SALT LAKE CITY — It’s homecoming on the hill, but the 19th-ranked Utah Utes hope the gathering is more about winning than anything else. The preseason favorites to claim the Pac-12 crown need a victory over Washington State on Saturday night to avoid an 0-2 start in conference play.
However, it may not be completely devastating. The Utes won their first outright Pac-12 South title last season after opening with losses to Washington (21-7) and Washington State (28-24).
It was the only time in division history that a team bounced back from 0-2 to finish on top. After the Utes dropped their conference opener last week at USC (30-23), Utah coach Kyle Whittingham expressed obvious disappointment.
“Like I’ve said before, it is one 12-game season not 12 one-game seasons.” — Kyle Whittingham
“But it is what it is. We’ve been there before and we’ve had some pretty good results at the end,” Whittingham noted. “Like I’ve said before, it is one 12-game season not 12 one-game seasons.”
Whittingham said he doesn’t think anyone in the Pac-12 South will go undefeated, and history backs him up. It’s never happened, although three teams came close at 8-1 — Arizona State (2013), Colorado (2016) and USC (2017). Utah won it at 6-3 in 2018.
As this year’s race progresses — and it’s still extremely early — Whittingham pointed out that “there is a ton of football left.”
Plenty of time, or so it seems, for the Utes to still reach their lofty expectations and smell the roses.
Even so, Utah defensive end Bradlee Anae said it’s all about whatever it takes to get a win at this point.
“I feel like we’re in a corner right now and Washington State is in the way,” he said.
The Cougars, who have four straight wins over the Utes, present quite a test. Their “Air Raid” offense presents a challenge for any defense. Quarterback Anthony Gordon threw a Pac-12 record nine touchdown passes in last Saturday’s 67-63 loss to UCLA in Pullman.
Anae said it’ll ultimately be up to the secondary. Utah’s defensive backs struggled at USC.
“It’s going to be determined by that,” Anae added. “There’s only so much you can do as a defensive line to apply pressure when they get rid of the ball fast. So our role is a little limited against SC and against Washington State.”
Whittingham said Utah’s secondary is “anxious to get back out there and have a better showing” this week.
Redemption isn’t the only variable. Whittingham has repeatedly said that Utah’s best defense in such games is a good offense. In other words, keep Gordon and company on the sidelines as much as possible.
“We definitely got to do that — always,” said quarterback Tyler Huntley. “We’ve got to give our defense a rest, so our defense can play the best football.”
The team, in general, is determined to get back on track after losing at USC.
“That’s all we can do,” Huntley said. “Put it behind us and get ready for the next one.”
The Utes, as usual, speak about going 1-0 on the week. It’s as simple as that according to Huntley.
“You can’t look in the past,” he said. “We’ve got to look to the future.”
Utah has a bye next week before heading to Oregon State on Oct. 12. Home games follow with Arizona State and California before a rematch of last year’s Pac-12 Championship Game — Nov. 2 at Washington. Then comes another bye week and a season-ending stretch featuring home games with UCLA and Colorado with a road date at Arizona pitted in between.
EXTRA POINTS: Utah is 60-34-4 in homecoming games. ... The Utes are one of just 14 teams in the nation that have yet to throw an interception. ... Utah’s defense has given up just 20 second-half points through four games and ranks second in the country against the run (52 yards per game). ... Passing fancy? The Utes are fourth in the FBS in completion percentage (.769).
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Utes on the air
Washington State (3-1, 0-1) at No. 19 Utah (3-1, 0-1)
Rice-Eccles Stadium
Saturday, 8 p.m.
TV: FS1
Radio: ESPN 700AM