(Photo by Chris Gardner/ Getty Images)

SALT LAKE CITY – The trap was set one year ago, with prognosticators proclaiming Utah’s first Big 12 game had serious conference championship implications.

Over the following two months, history showed neither the Utes nor Oklahoma State was anything close to contenders. Utah prevailed last September between two teams that were 3-0 at that point, the first conference win that preceded a seven-game losing streak. For the Cowboys, they never won again the rest of the season and don’t look any better this year.

Fast forward one year, and virtually all those same experts were on repeat, with most raising the stakes even higher. Forget about implications, Utah vs. Texas Tech in each team’s respective Big 12 opener Saturday at Rice-Eccles Stadium was pr

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