saturday, Notre Dame only has 11 games on the schedule in 2022 and has October 1 free.  Not that I wish to start any rumors.  Never on this site. (wink.)  If I write any more, it won't happen.  But you see the impact that freeing up one Saturday can have for the BYU schedule.

The final impact

The decision of the First Presidency will have an impact on BYU football.  It will give the Cougars more flexibility in scheduling football games in the future.  It will impact future games with the Utah State Aggies.  It will help high schools in the state of Utah.  It will have a positive impact on BYU football.

NFL success in the Big Game

As of 2021 Season/Super Bowl LV 

Most successful franchises. Teams with at least 3 appearances in the Big Game.  First category is number of wins.  Second is number of appearances.  

10. Tie Indianapolis/Baltimore Colts  2 wins, 2 losses

10. Tie Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs 2 wins, 2 losses

9. Denver Broncos 3 wins 5 losses

7. Tie Oakland/ Los Angeles/Las Vegas Raiders 3 wins 2 losses

7.  Tie Washington 3 wins 2 losses

5. Tie Green Bay Packers 4 wins 1 loss

5. Tie New York Giants 4 wins 1 loss 

4. Dallas Cowboys 5 wins, 3 losses

3. San Francisco 49ers 5 wins, 2 losses

2. New England Patriots 6 wins, 5 losses

1. Pittsburgh Steelers 6 wins, 2 losses

Least successful franchises. Teams with at least 3 appearances in the Big Game.  First category is number of wins.  Second is number of appearances.  

9. Tie Washington 3 wins 2 losses

9. Tie Oakland/ Los Angeles/Las Vegas Raiders 3 wins 2 losses

7. Tie Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs 2 wins, 2 losses

7. Tie Indianapolis/Baltimore Colts  2 wins, 2 losses

6. Miami Dolphins 2 wins 3 losses

4. Tie Seattle Seahawks 1 win 2 losses

4. Tie Philadelphia Eagles 1 win 2 losses

3. Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams 1 win 3 losses

1. Tie Minnesota Vikings 0 wins 4 losses

1. Tie Buffalo Bills 0 wins 4 losses

Most successful franchises. Regardless of number of appearances in the Big Game.  First category is number of wins.  Second is winning percentage.  

10. Tie Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2 wins 0 losses

10. Tie Baltimore Ravens 2 wins 0 losses

9. Denver Broncos 3 wins 5 losses

7. Tie Oakland/ Los Angeles/Las Vegas Raiders 3 wins 2 losses

7.  Tie Washington 3 wins 2 losses

5. Tie Green Bay Packers 4 wins 1 loss

5. Tie New York Giants 4 wins 1 loss 

4. Dallas Cowboys 5 wins, 3 losses

3. San Francisco 49ers 5 wins, 2 losses

2. New England Patriots 6 wins, 5 losses

1. Pittsburgh Steelers 6 wins, 2 losses

Least successful franchises. Regardless of number of appearances in the Big Game. First category is number of wins.  Second is number of appearances.  

10. Tie Minnesota Vikings 0 wins 4 losses

10. Tie Buffalo Bills 0 wins 4 losses

8. Tie Atlanta Falcons 0 wins 2 losses

8. Tie Carolina Panthers 0 wins 2 losses

5. Tie Los Angeles/San Diego Chargers 0 wins 1 loss

5. Tie Houston/Tennessee Oilers/Tennessee Titans 0 wins 1 loss

5. Tie Chicago/St Louis/Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals 0 wins 1 loss

1. Tie Houston Texans 0 wins 0 losses

1. Tie Jacksonville Jaguars 0 wins 0 losses

1. Tie Cleveland Browns 0 wins 0 losses

1. Tie Detroit Lions 0 wins 0 losses

How to have a top-flight association football (soccer) league in Canada without involving the United States

 Step 1, new league takes the three existing MLS clubs in Canada.  (3 teams)

Montreal
Toronto FC
Vancouver

Step 2.  Three teams in Toronto, 2 in Vancouver and 2 in Montreal (Adds 4 new teams, for 7)

Ontario FC
New Town FC
Montreal Maroons
BCFC

Step 3.  Expand to these 11 cities (for 18 teams)

Calgary
Edmonton
Ottawa
Winnipeg
Saskatoon
Regina
Hamilton
Victoria
Halifax
Quebec City
Niagara Falls/St. Catherine

By Provence

British Columbia-3

Vancouver Whitecaps
BCFC
Victoria

Alberta-2

Calgary
Edmonton

Saskatchewan-2

Regina
Saskatoon

Manitoba-1

Winnipeg

Ontario-6

Toronto FC
New Town FC
Ontario FC
Ottawa
Hamilton
Niagara Falls/St. Catherine

Quebec-3

Montreal
Montreal Maroons
Quebec City

Nova Soctia-1

Halifax

Speculation--Will the PAC-12 Expand?

