After losing nine of their last 10 games in Tempe, the Utes flipped the script Saturday night, extending their winning streak against the Sun Devils to three after winning 34-13.
Despite a dominant win that made the Utes’ defense look stellar, most Utah fans are focused on an injury that star tight end Brant Kuithe suffered to his knee during the first half, removing him from the game. Although no official statement has been made, it is reasonable to assume that Kuithe suffered an ACL injury.
Recap
After punting on their first possession, the Utes were able to get off to a quick start. On their first defensive possession, the Utes held the Sun Devils to -18 yards and a punt from their own five-yard line in only three plays. The Utes then went on to score touchdowns on their next two drives, going up 14-0 and never looking back.
The Utes ended up scoring on four of their six first-half drives, leading at the half 24-6. Other than a garbage-time touchdown, the Utes’ defense had the Arizona State offense on lockdown, taking the ball away three times and only allowing six total rushing yards.
During the first half, the Utes’ defense allowed a total of 59 yards to the Sun Devils, showing off the defensive capabilities of the Utah starters. The Utes also doubled the century mark on the ground, going for 205 yards rushing. The Utes’ offense nearly tallied 500 total yards, ending up with 465 throughout the game.
Tavion Thomas led the Utes’ multi-faceted rushing attack with 60 yards on 11 attempts, despite not seeing the field in the first half due to a suspension. With the absence of Brant Kuithe, tight end Dalton Kincaid flourished, reeling in four targets for 66 yards and two early scores for the Utes. While the outcome of the game was never truly in doubt, the Utes are more than likely looking ahead to next week’s matchup against Oregon State.
Preview: Oregon State
The game next week against the 3-1 Beavers is likely to be a tough one. Oregon State won its first three games against Boise State, Fresno State, and Montana State, scoring over 34 points in each matchup, topping it off with a 68-28 win against Montana State.
Coming off their first loss of the season against No. 7 USC, the Beavers are proving to be a dangerous team after only falling short 17-14 against the Trojans. Oregon State is currently receiving votes in the AP poll, unofficially ranking them at 32, although that is likely to improve after the close loss against USC.
The game will take place on Saturday, Oct. 1 at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City. The Utes will be looking to get their second Pac-12 win, while the Beavers will be trying to tally their first conference win of the season. ESPN’s Football Power Index gives the Utes an 80.9% chance of winning the game.
Kickoff is slated for 12 p.m. MT and the matchup can be seen on the Pac-12 Networks.
All stats via ESPN.com unless otherwise noted.
