Utes are rolling after first 4 games of this season

Isn't it strange to think that we are already one-third of the way through the college football season? How can this be? It seems like just the other day, we were pining for the start of Pigskin Season.

And now, a month in, it's hard to imagine Saturdays without it. Four games into the 2010 campaign, and the Utes are 4-0 and ranked in the top 13 in the country.

The Utes have this weekend off before resuming their season on the road in Ames, Iowa, on Oct. 9. Utah is in the enviable spot of getting to build toward the toughest part of its season, which will begin Oct. 30 at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.

The Utes are coming off their most complete effort of the season, a 56-3 beat-down of San Jose State last weekend. Note that I called it complete, because Kyle Whittingham's guys won all three phases handily. But also because, for the first time this season, Utah did not commit a turnover — see the emphasis on "ball security" — and started the game much better offensively with a 43-yard reverse for a touchdown by Reggie Dunn on their first play from scrimmage. Both were areas that Whittingham and his staff wanted to improve on in Week 4.

One thing you won't hear the Utah players discussing is their move from the Mountain West Conference to the Pac-12 next season. Their focus is solely on 2010, not 2011. Thankfully the play-by-play guy isn't held to that same edict, so let's have some fun and a look at where Utah would stack up statistically in the Pac-10 this season.

The Utes would be one of five unbeaten teams through four games. Oregon, Stanford, USC and Arizona would be the others. Utah would sit at third in the conference in points scored (177), trailing only Oregon and Stanford. Defensively, the Utes would also sit in the third position (51 points allowed), trailing Oregon and Arizona, who have each given up 44 points.

This gives you just a sampling of how Utah stacks up with the current membership of the Pac-10. My guess is that as the year rolls along, the Utes will continue to hold their own statistically with their future foes. There is a school of thought by some that Utah will struggle to compete in their new conference home. While that might be the case in some sports, I don't believe that football will miss a beat making the move to the Pac-12 next season and into the future.

One scheduling note that came out earlier this week regarding Utah football. The contest on Oct. 9 against Iowa State will be a one-and-done affair, with no return trip to Salt Lake City for the Cyclones. Reasons given include both schools moving to a nine-game conference schedule.

Montana State has been rumored to replace Iowa State in 2011 at Rice-Eccles Stadium. What to keep an eye on, though, is the two other non-conference games scheduled that season: at Pittsburgh and at Boise State.

What's missing? How about Utah's biggest rival, BYU. Stay tuned to see if more scheduling changes are on the horizon for the Utes.

Bill Riley can be heard as the radio voice of the University of Utah on gamedays and also on weekdays from 2-6 p.m. on the "Bill and Spence Show" on ESPN Radio 700 AM.

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