May 26, 2021.

No, I do not believe that expansion is in the cards for the PAC-12 in the immediate future.  I don't believe the conference has problems that expansion is the answer to.  The main reason is that you can easily eliminate all the potential contenders.

1. The PAC-12 will not be able to add any Big 12 teams because the PAC-12 offers nothing to them that they do not already have.

2. The PAC-12 will not add BYU because of irreconcilable differences.  I can make a market case to add BYU, but the Provo school's sponsor and their stance on LGBTQ rights and on not playing games on Sunday are non-negotiable.  

Here is my argument for BYU.  10 of the 12 PAC-12 schools are located in the same metro area of temples of the church.  (Oregon and Washington State are the two that lack a temple.)  3 have multiple temples: UCLA/USC, Arizona State and Utah are located where there are multiple temples.  Where you have temples, you have active members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Where you have active church members, you have BYU alumni.

This is something that the Big 12 does not have.  Only Oklahoma, Kansas, TCU and Texas Tech are near temples.

3. The PAC-12 will not add Boise State because of market size.

4. The PAC-12 will not add UNLV because they already have Las Vegas in their pocket.

5. The PAC-12 will not add Hawaii because they no longer have the facilities that a Power-5 conference needs.

6.  The PAC-12 will not add San Jose State because they already own the Bay Area.

7.  The PAC-12 will not add Nevada because of market size.

8.  There is only one school that makes the cut.  San Diego State.  The Aztecs are in a large city and market.  But they are the only school it makes sense for the conference to add.  They will not become the PAC-13.  It can also be argued that any PAC-12 school will beat San Diego State in recruiting 9 times out of 10.  You have Utah in the PAC-12, but kids from the state of Utah are still going to other schools in the PAC-12 when recruited by them.

9.  I can make a case for Air Force.  There are 7 large Air Force bases in PAC-12 territory.  (McChord, Travis, Edwards, Luke, Hill, Peterson and The Academy itself)  But there are no other service academies in the Power-5.  The argument is similar to BYU's at this point.  Service academies have a difficult time landing NFL-potential talent.

 Life, however, can does and will change.

Speculation: If the Oakland Athletics Move, Where Will They Go?

Before you read this list, there are some things to consider.  First, there is the definition of city population, metro population, CSA population and sports market.

The Metro population is the population of the city's metropolitan area.  This is the city, plus the size of its suburbs.  The CSA population is the size of the Combined Statistical Area.  That is the metro, plus other nearby metros.  Then there is the sports market, or the area where a team is able to sell primary TV rights and where a team is likely to gain support.

For my readers in Utah.  The Salt Lake City Metro area is Salt Lake County and Tooele County only.  The Salt Lake City CSA is Salt Lake Metro area, the Ogden/Layton Metro area, the Provo/Orem Metro area, the Park City/Heber City area, the Morgan area, the Nephi area and the Brigham City area.  The Sports market is the area where the local team is able to sell TV rights.  The Colorado Rockies can include the entire state of Utah in their sports market, which the Denver Nuggets and Colorado Rapids can't because of the Utah Jazz and Real Salt Lake.  However, for the Denver Broncos and Colorado Avalanche the state of Utah is a shared sports market because of the Las Vegas Raiders and the Vegas Golden Knights.  Utah can't be included as the sports market for either NFL or NHL franchise.

The factors that I used to rank this list: City size, current sports teams, sports market size, stadium possibilities, recent rate of growth and city's sports history.  One additional factor is that I believe that if the A's can't stay in Oakland, they will try to stay in California.

10. Havana, Cuba

When the Obama administration began to soften the US stance against Cuba, many began dreaming of Major League Baseball on the Island.  Baseball is the top sport in Cuba and produces many players.  However, Cuba is a poor country and probably not yet able to build a quality stadium for the team to play.

