Utes back in polls at 25th

Though idle since a 3-0 victory at BYU on Nov. 22, Utah has climbed back into the national rankings. The Utes (9-2) are 25th in this week's Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today college football polls.

It's a position they'll hold until the bowl season is complete. The next rankings won't be released until January.

"It's the time of year you want to be ranked," said Utah coach Urban Meyer, who noted that a victory over Southern Mississippi in the Liberty Bowl on Dec. 31 will keep the Utes in the top 25 for an even more extended period. "Obviously, we're going to try and stay there for a long time."

Less than two months ago, Utah ended a near seven-year drought in the rankings by climbing to No. 23 in the coaches poll and No. 24 in the AP top 25. The accolades followed a 28-10 win over UNLV when the Utes were 6-1 overall.

A lopsided loss to New Mexico followed, and they've been on the outside-looking-in ever since. That changed Sunday.

Utah edged Meyer's former team, Bowling Green, for the final spot in the AP poll. The Utes trail No. 24 Minnesota by a healthy margin. As for the coaches' poll, they are nestled comfortably between 24th-ranked Maryland and "others receiving votes" leaders Pittsburgh and Southern Miss.

Meyer said the recognition is well-deserved and a good "measuring stick" for the program — one that likely will pay dividends in terms of recruiting.

In his first season at the helm, Meyer guided the Utes to their first outright conference title in 46 years. They clinched a trip to the New Year's Eve bowl in Memphis while putting an end to BYU's NCAA-record 361-game scoring streak.

---

E-MAIL: dirk@desnews.com