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Matt wraps up his 2026 college football previews with a look at the Utah State Aggies.

After a six-win season in 2025, Utah State enters a new-look Pac-12 with plenty of questions. The Aggies lost several key contributors, including their quarterback, offensive coordinator, Ike Taylor and John Miller, but Matt sees enough returning and incoming talent to believe Bronco Mendenhall can outperform expectations once again.

Matt breaks down Utah State's schedule, the transition to the Pac-12, the importance of the Washington State game, and the Aggies' chances of reaching bowl eligibility — and potentially backing their way into the Pac-12 Championship Game.

He also identifies the players who could determine Utah State's season, including quarterback McCae Hillstead, wide receiver Javon Robinson, running back Javen Jacobs, defensive back Brevin Hamblin, edge Adonis Jackson and linebacker Harrison Taggart.

The final prediction?

6-6, another bowl game, and a legitimate chance to finish in the top four of the Pac-12.

That might be considerably more optimistic than the preseason expectations, but Matt isn't exactly backing away from it.

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Matt breaks down the University of Utah's 2026 football season, from the transition away from Kyle Whittingham to Morgan Scalley's first season as head coach.

Coming off an 11-2 season that included a dominant 44-22 bowl victory over Nebraska, Utah returns plenty of talent, including quarterback Devin Dampier and running back Wayshawn Parker, while facing major questions along both the offensive and defensive lines.

Matt breaks down the schedule, the biggest position-group concerns, the quarterback and running back rooms, the new-look offensive line, the defensive front, special teams and the players who could determine how far the Utes go.

The schedule may be one of the biggest advantages Utah has in 2026. Matt sees Idaho, Arkansas, Utah State, Iowa State, Kansas, Colorado and Cincinnati as wins, with Houston and BYU representing the biggest tests of the regular season.

And then there's the prediction.

Matt believes Utah's floor is 10-2, sees an undefeated season as the ceiling and ultimately predicts an 11-1 record with a loss to BYU.

Could the Utes make a run at the College Football Playoff? Could Utah and BYU meet again in the Big 12 Championship Game?

Matt breaks it all down before looking ahead to the players and storylines that could define Utah's 2026 season.

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Matt returns to the Matt Cave Podcast with another collection of Utah sports thoughts, covering Real Salt Lake, Zavier Gozo’s move to Crystal Palace, Cosmo the Cougar’s induction into the Mascot Hall of Fame, and the upcoming college football season.

Real Salt Lake responded to Zavier Gozo’s record-setting move to Crystal Palace with a dominant 4–0 victory over Atlante in the Leagues Cup. Matt breaks down what Gozo’s transfer means for RSL and why developing young players and selling them to bigger European clubs could be the path forward for a smaller MLS market.

Matt also looks at why Real Salt Lake needs to treat player development and major transfers as victories of their own, particularly with young players such as Diego Luna, Sergi Solans and Morgan Guilavogui potentially following Gozo toward bigger opportunities.

The episode also celebrates Cosmo the Cougar being inducted into the 2026 Mascot Hall of Fame alongside mascots including Mrs. Met and Goldie.

Finally, Matt dives into ESPN’s choices for Utah and BYU college football archrivals, including the case for Max Hall, the old Bowl Alliance controversy involving BYU, and several freshmen who could make an immediate impact for Utah and BYU this season.

Topics include:
• Real Salt Lake 4–0 Atlante
• Zavier Gozo’s move to Crystal Palace
• Real Salt Lake’s youth development strategy
• Diego Luna and the future of RSL
• Cosmo the Cougar and the Mascot Hall of Fame
• Utah Utes football
• BYU football
• Max Hall and the Holy War
• The Bowl Alliance and the College Football Playoff
• Utah and BYU freshmen to watch

The Matt Cave Podcast covers Utah sports, including Real Salt Lake, Utah football, BYU football, the Utah Mammoth and the Utah Jazz, with Matt offering his perspective from inside the Utah sports landscape.

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This week, Matt takes a look around the Utah sports landscape before diving into what could become Major League Baseball's biggest problem in years.