City: 2.3 Million
Sports Market: The nation of Cuba

Currently the sports market belongs to no one.

Current baseball team is the Cuban National Team

Reasons not higher on the list: Not in the West.  Stadium issues.

9. Boise, Idaho

Boise is growing rapidly.  Sooner or later the Treasure Valley will welcome a major league sports franchise.  It could be the Athletics.  More likely, it will be the NHL, NBA or Major League Soccer.  It is also likely another 10 years away.

City: 240,000
Metro: 750,000
Sports Market: Southwestern Idaho and Eastern Oregon

Stadium Possibilities: Build New

Sports market for Baseball belongs to the Seattle Mariners

Current Baseball Team: Pioneer League (Independent) Boise Hawks

Reasons not higher on the list: Market size.  Stadium issues. Not in California.

8. Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico

Baseball in Mexico?  It could happen someday.  Mexico is still nuts for football.  And by football, I mean what Americans call soccer.  However, the Mexican league is still considered a AAA-level sport.  Sooner or later, MLB will expand south of the border.  Probably later, however.

City: 1.1 Million
Metro: 4.6 Million
Sports Market: Northeastern Mexico

Stadium Possibilities: Expand Estadia de Beisbol de Monterrey and/or build new

Sports market for baseball belongs to no one.

Current Baseball Team: Sultanes de Monterrey of the Mexican League

Reasons not higher on the list: Player safety.

7. Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas has proven to be a welcome home for both the NHL and the NFL.  But the pandemic has hit the city hard.  They would love to take in another Oakland refugee, but they don't exactly have the permanent population to support another team.  They do not have a larger sports market.

City Population: 583,000
Metro: 2.2 Million
CSA: 2.5 Million
Sports Market: Southern Nevada plus the lower Colorado River Basin

Stadium Possibilities: Build new.  The current Las Vegas Ballpark is probably too small to be expanded for temporary use.

Sports market for baseball is shared by the teams in Southern California.  Current AAA franchise is an affiliate of the Oakland Athletics.

Current Baseball Team: AAA West Las Vegas Aviators

Reasons not higher on the list: Market size. Not in California.  NFL and NHL already have teams here.

6. Portland, Oregon 

Portland has been begging for a baseball team for decades.  The main negative is the team has no place to play until an MLB stadium is built.  The plan to replace the Memorial Coliseum (Adjacent to the Trailblazer's Moda Center) with a baseball stadium is bound to have opposition as it has to go through Congress.  (It's a war memorial)  It would also be tricky to find a place in the suburbs.  The old Multinomah ballpark is now a fully-dedicated soccer stadium.  If it were not for potential stadium problems, Portland would be higher on this list.

City Population: 583,000
Metro: 2.5 Million
CSA: 3.2 Million
Sports Market: State of Oregon plus Southwest Washington

Stadium possibilities: Replace old Memorial Coliseum (which is a WWII memorial) with a baseball stadium.  Would have to remain in Oakland until stadium is built.  Team could also build a suburban stadium.  Hillsboro stadium is probably to small to be expanded for short-term use.

Sports market for baseball currently belongs to the Seattle Mariners.  Current baseball team is an Arizona Diamondbacks affiliate

Current Baseball Team: High A West Hillsboro Hawks

Reasons not higher on the list: Not in California. Stadium issues.

5. Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Canada has had only one team since the Expos left for Washington, DC.  Baseball seems like a natural fit for Canada's second largest city.  The main negative, like Portland, is getting a stadium and sharing BC Place with the Lions and the Whitecaps until it is built.

City Population: 631,000
Metro Population: 2.5 Million
Sport Market: Provence of British Columbia and Alberta

Stadium Possibilities: Convert BC Place for baseball (Shared with BC Lions and Vancouver Whitecaps) until a new ballpark is built.

Current sports market for baseball belongs to the Toronto Blue Jays

Current team: None

Reasons not higher on the list: Exchange rate, stadium issues.

4. San Antonio, Texas

The Alamo City and Metro Area is one of the largest in the United States with only one Major Sports franchise.  Sure, people are counting on the NFL coming to this town one day, but Texas is a big baseball state as well.  Certainly there is room for a 3rd Lone Star MLB team.  The main drawback is playing in the Alamodome until a new stadium is built.  There is no AAA stadium in San Antonio to expand, they would have to start by playing indoors in an aging stadium built for football.

