‘We still have our best football ahead of us’: Can No. 20 Utah ‘bounce back’ against No. 7 USC?
With such high expectations going into the season, how do the Utes stay together as they host No. 7 USC Saturday?
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Utah Utes tight end Dalton Kincaid (86) gets tackled by UCLA Bruins defensive back William Nimmo Jr. (32) at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA, on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022. Laura Seitz, Deseret News
It’s the identical record the Utes had last year after six games.
Following a 42-32 loss at UCLA, Utah dropped nine spots Sunday to No. 20 in the Associated Press poll. The Bruins supplanted the Utes at No. 11.
So with such high expectations going into the season, how do the Utes stay together as they host No. 7 USC Saturday (6 p.m. MDT, Fox)?
“You’ve just got to have unwavering belief and make sure that you’re there for your guys no matter what,” said quarterback Cam Rising. “I still think that we have our best football ahead of us. We’ve got to make sure that we put it together and really execute throughout the week so that we’re flying around come Saturdays.”
Whittingham said the 4-2 record means his team is “eerily in a very similar situation as we were last year at about this time.”
However, there’s at least one big difference — a year ago, the Utes were 3-0 in Pac-12 play. Now, they’re 2-1.
With the Trojans, a top-10 opponent, coming to town.
But Whittingham emphasized that the season is far from over.
“I’d be willing to bet a lot of money that nobody goes through this conference undefeated. There’s too many good teams,” he said. “We’re by no means out of contention. The key now is for us to pick ourselves up and go back to work on Monday, address our deficiencies, and become a better football team next week.
“Because it doesn’t get any easier next week, I can tell you that for certain. We’ve got a good team coming into Rice-Eccles next week. We’ve got to be ready to play our ‘A’ game. We will be. Our guys will bounce back and they’ll play well next week.”
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Utah Utes wide receiver Devaughn Vele (17) gets knocked down by UCLA Bruins defensive back Jaylin Davies (24) as Utah Utes head football coach Kyle Whittingham watches at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA, on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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Utah Utes quarterback Cameron Rising hands the ball to running back Tavion Thomas during the game against UCLA at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA, on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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Utah Utes wide receiver Devaughn Vele (17) runs past UCLA Bruins linebacker Darius Muasau (53) and defensive back William Nimmo Jr. (32) at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA, on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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UCLA Bruins running back Keegan Jones (22) runs past Utah Utes safety R.J. Hubert (11) at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA, on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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Utah Utes running back Tavion Thomas (9) warms up before the game against UCLA at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA, on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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Utah Utes quarterback Cameron Rising (7) warms up before the game against UCLA at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA, on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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Utah Utes quarterback Cameron Rising (7) speaks with a UCLA team employee before the game against UCLA at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA, on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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Utes quarterback Cameron Rising warms up before the game against UCLA at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA, on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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Utes quarterback Bryson Barnes (16) and offensive lineman Johnny Maea (53) get ready for the game against UCLA at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA, on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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Utah Utes wide receiver Devaughn Vele (17) warms up before the game against UCLA at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA, on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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Utah Utes safety R.J. Hubert (11) sacks UCLA Bruins quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (1) at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA, on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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UCLA Bruins linebacker Darius Muasau (53) intercepts a pass intended for Utah Utes tight end Thomas Yassmin (87) at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA, on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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Utah Utes quarterback Cameron Rising (7) runs past UCLA Bruins linebacker Laiatu Latu (15) at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA, on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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Utah Utes tight end Dalton Kincaid (86) gets tackled by UCLA Bruins defensive back William Nimmo Jr. (32) at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA, on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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Utah Utes cornerback JaTravis Broughton (4) scowls as UCLA celebrates a touchdown by Bruins wide receiver Jake Bobo (9) at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA, on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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Utah Utes quarterback Cameron Rising (7) gets up after getting sacked in the game against UCLA at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA, on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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Utah Utes quarterback Cameron Rising (7) runs into the endzone to score against UCLA at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA, on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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Utah Utes quarterback Cameron Rising (7) runs into the endzone to score against UCLA at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA, on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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Utah Utes running back Micah Bernard (2) runs past UCLA Bruins defensive back Kenny Churchwell III (23) at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA, on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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UCLA Bruins running back Zach Charbonnet (24) and quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (1) celebrate after scoring against Utah at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA, on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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UCLA coach Chip Kelly and Utah coach Kyle Whittingham shake hands after Utah’s loss at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA, on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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Utah coach Kyle Whittingham walks away after shaking hands with UCLA coach Chip Kelly after Utah’s loss at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA, on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
After the game, Whittingham said he talked to his players about the 2021 campaign — which ended at the Rose Bowl with a loss to Ohio State — and reminded them that the Utes won nine of 10 games to end the regular season.
Utah is hoping for a similar finish this time.
“This is very reminiscent of last year. We picked ourselves off the mat last year and regrouped. We came back focused and played some really good football,” Whittingham said. “That’s what we’ve got to do this year. It’s how you respond. Everyone would love to go undefeated.
“But at the end of the day, there’s probably maybe one undefeated team at the end of the regular season. You’ve gotta respond. Everyone has to respond from losses at one point or another. You just hope it’s not too often.”
Cornerback Clark Phillips, who scored on a pick-six Saturday for the second consecutive game, bristled when it was suggested that this Utah team isn’t as hungry, or doesn’t have the same mojo, as it did last season.
“Personally, I have all the confidence in the world in my guys. I ain’t lost no confidence in them since Game 1,” he said. “Those are the same group of guys I’d go war with every single day. I feel good about the vibe, personally. I feel good about it. We just gotta make more plays, gotta play our assignments and when plays come our way, we’ve got to make them.”
Phillips added that, as a team leader, keeping the locker room focused and united is “super important” heading into next weekend’s showdown against USC.
“It’s never as good or as bad as it seems. As a team, we’re going to watch the film and get back in the lab and nothing can break us,” Phillips said. “We’ve been through the wringer; so I feel very confident about these dudes and I’m ready to go play.”
No. 7 USC (6-0, 4-0) at No. 20 Utah (4-2, 2-1)
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Saturday, 6 p.m. MDT
Rice-Eccles Stadium
TV: Fox
Radio: ESPN 700
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