Real Salt Lake continues to slide down the Western Conference standings after another disappointing result, while the Utah Royals remain one of the surprise stories of the NWSL despite a recent dip in form. Matt also gives credit to the Utah Talons after winning another professional softball championship.

The biggest discussion centers around Major League Baseball after the Dodgers acquired Tarik Skubal. Matt explains why the trade isn't actually Los Angeles' fault, why MLB owners are creating an unsustainable competitive balance, and why another labor stoppage feels almost inevitable.

The episode also wraps up with thoughts on EA Sports College Football and why modern sports games continue to frustrate players.

If you enjoy thoughtful Utah sports coverage every week, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share the show.

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Matt is back with another episode of The Matt Cave Podcast, covering three major Utah sports storylines.

Real Salt Lake has stumbled out of the post-World Cup break after losses to LAFC and the Portland Timbers. Matt breaks down RSL's offensive struggles, the impact of red cards and injuries, the team's position in the Western Conference, and whether a continued slide could eventually force the club to consider selling major assets such as Diego Luna or Moïse Bombito.

The Utah Mammoth have made another major long-term commitment by signing defenseman John Marino to an eight-year, $54 million extension. Matt explains why the deal could be a smart piece of business for Utah, why the Mammoth's long-term player retention is a major change from the organization's Arizona Coyotes past, and what the roster could look like heading into next season.

Matt also takes a closer look at the Mammoth's biggest remaining roster questions, including the third defensive pairing, the crowded forward group, TJ Gignac's potential role, the futures of Michael Carcone and Kailer Yamamoto, and why Matt strongly disagrees with the decision to re-sign Barrett Hayton.

Finally, the Utah Jazz are no longer trying to lose. After years of tanking, the Jazz have entered a new phase, and Matt explains why he believes Utah could be much better than many national analysts expect. The episode also examines the Jazz's playoff chances, the impact of Darryn Peterson, Keyonte George, Isaiah Collier, and the changing Western Conference.

Topics covered:
• Real Salt Lake's struggles after the World Cup break
• RSL's playoff position and potential transfer decisions
• John Marino's eight-year Utah Mammoth extension
• The Mammoth's defensive and forward depth
• Barrett Hayton's place on the roster
• Utah's changing player recruitment and retention
• Why the Utah Jazz could make the playoffs
• Darryn Peterson, Keyonte George, and Isaiah Collier
• Why Summer League results should not be overanalyzed

Matt covers Utah sports, the Utah Mammoth, Real Salt Lake, and the Utah Jazz every week on The Matt Cave Podcast.

Listen, follow, rate, review, and share the podcast with someone who loves Utah sports.

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This week on The Matt Cave Podcast, Matt shifts the focus to soccer and baseball during a quieter stretch on Utah's sports calendar.

The episode breaks down the Utah Royals' recent struggles following the international break, why there's still plenty of reason for optimism, and what they'll need to do to stay near the top of the NWSL standings. Matt also previews Real Salt Lake's return to MLS play, discusses Diego Luna's future, transfer rumors surrounding several RSL stars, and why the second half of the season could define the club.

To close the show, Matt dives into Major League Baseball expansion, the looming labor negotiations between MLB owners and players, and how a potential lockout could delay Utah's dream of landing an MLB franchise.

If you love Utah sports, you'll find thoughtful analysis every week from a local perspective.

Follow The Matt Cave Podcast on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for more Utah sports content.

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Could Real Salt Lake be preparing to say goodbye to two of its brightest young stars?

This week, Matt examines the growing European interest in Diego Luna and Zavier Gozo, what it says about Real Salt Lake's player development, and why RSL supporters should enjoy watching them while they still can. The club's academy continues to prove it can produce talent capable of competing in the world's biggest leagues.

Matt also dives into ESPN's all-time college football jersey rankings, discusses why Utah's quarterback room deserves national recognition, and revisits the Utah Mammoth's decision to match Barrett Hayton's offer sheet, including a listener comment that offered a new perspective on the debate.

To close the episode, Matt reviews Palworld 1.0 after nearly 300 hours of gameplay. From reduced grinding and expanded story content to improved combat and quality-of-life upgrades, he explains why the full release remains one of the year's easiest gaming recommendations.

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