City Population: 1.3 million
Metro: 2.5 million
Sports Market: Southern Texas

Stadium Possibilities: Convert Alamodome for baseball until a new stadium is built.

Sports market for baseball is shared by the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers.

Current Baseball Team: None

Reasons not higher on the list.  Not in California.  Stadium issues.

3. Salt Lake City, Utah

Utah is the fastest growing state in United States as of the 2020 Census.  There are no signs of it slowing down.  There would probably not be opposition to any stadium plan as long as it stays in the southern part of the city.  The main downside is that most of the people live in the suburbs and would need to travel to the stadium no matter where it is built.  (As a DJ friend of mine says, no one from Salt Lake is actually from Salt Lake.)  The success of the Utah Jazz and Real Salt Lake are both a blessing and a curse to fans who want Major League Baseball in Utah.  They prove that sports teams can be successful and draw fans.  They also leave major doubts if there is room for another sports franchise in the city.

City Population: 185,000
Metro: 1.2 Million
CSA: 2.6 Million
Sports Market: State of Utah, plus Western Wyoming and Eastern Idaho

Stadium Possibilities: Expand Smith's Ballpark and/or build a new stadium.

Sports market for baseball currently belongs to the Colorado Rockies.  Current AAA team is a long-time affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels.

Current Baseball Team: AAA West Salt Lake Bees

Reasons not higher on the list: Not in California.  NBA and Major League Soccer already in metro.

2. Austin, Texas

Austin is a city which is growing rapidly.  And by that, I mean booming.  It is the fastest growing major metro in the United States.  It is the largest metro area in the United States without an NFL, NBA, MLB or NHL team.  Major League Soccer has just found a home here, but soccer is probably Austin's third love after Football and Baseball.  The Longhorns not only have a storied football program, but a storied baseball program as well.  The reason they are not top of this list is the belief that the A's will try to remain in the Golden State.  Hall of famers like Nolan Ryan grew up in this part of Texas. It seems like a natural fit.  The Austin Metro is the largest on my list.  If the A's don't move to Austin, they will get an expansion team.

City Population: 1 Million
Metro Population: 4.2 Million
Sport Market: Central Texas

Stadium Possibilities: Expand Dell Diamond and/or build a new stadium 

Current sports market for baseball is shared by the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers.  Current AAA team is a Houston Astros affiliate.

Current Baseball Team: AAA West Round Rock Express.

Reasons not higher on list: Not in California.  Prime expansion target.

1. Sacramento, California

I have to think that if the waterfront stadium deal in not approved, the priority of the Oakland Athletics and Major League Baseball will be to remain in California.  Moving inland seems to be the safest possibility.  Many of the A's most loyal fans will still be able to see their beloved team.  They may be able to expand the TV market to include Fresno and all of the Central Valley and expand into Reno while still retaining a presence on Bay Area TV.

City Population: 500,000 
Metro Population: 2.5 Million
Sports Market: Sacramento, Central Valley and Reno

Stadium Possibilities: Expand Sutter Health Park and/or build a new stadium.

Current sports market for baseball is shared by the Oakland Athletics and San Francisco Giants.  Current AAA team is a San Francisco Giants affiliate.

Current Baseball Team: AAA West Sacramento River Cats

How I think the DC Riots should end

I would like to thank Jay MacFarland, former radio host and congressional candidate for some of these ideas.  He deserves a lot of the credit.  He may not like being associated with this blog, and I don't blame him for that.

I am changing the original post from what I had before.  

To understand what happened in DC, you need to understand the Trump Supporters at this stage in the game.  Here is a summary.

-There is a Deep State.  Bureaucrats that are so entrenched in Washington that they will not be moved.  These are the people who really run the country.  It doesn't matter who is in charge in Congress, the White House or the Courts, they will always run things.  They are more entrenched than the Mafia, or the KGB.  They will do anything to hold onto power.

-The ultimate goal of the Deep State is to take away your gun rights so that no one has the power to revolt against the government.

-The one person, more than anyone else that the Deep State fears is Donald Trump.  He has been working to expose them and if he gets another four years, these men and women will go to jail and get their just desserts.

-Therefore, these people did everything in their power to rig the election against Donald Trump.  They inflated COVID-19 numbers so that people would fear the disease.  (Some even say that the disease does not even exist.)  This caused some states to illegally change laws.  They also hacked into Dominion voting machines to change people's votes.  Everyone knows that Donald Trump really won by a landslide.

