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Building a winning program in the Pac-12 South is not an easy task. Utah finally figured out the formula for doing it a year ago. The Utes built an identity rooted in aggressive, swarming defense, a bruising running game and spectacular special teams play.
It helped Utah finish with a 9-4 record and notch a Las Vegas Bowl victory over Colorado State even while playing one of the nation's toughest schedules last fall. The Utes ended a season with an Associated Press Top 25 ranking for the first time since leaving the Mountain West Conference.