By Spencer Rodak, For Iron County Today
Following a solid 2024 campaign where they just missed the FCS playoffs with a 7-5 record, the SUU football team takes the field for the 2025 season opener on Saturday.
After clinching back-to-back winning seasons a year ago for the first time since 2016-17, can the Thunderbirds get over the hump and reach the postseason? Or maybe even win the United Athletic Conference title?
With the season about to kick off, here is a preview and season predictions for the 2025 T-birds.
Offense
Quarterbacks
The Thunderbirds will return a number of key contributors on the offensive side of the ball in 2025, highlighted by the return of Bronson Barron at the quarterback position.
SUU also welcomes Will Burns to the quarterback room, a transfer from West Coast College who was named the 2024 Southern California Football Association Offensive Player of the Year.
Running backs
The ground game will certainly be tested this season after the departure of the record-setting Targhee Lambson, but senior Braedon Wissler is more than capable of a breakout campaign in 2025.
SUU also has Jaxson Pearcoats, Talmage Brown, Joshua Dye, Niko Alailefaleula, and AJ Tillman to provide depth at the running back position.
Receivers & tight ends
The T-birds did not lose much production on the receiving corps, which could help the offense move down the field if the running back room needs time to adjust behind a new offensive line.
Shane Carr, Gabe Nunez, and Mark Bails are the top returning targets for Barron, while tight end transfer addition Joey Garza could also make an impact.
Offensive outlook: Even with the loss of Lambson in the backfield, SUU’s depth at wide receiver and the return of an experienced quarterback should give the team a balanced offensive attack.
Defense
On defense, the T-birds return four of the team’s top six tacklers from a year ago.
Defensive end and preseason All-American Lando Brown leads the defensive line, while linebacker Mason Stromstad, nickelback Raymon Crump, and safety Kameron Rocha highlight the returning contributors.
SUU also adds four Division I transfers that bring a plethora of experience to the defensive side of the ball.
Defensive outlook: With a high amount of returning production and the likely instant impact of multiple transfers, the T-birds should be much improved on defense after allowing just under 29 points a game in 2024.
Season schedule and predictions
Date Opponent Prediction
August 30 Idaho State Win
September 6 @ San Diego Loss
September 13 Northern Arizona Win
September 20 @ UC Davis Loss
September 27 West Georgia Win
October 4 @ Tarleton State Loss
October 18 Abilene Christian Win
October 25 @ Utah Tech Win
November 1 Austin Peay Win
November 8 @ Eastern Kentucky Loss
November 15 Central Arkansas Win
November 22 @ North Alabama Win
Projected Record: 8–4 (6–2 UAC)
Southern Utah’s depth and experience should lead to a third consecutive winning season in Cedar City, which has only happened one other time (2015-17) since the T-birds debuted in Division I in 1993.
If they win eight games as predicted, they also have a chance to tie or break the program’s single-season wins record of 9 (set during the 2017 Big Sky championship season) by going on a postseason run.
With school records within reach – as is a return to the FCS playoffs for the first time in eight years – can the T-birds win the UAC crown?
After back-to-back runner-up finishes, they will certainly be in contention again in 2025.
Key matchups against Tarleton State, Eastern Kentucky, and Abilene Christian will likely determine if SUU can claim the conference crown before returning to the Big Sky in 2026.
If they can win two of those three games, the 2025 season could very well be one of the best – if not the best – in Southern Utah football history.
Season opener
Southern Utah opens the 2025 season on Saturday, Aug. 30, hosting the Idaho State Bengals at the Eccles Coliseum.
Kickoff is slated for 6:30 p.m. and the game can be seen on ESPN+.