Now that you know, what good will impeaching Trump do?  What good will invoking the 25th amendment do?  It will only prove to them that this is all true, at least in their minds.  That they were right all along.  It will likely lead to more violence.  After all, one thing that seems to work in these days United States is violence.

But it is not all bad.  Almost every time Donald Trump opens his mouth, he loses support.  Someone speaks out against him, he calls them a loser or worse  Trump pushes and pushes until he pushes you over the line.  Then when you realize you have gone too far, you speak back.  Then he turns on you.  This has been the pattern for the past four years.  It will be the pattern until the day Donald Trump dies.  It is who he is.  Eventually, there will be no one on Donald Trump's side.

After tonight, four senators who were going to challenge the election results changed their mind.  They sided with Biden after all.

Here is what I think should happen.

Arrest and prosecute Rudy Giuliani, charge him with inciting a riot.  His comments before the riot are all over the internet.  He said what he said and can't deny it.  He's guilty.  He will appeal to Trump for a pardon, but will not likely get it.  Rudy will realize he has gone too far and turn on Trump.  Just like Nixon was unable to pardon Liddy.  Trump will dump him.

Arrest everyone who was inside the capital building.  Charge them as domestic terrorists, eligible for the death penalty or at least life in prison.  Make examples of them.  None will receive a pardon.

Trump, leave him alone.  Let him talk.  He will continue to lose support until he has none?

What is unique about Utah...Each Utah Governor.

 On January 4, 2021, Utah swore in the 18th State Governor.  Here is what is unique about each state governor.

Heber Manning Wells

• Utah's first Governor
• Served from 1896 to 1905
• He was a member of the Republican party
• First banker to serve as governor
• Utah's first governor born in Utah Territory
• He was mayor of Salt Lake City before his election as governor
• He was a delegate to the Utah State Constitutional Convention
• He was the first Utah governor from Salt Lake County  (Assume Salt Lake County unless otherwise mentioned)
• He was the first Utah governor who graduated from the University of Utah  (Assume the University of Utah unless otherwise mentioned)
• First Utah Governor that was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints  (Assume that future governors mentioned are members of the LDS Faith unless otherwise noted)
• Wells was Utah's only governor who practiced plural marriage, the practice of having multiple wives.  He was pardoned for any violation of Bigamy laws by President Grover Clevland before Utah became a state under the condition that each wife had a separate residence.  Through his three wives, he fathered 7 children.
• His father was a counselor (or assistant) to President Brigham Young and dedicated the Saint George Utah Temple, the first LDS temple in the west.  His father had seven wives. His full brother, Briant Harris Wells, was a Major General in the US Army.  His half-sister, Anne Wells Cannon, was a prominent suffragette.
• The University of Utah was moved from Union (Now part of Cottonwood Heights) to Salt Lake City during his tenure.
• Branch Normal School for Teachers in Cedar City, now Southern Utah University was founded during his tenure.
• Wells served for two four-year terms, but lost in his bid for a third term in the Republican Primary
• He died in 1938

John Christopher Cutler

• Served from 1905 to 1909
• Was a member of the Republican Party
• First businessman to serve as governor
• He was Utah's first governor who was an immigrant to the United States and a Naturalized Citizen.  He was born in Sheffield, England
• He was a convert to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
• He was Utah's first governor who did not practice polygamy
• He was the first Utah governor who did not gain an education beyond high school
• He and his wife, Sarah Taylor, had 7 children
• He was the first and hopefully only Utah Governor who died by suicide.  The reasons for his suicide are unknown.
• He served one term after loosing in the another Republican challenger in a primary election, William Spry
• Cutler Dam and Reservoir are named in his honor
• He died in 1928

William Spry

• Served from 1909 to 1917
• Was a Member of the Republican Party
• Was also an immigrant from England, and a naturalized US Citizen.
• He was the first Utah Governor from Tooele County
• He was the first and so far only governor of Utah who had a career in Law Enforcement
• He was the first Utah Governor who served in the Utah House of Representatives
• Twice vetoed bills that would have brought prohibition to Utah before the 18th Amendment was ratified
• He was head of the General of the Land Office after serving as Utah Governor.  The first governor to hold a position in the Federal Government after service as Governor.  (This position was replaced by the BLM in the 1940s.)
• He served two terms as Utah Governor.  He did not run for a third.
• He and his wife Mary had 3 children
• He was the first Utah governor to die out of state.  He died in Washington DC in 1929.

