Been competetive and has beat PAC12 teams for 25+ yrs. Utah went to Oregon several times and beat good Oregon & Oregon st teams in the 90s. Beat USC, Beat Cal UCLA Stanford ASU Arizona many times. Even before the Urban Meyer days.
Utah has proven it belongs with these schools, that's why the ADs and presidents of these schools, VOTED to have Utah be in their conference. Utah is already competetive in the Pac12 regardless what the 2012 record shows.