Even if — a huge if, granted — they were good enough, talented enough to win one?
The answer to that question comes in the words of former Utah quarterback Brian Johnson, who stood on the field after the 2009 Sugar Bowl, confetti dropping on his head in the Superdome, having just defeated Alabama. “We,” he said, pointing to himself and his teammates, “were the only ones who believed we could do this.”
That was back when Utah was in the Mountain West. But even in the Pac-12, perception leans away from the Utes and darn near every other team.