Simon Bamberger

• Served from 1917 to 1921
• He was the first member of the Democratic Party to be elected as Utah's governor.
• He was in mining, hotels and other business.
• He did not have a university education
• He was Utah's first Governor who was not a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
• He was the first and so far only Jew to serve as Governor of Utah
• He was the most recent Utah Governor who was not a Natural-Born US Citizen.
• He was the most recent Utah Governor to be born outside the United States.  He was born in Darmstadt-Eberstadt, Germany 
• He was the third Governor of a state in the United States who was Jewish.
• He founded and owned the Lagoon Amusement Park
• He was the first Governor who served in the Utah State Senate
• He was the first millionaire to serve as Utah's Governor
• Even though he was a Democrat, he followed the progressive policies of Theodore Roosevelt
• He and his wife Ida had 4 children
• He only served one term and did not run for a second.  He was already 75 and ready to retire when his term was up.
• He died in 1926

Charles Mabey

• Served from 1921 to 1925
• He was a member of the Republican Party
• He served as a member of the Utah House of Representatives
• He was the first Utah Governor from Davis County
• He was a banker by trade
• He and his wife Afton had four children
• He was the first Utah Governor who served as an active duty member of the Armed Forces.  He served in the artillery during World War I.
• He served for one term and lost in his bid for re-election to Democrat Goerge Dern
• He is the most recent Utah Governor to only be elected once.
• He died in 1959

George Dern

• Served from 1925 to 1933
• He was a member of the Democratic Party.
• He served in the Utah State Senate before being elected as governor
• He was the first Utah Governor to be a natural born US Citizen, but was not born in the territory or state of Utah.  He was born in Nebraska.
• He is the first and so far only Utah Governor to have a Bachelor's Degree but did not earn it at a Utah-Based University.  He earned his degree at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln.
• He was Utah's only Protestant governor.  The second who was not a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
• Dern earned a degree in engineer.  He came to Utah to work in the mining industry
• He was known as a champion of protecting Utah's natural resources
• He served two terms.
• After his service as Governor, he became the first former Utah Governor to serve in a presidential cabinet.  He served as Secretary of War from 1933 until his untimely death in 1936.  
• He died in Washington, DC.
• He and his wife Dottie had 7 children
• He is the Grandfather of Academy-Award winning actor Bruce Dern and the Great-grandfather of actress Laura Dern

Henry H Blood

• Served from 1933 to 1941
• He was a member of the Democratic Party
• He served in the Utah State Senate before being elected as Governor
• He served during the Great Depression
• He and his wife Minnie had four children
• Blood was the president of a milling company
• He was Utah's second and most recent governor from Davis County
• College of Eastern Utah was founded in his administration
• Prohibition was repealed during his tenure, with Utah casting the final vote for repeal
• He was the most recent Utah Governor to not have at least attended a university after high school
• He served two terms, accepting a call to serve as a mission president afterwards, but died before receiving an assignment.
• He died in 1942, a little over a year after leaving office

Herbert B Maw

• Served from 1941 to 1949
• He was a member of the Democratic Party
• He was the last Utah Governor born in Utah Territory before Utah became a state.
• He was the first educator to be elected as Utah's governor.  He taught at the University of Utah
• He served in the Army during the First World War.  He served as a chaplain.  
• Maw was a member of the Utah State Senate before elected as Governor
• Maw and his wife Florence had five children
• The 1944 election between Maw and J. Bracken Lee was the closest such election in Utah history.  Maw won a second term.  In the 1948 rematch, Lee won.
• He died in 1990

J. Bracken Lee

• Served from 1949 to 1957
• He was a member of the Republican Party.
• He was the first and so far only governor of Utah from Carbon county.
• He was in the Insurance industry before entering politics
• He was the first Utah Governor to be born in Utah as a state and not a territory.
• He served as the mayor of Price, Utah before being elected as governor.
• Lee was a training sergeant in US Army during the first world war
• Lee was the most recent Utah Governor not to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  He did not belong to any religious community and may have been the first atheist state governor in the United States.  But he was a Freemason, and belief in God is a requirement of Freemasonry.  Therefore, this can not be a conclusive statement.
• He was the first and only Freemason to serve as Utah Governor.
• Lee and his wife Margaret had 3 children.
• After serving as governor, he ran for President of the United States under the Conservative (not Republican) party banner 1960.  He was the first former Utah Governor to run for President in any party.  John F. Kennedy won the election.
• In 1956, he left the Republican Party and ran for a 3rd term as an independent.  He lost to George Dewey Clyde.
• He served as Mayor of Salt Lake City from 1960 to 1972.  The first and so far only governor to serve in elected office after serving as governor.
• He died at the age of 97 in 1996 and lived longer than any other Utah governor

