Utah Football: Are We Still Underrated?

So here is the question?

Utah isn’t ranked.  But the Utes are on nearly every teams underrated/teams to watch/teams that might surprise list.

Why just today on ESPN Insider Mr. Travis Haney said that we are a quiet contender.

So being a Ute fan that makes me wonder, should I be pleased or worried?

I tend to live by a rule that if everyone sees that a team is underrated and going to surprise, that won’t really be the team that will surprise.

On the other hand, everything else is right.  We return 16 starters from an 8-5 team, including the one guy who could have made it much better than 8-5.  We don’t have to play Oregon and Stanford.  We get USC at home and have only one big road test, at Washington.  We have a 1st round draft pick on the D-Line, and talent everywhere.

Maybe we should be rated higher?  I mean most other BCS schools especially an SEC school with those stats, would be considered at top 15 team.  Instead Utah sits just outside the rankings.

So what does all this mean?  I have no idea.

All I do know is that I am not only excited but as curious as I’ve ever been to see how this Ute season shakes out.  On one hand we have the talent and schedule to make a serious run at the BCS title game.  On the other a couple of problems could put us in Vegas or San Diego before Christmas.

So I’m curious, what are your thoughts.  We’re 8 days out, how will the 2012 Utes shake out.