We talked on top of a mountain in late September. We both put water in large tanks for camping. The guy was wearing a Utes hat and I asked him what he thought of his beloved Utah football team.
“It’s good to have a coach who cares more about winning than trying not to lose a game,” the man said.
In a nutshell, it reflects what No. 3 Utah is experiencing this undefeated season: Morgan Scalley’s tough defense and an incredibly explosive, multi-dimensional and aggressive offense that has had opponents on their collective heels.
The high-flying Utes host No. 9 BYU Saturday morning for perhaps the most notable game in the long and storied series of rivalries. A win for the Utes gives them the inside track to the Big 12 championship game in Arlington and protection of their high CFP ranking. A BYU win keeps the Cougars’ hopes alive for Arlington and a CFP berth despite the loss to UCF two weeks ago.
A Utah loss, and the Utes lose their favored margin. A BYU loss takes almost everything away from them in terms of season goals.
It’s a remarkable confrontation.
Two weeks ago, No. 2 BYU was ousted. After losing to UCF on the road, they are now the hunters, and an undefeated No. 3 Utah is the hunted.
BYU is a blue collar, hard hat football team. Utah is football’s Usain Bolt, an undefeated cake eater, on top of the world.
Utah’s defense is traditionally true: tough, stingy and physical. On offense, Utah’s ball carriers break tackles, gain yards after contact and convert third downs more frequently than all but two other teams in the country.
BYU’s defense will be by far the toughest the Utes have played this season. But lately, starting with the loss to UCF, the Cougars have failed to tackle, had players out of position and been borderline vulnerable.
Utah’s offense has speed. His stars, like Wayshawn Parker, break tackles and are dynamic in open space.
Conversely, this will be the best, most consistent offensive team Utah’s defense has faced this season – even without star LJ Martin. With Bear Bachmeier at quarterback, the Cougars have a proven leader who is tough to shake and can keep plays alive. He will need help from a running back committee and will need to use his receiving weapons effectively to score on Utah.
As for Bachmeier operating in a clean pocket, BYU’s offense ranks first in tackles for loss allowed, while Utah’s defense ranks 98th in tackles for loss. BYU’s offense is No. 4 in sacks allowed while Utah’s defense ranks 63rd in sacks.
In this rivalry game, Utah has home-field advantage with a passionate fan base waiting for the Utes to end BYU’s three-game winning streak.
Utah has the edge in shiny offensive toys. BYU might have an advantage in the trenches in terms of size and depth. Both teams want to be physical at the line of scrimmage where bodies clash, and that may be where this battle is won or lost.
While both teams should rise for this matchup, the Cougars should have a higher sense of urgency as their collective backs are against the wall.
The pressure is on both coordinators of each team to have their players perform at the highest level of the season.
Devon Dampier is exactly the kind of quarterback that BYU has shown it struggles with, as evidenced in the UCF game – a fast, quick, explosive runner.
This has the distinction of being a classic.
It would be difficult to consider this a shooting. If it comes to that, Utah wins.
If this game becomes a defensive struggle, an ugly wrestling match that comes down to a field goal or a last-minute play, BYU might have the advantage, because those are the kinds of games they’ve won the last three seasons.
As usual, forcing turnovers will likely be the key to winning.
Both teams will try to keep the ball away from each other.
Roll the dice, flip a coin, spin the wheel.
Let a zoo monkey dive into a bottle, choose a color and bring it out – blue or red.
Whatever his position, he is probably right.
This week’s games
- Texas 24, Missouri 21
- UCLA 31, Minnesota 27
- Baylor 24, Iowa State 21
- Oklahoma State 21, Kansas State 19
- South Carolina 28, Texas A&M 21
- LSU 27, Alabama 24
- Ohio State 28, Oregon 21
- Houston 37, Cincinnati 17
- Washington 24, Penn State 21
- Kansas 33, UCF 24
- Mississippi State 34, Vanderbilt 28
- Boise State 38, Colorado State 17
- Tennessee 27, Kentucky 24
- Notre Dame 34, Miami 31
- Georgia 38, Ole Miss 28
- Iowa 24, Northwest 21
- Texas Tech 31, West Virginia 27
- Utah State 24, Fresno State 21
- BYU 24, Utah 21
Last week 13-2; overall 106-43 (.711)
Gn sports
