The Utah Checkdown

Nonconference play is officially in the books, and the Utah Utes are sitting at an unblemished 3-0. But as Big 12 play looms, one big question remains: Is Utah finally getting the national respect they deserve, or are critics still holding back?

In this episode, host Josh Furlong breaks down:

• The AP Top 25 voting process: A transparent look inside Josh’s ...

The Battle of the Brothers is back! In this game-preview episode of The Utah Checkdown, host Josh Furlong dives deep into Utah’s final nonconference tune-up as the Utes host Utah State at Rice-Eccles Stadium.

In this episode:

• The "friendly brotherhood" dynamic: Why the Utah-Utah State rivalry carries a completely different tone than the BYU rivalry, and h...

Utah made a big statement in Week 2, and the fallout has completely broken Arkansas fans.

Host Josh Furlong breaks down a wild weekend across college football, recaps Utah’s dominant 43-10 win over Arkansas at Rice-Eccles Stadium, and analyzes what the result means for the Utes on the national stage:

• Big 12 weekend fallout: Oklahoma State stuns No. 6 Oreg...

Real football is back — and there are plenty of stats to break down! In this week's episode of The Utah Checkdown, host Josh Furlong recaps the opening week of college football and sets the stage for a big nonconference showdown.

In this episode:

• Week 1 look back & Kyle Whittingham’s Michigan chaos: A wild ending in Ann Arbor, the controversial Hail Mary finish, and what to make of Whittingham’s debut wi...

Football season has officially arrived! In this episode of The Utah Checkdown, host Josh Furlong breaks down everything you need to know heading into Game 1.

In this episode:

• Week 0 takeaways: Why TCU’s messy season-opener in Ireland could change the landscape of the Big 12.

• Morgan Scalley’s first game-week presser: What the new head coach had to say about his mindset, keeping perspective, managing line rotation...

Game day is less than a week away, and the new era of Utah football is officially here.

In this episode, host Josh Furlong breaks down key takeaways from assistant coach media availability, analyzing what new offensive coordinator Kevin McGiven’s balanced scheme means for Devon Dampier and the playbook.

Plus, we explore the depth across the tight end room, assess question marks along the defensive interior, look at recent sta...

With kickoff just under two weeks away, host Josh Furlong breaks down everything you need to know about Utah football heading into the season opener against Idaho.

From full fall camp takeaways to off-field news and national rankings, get the complete breakdown right here on The Utah Checkdown Podcast.

In this episode:

• AP Top 25 Reactions: Analyzing Utah’s spot at No. 21, the Big 12's four ranked programs (Texas Tech, B...

Fall camp is underway, and those within the Utah football program are feeling optimistic about where they're at in the first part of camp.

Host Josh Furlong recaps the first week of fall camp and talks about the biggest storylines coming away from Morgan Scalley's first season as head coach. He also breaks down his rare opportunity to follow Scalley around for a day.

He jumps into the early rankings to see where Utah fits, while pr...

Ahead of the 2026 season, we conclude the scheduling series preview with a look at West Virginia.

The Utes closeout the season with a Black Friday night game, with hopes of a Big 12 title berth on the line. Host Josh Furlong breaks down a West Virginia team that looks to build on a losing season, but how much more can Rich Rod get out of his team?

Follow Josh Furlong on social media platform X @Josh_Furlong or on Instagram @jfurksl...

The Big 12 concluded its media days last week, previewing the upcoming 2026 football season.

Host Josh Furlong recaps the two-day event, including Brett Yormark's introductory comments and conversations with Utah head coach Morgan Scalley and the four players who joined him in Frisco, Texas.

He also continues his scheduling series breakdown with a look at Utah's 11th game of the season, a road contest to TCU. Could it be another ti...

Next week is Big 12 media days, and there will be several big storylines for the University of Utah.

Host Josh Furlong previews Big 12 media days and what will be the top storylines for Utah and the conference. He also continues his scheduling series preview with a look at Utah's next opponent Arizona.

Will the Utah-Arizona game be a decider for the Big 12 title game, or just two teams that are on the outside looking in? At the ver...

It's been a busy couple weeks, with the NCAA making a change to its eligibility rules and allowing FCS teams to take part in join practices.

Also, Utah signed a new apparel outfitter with Adidas, which will start next year. Host Josh Furlong breaks down why that matters and how it could impact recruiting. He also jumps into recruiting to show how Morgan Scalley is shifting the focus toward more in-state talent.

He wraps up the epis...

The Brendan Sorsby saga continues as it becomes Texas Tech against the world.

Host Josh Furlong breaks down the latest with Sorsby and how it could impact the Big 12 moving forward. The Big 12 will be meeting this week and next to decide a path forward.

He also previews the official visitors for football this weekend, while continuing on the scheduling series with a look at Cincinnati.

Follow Josh Furlong on social media platform X...

It's already been a busy week for college athletics, with the news about Brendan Sorsby's injunction dominating the news cycle — for good reason.

Host Josh Furlong jumps into a busy week that featured returning players to Utah, a handful of commitments for football and the perilous saga that surrounds Texas Tech and Sorsby for the upcoming season. And it's a saga that is far from over ahead of the season.

Behind the Sorsby ne...

Utah defensive end Lance Holtzclaw testified at a Senate committee hearing this week as it discussed a bill to "save" college sports. His testimony was used to help support student-athletes.

Host Josh Furlong recaps the Senate hearing and what it all means, as well as provides some additional updates on news from the week — including a look at some commitments for the Utes this week.

He then continues his scheduling series br...

Utah made headlines last week with some of the details coming out about its private equity deal.

Host Josh Furlong jumps into the details and addresses where the private equity deal and what it means for Utah. Could this be the first sign of trouble or is it a necessary step to get Utah past the finish line.

He also continues his scheduling series with a look at Utah's fifth game of the season, a home game against Kansas. The Jayha...

The Big 12 will host its annual spring meetings this week, with College Football Playoff expansion the biggest talking point for the week's meetings.

Host Josh Furlong gives a quick primer on what will be discussed this week, as well as some updates on other college football matters. He then continues his deep dive into the next two opponents on Utah's schedule for football.

The next two games will prove to be the final touches to ...

The betting odds are out for the Big 12, and this time it's a look at the win totals for the conference. At the top is a couple familiar names that should be of interest to the state of Utah.

Host Josh Furlong takes a look at the latest odds to see where Utah fits in for the season. He also begins his schedule series breakdown, with a look at FCS Idaho and Arkansas.

The Razorbacks have a lot of turnover, and questions, but the game...

The offensive side of the ball will be one of the most intriguing elements of Morgan Scalley's first season as head coach for Utah. And while spring was a success, how will it translate to the fall?

Host Josh Furlong jumps into the offensive side of the ball with a post-spring position breakdown to see who will be the contributors for the 2026 season, and where the success will be seen the most.

He also does a quick look at the wom...