Note: With EA Sports’ College Football 25 bringing college football back to the video game world, the Deseret News is simulating every Utah game against an FBS opponent this season.
Utah’s next challenge in its attempt to stop a five-game losing streak is facing a No. 17 Colorado team that has the nation’s attention.
The Utes are coming off a controversial loss to BYU and haven’t won since late September.
The Buffaloes have won three straight and six of their last seven.
What will it all mean when they play Saturday morning in Colorado?
The Deseret News ran a simulation of Saturday’s game on the EA Sports College Football 25 video game, and the Utes faced an uphill battle in Boulder.
How the simulation was set up
There were a couple of ground rules in place: The simulation used 10-minute quarters and I let the computer simulate the game with no user interference.
Injuries and depth chart movement were also implemented.
Utah has lost several players on offense (most to injuries) that had to be taken out of the matchup — quarterback Brandon Rose, tight end Brant Kuithe, running back Jaylon Glover and wide receiver Mycah Pittman.
That put Isaac Wilson back in the starting lineup at QB for the Utes.
The Utah defense, though, was mostly healthy.
The uniforms both teams are wearing were also implemented into the simulation, to the best of my knowledge.
Utah is going with its throwback jerseys, and going all-white, from helmet to jersey to pants.
There wasn’t information available on Colorado’s jerseys, so I chose an all-black look with gold helmets to counter the Utes.
How accurate was the simulation of Utah’s last game?
The actual score: BYU 22, Utah 21
College Football 25 simulation final score: Utah 41, BYU 38
My analysis: The simulation got one thing right — the game was decided on a field goal in the final seconds.
In the simulation, Utah’s Cole Becker was the hero, but in the actual game, BYU’s Will Ferrin made the game-winner.
The simulation, like the real game, had one team rally from a big deficit, though it was Utah in the simulation, while BYU did it in real life.
The simulation also featured way too many points.
How did the simulation between Utah and Colorado play out?
Final score: Colorado 45, Utah 21
Key sequence: Early in the second quarter after the Buffaloes had built a 14-0 lead through one quarter, the Utes had turnover issues on back-to-back possessions.
Wilson ended up throwing two straight interceptions, and both times, it came after Utah had a bit of a drive going.
Travis Hunter came up with the first interception at midfield, and it led to Hunter scoring on a 27-yard pass four plays later for Colorado to go up 21-0.
Utah’s next possession reached Colorado territory, but Wilson was intercepted again, as Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig came up with the pick at the Buffaloes’ 40 on a third-down play.
Colorado then used nine plays to move down for a touchdown, as the drive was capped by a Hunter 7-yard reception to give the Buffaloes a 28-0 lead.
How the simulation transpired: Colorado took control early and never let Utah get within two scores after the opening quarter in handing the Utes another loss.
The Buffaloes used two long, sustained drives to go ahead 14-0 — the first was an 84-yarder that ended with a 3-yard Hunter touchdown reception, and the second netted 68 yards and finished with LaJohntay Wester making a 5-yard touchdown grab.
Those two Wilson interceptions early in the second quarter helped double the Colorado lead to 28-0, and then Utah was finally able to show some offensive life.
First, Wilson hit Landen King for an 80-yard touchdown pass with 1:11 left in the first half, giving the Utes their first points.
Then, after a quick Colorado three and out, Utah got the ball back at its 38 with 28 seconds until halftime. On second down, Dorian Singer got behind the defense and caught a 62-yard touchdown pass to make it 28-14 going into the half.
Unfortunately for Utah, those two quick scores accounted for almost half of Utah’s offense on the day.
Tao Johnson gave the Utes some hope early in the third, intercepting Shedeur Sanders in the end zone.
Utah’s offense, though, stalled on every third-quarter drive, and Colorado eventually made them pay when Isaiah Augustave scored on a 4-yard run with six seconds left in the quarter, capping a five-play, 55-yard possession.
The Utes were able to add one more score — Singer caught a second touchdown, an 11-yarder on a fourth-down play — to make it a two-score game with 7:20 remaining.
Colorado responded with an 84-yard touchdown drive, though, scoring on a Dallan Hayden 26-yard TD reception with 4:59 left to make it 42-21.
The Buffaloes then added a late 47-yard field goal to account for the final score.
Star players: Sanders was brilliant for the Buffaloes, throwing for 419 yards and five touchdowns, with one interception.
His favorite target was the two-way player Hunter, who had seven receptions for 119 yards and three touchdowns to go along with his interception on defense.
Wilson, meanwhile, threw for 315 yards and three touchdowns, though his two interceptions were costly. He also lost a fumble.
Singer was the main benefactor of his passing, with six receptions for a game-high 140 yards and two touchdowns.
Micah Bernard was held to 44 rushing yards.
Key stats: The Buffaloes had 496 yards of total offense to 361 for the Utes.
Colorado also had the edge in turnover margin — three to one — and were 7 of 11 on third down, while Utah was just 1 of 9.
How realistic was the simulation?
My analysis: This feels too high-scoring for a Utah game.
Considering the momentum, or lack thereof, that both teams bring into the game, though, it’s totally plausible that the Buffaloes could win by double-digits — their last three wins have been by 10 or more points.
