SALT LAKE CITY — Kyle Whittingham wasn’t getting ahead of himself. He never does. In his Monday press conference last week, Utah’s head coach was asked to assess the state of this 2019 version of his Utes at the midway point of the season but, even then at 4-1 and ranked No. 15 in the country, Whittingham wouldn’t bite.



“I can’t tell you, because it’s not midseason,” Whittingham said. “We’re one game away. I like how it’s shaping up, but we’ll see.”



He just had to wait a few more days to tie a bow on what was nearly a flawless first half of football. Following Utah’s 52-7 romp over Oregon State on Saturday in Corvallis, Ore., the Utes improved to 5-1 and No. 13 in the AP Top 25. For a program tabbed by many to win the Pac-12 Conference — and by some to be a dark horse shot at being a College Football Playoff threat — the halfway point of the year should evoke two varying...