George Dewey Clyde

• He served from 1957 to 1965
• He was a member of the Republican Party
• He was the first and so far only Utah Governor from Cache County
• He served in the Water and Power Board before being elected as Governor
• He was the second governor and most recent governor who was an educator.  He was a long time professor at Utah State University
• He was the first Utah governor who graduated from Utah State University.
• He and his wife Ora had 5 children.
• He served two terms and declined to run for a 3rd.
• He died in 1972

Calvin Rampton

• Served from 1965 to 1977
• He was a member of the Democratic Party
• He was elected as Davis County Attorney before he was called to service during the second world war.
• He was the first Utah Governor who was an attorney by profession.
• He was the only Utah Governor who served in World War 2.  After the war, he remained in the Army Reserve and attained the Rank of Colonel.  This is the highest military rank of a Utah Governor.
• He and his wife Lucybeth had 4 children
• During his term, the position of Secretary of State was eliminated and the position of Lieutenant Governor was created.
• He is the only Utah Governor to serve three full terms.
• He died in 2007
• The Convention Center in Downtown Salt Lake City is named in his honor
• The state office complex in Taylorsville is named in his honor

Scott Matheson

• Served from 1977 to 1985
• He was the second Utah Governor who was an attorney by profession
• He was a member of the Democratic Party
• He is the most recent Democrat to serve as Utah's Governor
• He was the only Utah Governor where Governor was his first elected office
• He received votes for the Democratic party nomination for President of the United States at the Democratic National Convention in 1980, but was not a formal candidate.  He declined to run for President of the United States in 1984. 
• He is the only state governor whose lieutenant governor was from a different party.
• He was the second Utah Governor born in a US State other than Utah.  He was born in Chicago.
• He and his wife Norma had 4 children
• He served for two terms and declined to serve a third
• He died in 1990 due to radiation exposure he had earlier in life
• The state courthouse in Salt Lake City is named for his honor

Norman Bangerter

• Served from 1985 to 1993
• He was a member of the Republican Party
• He was a member of the Utah House of Representatives before becoming governor.
• He worked in the Construction industry.
• Beginning with his first election, the office of Governor and Lieutenant Governor were voted together on the same ticket.  He was the first governor with a running mate.
• He earned a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Utah and a Masters Degree from Brigham Young University.  He is the only Utah governor with an advanced degree from a Utah-based University.
• He is the first Utah governor with an awarded degree from Brigham Young University
• He and his wife Colleen had 6 children
• He died in 2015
• The Bangerter highway in western Salt Lake County is named in his honor

Michael Leavitt

• Served from 1993 to 2003
• He is a member of the Republican Party
• He is the most recent governor who worked in the Insurance Industry
• He is the first and so far only governor to graduate from Southern Utah University
• He is the first and so far only governor from Iron County.
• He and his wife Jacelyn have five children
• He was elected to three terms, but left office during his third term to become the head of the EPA.
• He later served on the cabinet of President George W. Bush as Secretary of Health and Human Services.  He is the second Utah Governor to serve in the Cabinet.
• He is the third-longest serving Utah Governor.
• He was the first Utah Governor to leave office before completing a term.
• He is currently the most senior former Utah Governor still living.  But he is not the oldest former living Utah Governor.

Olene Walker

• Served from 2003 to 2005
• She was a member of the Republican Party
• She was an educational administrator before entering politics
• She was the first and so far only female Utah Governor
• She was the first and so far only Utah Governor who was never elected governor
• She is, so far, the governor with the shortest time in service
• She was in the State House of Representatives before being elected as Utah's Lieutenant Governor with Governor Michael Leavitt.
• She is the only Lieutenant Governor elected three times.
• She is the first Lieutenant Governor to later serve as governor
• She is the first Lieutenant Governor to ascend to the office of governor upon the resignation of her predecessor.  (These are different terms that mean different things.)
• She was the first female Lieutenant Governor (but not the only)
• She is the first and only Governor with a Bachelor's Degree from Brigham Young University.  (Bangerter earned a Masters from BYU.  Herbert attended, but did not graduate.)
• She was the mother of 7 children all through her husband Myron.
• She served the remainder of Leavitt's third term, but did not receive her party's nomination in 2004.  She served for 423 days.
• She is the most recent serving governor who has passed away.  She died in 2015.

