SANTA CLARA, Calif.-Friday, the Utah football team, fresh off of a 35-27 win over hated rival BYU, plays in the Pac-12 championship game against Washington at Levi’s Stadium of Santa Clara, Calif.
This commemorates the first time in program history the Utes have ever played in a conference championship game.
This is the second Pac-12 championship game in program history for Washington, as the Huskies bested Colorado in 2016.
The Huskies and Utes are playing for a berth in the 2019 Rose Bowl January 1 at the Rose Bowl stadium of Pasadena, Calif.
After a 21-7 loss at the hands of the Huskies September 15, the Utes have won seven of their last nine games as they are 9-3 and 6-3 in conference play.
Washington is 9-3 and 7-2 in Pac-12 play coming into Friday’s conference championship game.
The Huskies lead the all-time series against the Utes 11-1, with Utah’s only win in the series coming in 2015.
After filling in for injured starting quarterback Tyler Huntley, freshman Jason Shelley has completed 56.3 percent of his passes for 723 yards, three touchdowns and an interception.
The Utes’ defense remains stellar as they come into Friday’s title game second nationally in red zone defense (22-35, 62.9 percent), third nationally in field goals made (23) and fifth in the country in both rushing defense (100.3 yards per game) and tackles for a loss per game (8.2).
Friday marks the first time in program history the Utes have played 14 games in a season and they will serve as the designated road team.
The Utes will try to reverse a recent trend that has seen the Pac-12 North champion win six of the seven Pac-12 conference titles in championship game history.