Utah and BYU hit the road for Big 12 road games where their opponents are reeling, feeling they’ve got their backs to the wall, and need to fight hard to climb back up in the league standings.
It’s surely going to be an emotional stage when Utah is in Morgantown to meet West Virginia and the Cougars visit Boulder and face host Colorado, a team they whipped in the Alamo Bowl.
Utah State will take its two-game win streak back into SEC territory for another Power Four money game. After they collect their check at Vanderbilt, they’ll return to more comfortable quarters in the Mountain West.
BYU and Utah should win on the road, they’re both favored. USU is expected to take their lumps, not as bad as the Texas A&M game, but it will be a loss all the same.
Why Utah will beat WVU
In Morgantown, the Utes will face a Rich Rodriguez do-over program that just got boat-raced by Kansas. The much-traveled veteran coach will try to throw a two-game losing streak at Kyle Whittingham.
The only way Utah loses this game is if the Utes offensive line gets physically dominated, as it did last week at home against Texas Tech. The thing is, West Virginia doesn’t have the Red Raiders’ money and did not bring in an army of four-star transfers on the line to beef up and create a dominating force in the Big 12.
Utah should get back to pushing opponents around, and this is key for Devon Dampier. If he can’t get his offensive line to nurture a run game, open up holes, push the pile, and even give him some running room, then he’ll be forced to beat them with his arm. It’s questionable if he can do that. Dampier needs a run game to be Dampier.
The Mountaineers’ starting quarterback Nicco Marchiol is out for the Utah game. Running back Jahiem White is out and another running back Cyncir Bowers is doubtful. Wideout Jaden Bay, safety Julien Horton and offensive lineman Cooper Young are also out.
With Marchiol out of commission, Utah defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley should be licking his chops. But as a reminder, Tech’s backup did play better than the Aggie starter in Salt Lake City last week.
BYU repeat vs. CU
It won’t be easy, but the Cougars should notch their first league win at Colorado because the Buffs struggle to stop the run and BYU features one of the best rushing attacks in the nation.
Somewhere in this mix, BYU will try to continue the launch of freshman QB Bear Bachmeier, and this will be his first major road trip against a Power Four opponent.
Add to that the pressure of his first league game in a hostile environment and you have another experiment. He’s passed three of them in a row without an interception.
BYU will look to establish the run and be a balanced attack. It will do it without running back Sione Moa, who is out for at least this game. Moa has been a standout alongside starter LJ Martin, who have combined for 7.58 yards per carry as a duo this season.
Bachmeier (42 of 63 for 583 yards, 66.7%), has been a solid game manager for offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick, especially with no turnovers and eight touchdowns accounted for. At Colorado, he will face a secondary that loves man coverage.
The Buffs will try to lock down BYU’s receivers and throw off their timing. This could work, or it could lead to big plays if Buff defenders get beat and the true freshman delivers the ball.
As for the Buffs, BYU’s defense will face the opposite of last week. Where ECU had the fastest tempo in the country for getting rid of the ball, Colorado is among teams taking the most on the play clock to finish a play.
BYU has not faced a team with Colorado’s overall team speed and depth.
Colorado QB Kaidon Salter has settled into the starting role for Deion Sanders and Buff diehards believe there is no cornerback or safety on BYU’s roster who can cover his favorite receiver, speedster Sincere Brown.
At 6-foot-5, 190, Brown is considered the second-fastest receiver in the country. He has been clocked at 22.3 miles per hour and is as good a deep threat as the Cougars will see this season. He will likely take the top off BYU’s defense at least once or twice in this game.
No. 18 Vanderbilt too much for USU
Vandy will beat USU in the trenches, period.
Former Vanderbilt defensive coordinator Nick Howell will have his hands full with USU defense in stopping quarterback Diego Pavia. He will be one of the best QBs the Aggies will face all season. Vanderbilt is favored by more than three touchdowns in Nashville.
Vanderbilt has won in four blowouts that include wins over South Carolina and Virginia Tech. The Commodores are a team that commits a lot of penalties, but they do so because of their aggressiveness.
It’s going to be a challenge for Bronco Mendenhall to take his 3-1 squad back on the road into SEC territory. Bryson Barnes is clicking at QB, and the Aggies have scored more than 40 points in the last two games. But Vandy isn’t UTEP and Air Force.
But USU doesn’t have the defense to stop Vandy on the road. Vanderbilt does face Alabama the following week, and that could be a distraction, but this game has all the markings of a beatdown for the Aggies because of depth, size and speed differences.
However, stranger things have happened. Remember when Vandy beat Alabama? Few saw that coming.
This week’s predictions
- Georgia Tech 35, Wake Forest 17
- USC 38, Illinois 34
- Notre Dame 27, Arkansas 20
- Kansas 28, Cincinnati 21
- UCF 27, Kansas State 24
- Vanderbilt 31, Utah State 17
- Ohio State 37, Washington 34
- LSU 41, Mississippi 31
- Texas A&M 28, Auburn 21
- Georgia 21, Alabama 17
- Iowa 31, Indiana 27
- Northwestern 33, UCLA 14
- Boston College 27, California 21
- Baylor 42, Oklahoma State 21
- Tulane 28, Tulsa 17
- Iowa State 33, Arizona 27
- TCU 34, Arizona State 31
- Penn State 31, Oregon 28
- Utah 27, West Virginia 24
- BYU 34, Colorado 10
Last week: 13-2; overall 53-11 (.828)