Stanford (3-2, 2-1) at No. 18/20 UTAH (4-0, 1-0)

SATURDAY, 8:15 p.m. MT

Rice-Eccles Stadium (45,807)

FieldTurf

TV: FS1

Radio: ESPN 700AM

Series: Utes lead 4-3

Weather: Clear with temperatures in the low 60s.

The stakes

For Stanford … The Cardinal probably can’t afford another conference loss if they hope to catch undefeated frontrunners Washington and Washington State for the North Division crown.

For UTAH ... The Utes can maintain sole possession of the South Division lead with a victory. They can also keep their College Football Playoff hopes alive by improving to 5-0 overall.

The trends

For Stanford … The Cardinal enter the game on the heels of back-to-back victories over UCLA (58-34) and Arizona State (34-24).

For UTAH ... The Utes have won three straight games over Stanford, prevailing in 1996, 2013 and 2014 — all decided by seven points or less.

The crystal ball

Stanford will win if ... The Cardinal lead after three quarters. They’ve won 43 straight games when doing so.

UTAH will win if ... The Utes are able to slow Stanford running back Bryce Love. That’s the first order of business.

Player to watch

BRYCE LOVE, Stanford running back: The junior ran for a school-record 301 yards last Saturday in a win over Arizona State. Now comes the encore.

Key matchup

UTAH’S RUN DEFENSE VS. BRYCE LOVE: The Utes lead the Pac-12 in rushing defense, giving up just 87 yards per game. Love, meanwhile, is the nation’s leading rusher. He’s already topped 1,000 yards on the season.

Quotable

“There are just so many different things that you have to account for. That’s, you know, enough to keep a defensive coordinator up at night.”

— Stanford coach David Shaw

"It is your typical Stanford football team, physical, smash mouth on offense, and they have a tremendous running back.”

— Utah coach Kyle Whittingham

Next up

Utah travels to Los Angeles for a Pac-12 South showdown at USC on Saturday. Stanford heads home to face Oregon.

Utah schedule

Aug. 31 — NORTH DAKOTA, Won 37-16

Sept. 9 — at BYU, 8:15 p.m., Won 19-13

Sept. 16 — SAN JOSE STATE, Won 54-16

Sept. 22 — at Arizona, Won 30-24

Oct. 7 — STANFORD, 8:15 p.m. (FS1)

Oct. 14 — at USC, 6 p.m. (TBA)

Oct. 21 — ARIZONA STATE, TBD

Oct. 28 — at Oregon, TBD

Nov. 3 — UCLA, 7:30 p.m. (FS1)

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Nov. 11 — WASHINGTON STATE, TBD

Nov. 18 — at Washington, TBD

Nov. 25 — COLORADO, TBD

All times Mountain

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