SALT LAKE CITY-Saturday, the Utah Utes’ football team, fresh off of a bye week, returns to Pac-12 action at Pullman, Wash. against the vaunted Air Raid attack of the Washington State Cougars on the famed Palouse of the Northwest.
This is a 4:00 p.m. MDT kickoff and features the Utes’ top-ranked scoring defense (12.3 points per game surrendered) against the Cougars’ sophisticated passing offense.
As is customary, under the brilliance of head coach Mike Leach, Washington State has the second-ranked passing offense in the nation, amassing 401.8 yards per game in the air. Cougars signal-caller, senior graduate transfer Gardner Minshew II of Brandon, Miss., averages 386.8 passing yards per game and has 11 touchdowns against only three interceptions.
The Utes counter with the top defense against the pass, surrendering a paltry 93 yards per game in the air, having played Weber State, Northern Illinois and Washington thus far this season.
The Utes also rank first nationally in total defense (204.7 yards surrendered per game) and pass efficiency defense (75.62).
Therefore, this is a matchup of strength against strength at Martin Stadium Saturday.
The Utes will have to overcome their historical struggles in their Pac-12 history of coming off the bye as they are 4-5 in such circumstances all-time. Furthermore, Utah will have to deal with the Cougars being on an emotional high as they will be celebrating Homecoming Saturday.
The Cougars lead the Utes 8-7 all-time and have won the last three games in the series.
Oddly enough, however, the road team often prevails in this series, which bodes propitiously for the Utes. They are 4-2 all-time at Pullman, Wash.
However, the Utes’ last win at Martin Stadium came in 2011, when they prevailed 30-27 over the Cougars.
Because of the November 24 game against Brigham Young at Rice-Eccles Stadium, head coach Kyle Whittingham’s Utah squad will be playing nine straight games without a break as the season ensues.
