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Big 12 Foes Baylor And Utah Set For A Non-Conference Match-Up Thanks To Realignment

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Football

The University of Utah Football team is set to host Baylor for a non-conference game on Saturday, Sept. 7 in Rice-Eccles Stadium for its Big 12 Homecoming game.

The Utes and the Bears will kick off at 1:30 p.m. MT on FOX.

HOME SWEET HOME
Utah is 119-37 (.762) in Rice-Eccles Stadium (1998-present) and is 91-26 in RES during the Kyle Whittingham era.
•    Utah has five undefeated home seasons under Whittingham (2022, 6-0; 2021, 6-0; 2019, 7-0; 2009, 6-0; 2008, 6-0) with the Utes winning 32 of their last 34 home games, which included a streak of 18 in a row from Dec. 5, 2020 – Oct. 14, 2023.  
•    It was the second-longest streak in the Whittingham era with the longest streak taking place Sept. 15, 2007 – Oct. 23, 2010 (21 games).
•    Utah has sold out Rice-Eccles Stadium in 84 consecutive games, dating back to the 2010 season opener.

THE NUMBERS
•    Head Coach Kyle Whittingham is set to coach in his 369th overall game at Utah and his 243rd as head coach on Saturday.
•    Utah is 79-51-1 all-time in season openers with just three season-opening losses in the last 17 seasons.  
•    The Utes have opened the year at home 15 times in the Whittingham era and are 14-1 in those games.
•    The Utes and the Bears will face off for just the second time in both programs' history with Utah beating Baylor in Waco, Texas, last season (20-13). 

UTAH FOOTBALL: NEED TO KNOWS
•    Utah entered the season ranked No. 12 in the AP and No. 13 in the AFCA Coaches preseason polls, the sixth straight year the Utes have started the season ranked.    
•    Head coach Kyle Whittingham is in his 20th season at the helm as the longest-tenured coach in the Big 12 (by 26 days) and the second-longest tenured coach at the same school in the FBS.
•    The Utes have posted a winning record in 10 straight seasons, dating back to 2014. Utah has also finished with a winning season in 17 of Whittingham's 19 years as head coach.   
•    In its first year in the Big 12, Utah was voted to win the conference in the preseason media poll with the most first place votes.
•    Seniors Brant Kuithe (TE) and Junior Tafuna (DT), along with junior Jack Bouwmeester (P), all earned preseason All-Big 12.