Jon M. Huntsman, Jr.

• Served from 2005 to 2009
• He is a member of the Republican Party
• He is the most recent Governor to have graduated from the University of Utah
• He is the most recent governor from Salt Lake County
• He is the most recent governor not born in Utah.  He was born in California.  He was the sixth born outside of Utah, and the 3rd born in the United States but in another state.
• He was in the diplomatic corps in the Reagan and George HW Bush administrations before being elected as governor.
• He was US ambassador to Singapore before being elected as governor.
• He also served as deputy trade negotiator
• He served in some capacity in the Executive Branch of the Federal Government under every president from Reagan to Trump.
• He was elected to a second term but left office 8 months into his second term to serve as ambassador to China.  He later served as ambassador to Russia.
• He ran for president in 2008, but John McCain won the Republican nomination.  He is the second and most recent governor to run for President of the United States and the first to seek the nomination from one of the two major parties.
• He and his wife Mary have 7 children.

Gary Herbert

• Served from 2009 to 2021
• He is a member of the Republican Party
• He is the first and so far only Utah Governor from Utah County
• He is the first and so far only Utah Governor to serve in the National Guard, achieving the rank of Sergeant.
• He was in Real Estate before entering politics
• He is the first and so far only Utah Governor to serve as a County Commissioner.
• He is the first and so far only Utah Governor to attend college without earning a degree.  He attended Brigham Young University.  He is the most recent governor to attend BYU.
• He is the second lieutenant governor to ascend to office after his predecessor left office.  He served with Jon M. Huntsman Jr.
• He is the first former lieutenant governor to be elected to the office of governor.
• After taking over for Huntsman and completing his term, he was elected to two subsequent terms in office.
• He is the second longest serving Utah Governor
• He is the oldest living former Utah Governor

Spencer J Cox

• In office since January 4, 2021
• Was the first and so far only Utah Governor who took the oath of office outside of Salt Lake City.  He was sworn into office at the outdoor Tuacan Amphitheater in Ivins, Utah.  The change in venue was due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• He is the first and so far only Utah Governor from Sanpete County
• He is the second and most recent Utah Governor who graduated from Utah State University
• He is the first and so far only Utah Governor to have attended Snow College
• He served on the city council of Fairview, Utah and and later became Mayor.  He also served in the Utah House of Representatives before becoming the Lieutenant Governor.
• He is the first former lieutenant governor to be elected as governor without first ascending to the office due to the resignation of his predecessor.  He served with Gary Herbert
• As Lieutenant governor, Cox was the only lieutenant governor to be appointed due to the resignation of the prior office holder.  Cox was appointed in 2015 was elected as LG in 2016.

Utah has never had...

• A governor who has died in office
• A governor who has been impeached
• A governor who was a Roman Catholic
• A governor who was been non-white
• An LGBT Governor
• A governor who was also elected to the US House of Representatives or US Senate
• A governor who has also served as a judge
• A governor who attended Weber State University, Westminster College, Salt Lake Community College, Utah Valley University, College of Eastern Utah or Dixie State University
• A governor who has been divorced
• A governor who has been widowed
• A governor who has also been elected President of the United States
• A governor who has been in the US Air Force, US Navy, US Marine Corps, US Coast Guard or US Space Force.  All Utah Governors who served in the military were in the US Army
• A governor who has attainted the rank of general or admiral in the Armed Forces.
• A governor who served in a foreign military
• A governor who has been a professional athlete
• A governor who has been a professional entertainer
• A governor from one of the following counties: Box Elder, Weber, Rich, Morgan, Summit, Daggett, Duchesne, Wasatch, Uintah, Emery, Grand, San Juan, Sevier, Juab, Beaver, Piute, Kane, Wayne or Washington
• A governor who has also been a general authority in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
• A governor that was buried outside of the State of Utah
• A city or town or county that has been named for a Utah Governor