One of the preseason favorites to challenge for the 2024 United Athletic Conference (UAC) Football title Southern Utah gets an early start to Week One competition as the Thunderbirds will visit in-state foe No. 12 Utah on Thursday night. The game is scheduled to kickoff at 7 PM MT and will be carried on ESPN+.

SUU was tabbed third in the UAC preseason coach's poll following a solid inaugural season of play in the league that sas the squad finish tied for second with a 4-2 mark while boasting a 6-5 overall record. The T-Birds were competitive during the entire campaign with four of their five losses including both league defeats decided by three points or less.

The Thunderbirds on offense return their top two running backs in Braedon Wissler and Targhee Lambson along with wideout Zach Mitchell, who ranked second in receiving on the squad. The preseason All-UAC duo of Rylen Sua-Filo (DL) and Kohner Cullimore (LB) look to anchor an improving Thunderbird defense.

Head coach DeLane Fitzgerald enters his third season leading the Southern Utah program (11-11 record) and is just three career wins shy of 100 as a collegiate head coach. This marks the third all-time meeting between the Thunderbirds and Utes with Utah having claimed the previous two match-ups.