Utah vs. Colorado 2016 - Rumbling in the Rockies

[DrumNFeather]

There's an old saying in dating that nothing gets you over the last one like the next one...and so we head to the last game of the regular season.

For the first time in this "rivalry" there is actually something on the line for both teams going in. The Buffs are one of the stories of the year in college football, and their coach seems to be a shoe in for national coach of the year. They are also playing to represent the South in the Pac 12 title game, something our beloved Utes have failed to do in 6 years in the league. Should the Buffs win, they go. Should they lose, USC goes.

From the Utes perspective, this, IMO, is a critical game for this team and for this program. We've put ourselves in the position to have nothing on the line but bowl positioning by losing two games this year we just had no business losing by a total of 7 points. That sure does sting...but it also tells you something: We are close. I honestly believe that for the players that will be here in the coming years, this is a pivotal game in learning how to respond to adversity. I also believe that it would be nice to have a win over a top 10 team heading into bowl season and dammit, I want to dash their hopes and dreams.

I'm worried about Phillip Lindsay the most. He runs through guys like freeman does, but I'm hoping that having a young and hungry Donovan Thompson at LB will help slow him down. We're gonna need to pressure the QB and contain him on the run (Chase Hansen). Our corners are going to have to play better coverage as well...looking at you, Domo.

Let's make Colorado the South Co-Runners Up!

[LA Ute]

There's an old saying in dating that nothing gets you over the last one like the next one...and so we head to the last game of the regular season.

For the first time in this "rivalry" there is actually something on the line for both teams going in. The Buffs are one of the stories of the year in college football, and their coach seems to be a shoe in for national coach of the year. They are also playing to represent the South in the Pac 12 title game, something our beloved Utes have failed to do in 6 years in the league. Should the Buffs win, they go. Should they lose, USC goes.

From the Utes perspective, this, IMO, is a critical game for this team and for this program. We've put ourselves in the position to have nothing on the line but bowl positioning by losing two games this year we just had no business losing by a total of 7 points. That sure does sting...but it also tells you something: We are close. I honestly believe that for the players that will be here in the coming years, this is a pivotal game in learning how to respond to adversity. I also believe that it would be nice to have a win over a top 10 team heading into bowl season and dammit, I want to dash their hopes and dreams.

I'm worried about Phillip Lindsay the most. He runs through guys like freeman does, but I'm hoping that having a young and hungry Donovan Thompson at LB will help slow him down. We're gonna need to pressure the QB and contain him on the run (Chase Hansen). Our corners are going to have to play better coverage as well...looking at you, Domo.

Let's make Colorado the South Co-Runners Up!

Great post. I couldn't agree more. There is still a lot to play for.

[sancho]

We will win just because it's not fair for Colorado to win this division before us.

Last week, I said that Oregon was Cal part two. That was unfortunately true in the end. CU has the offense of Oregon and Cal but has a better defense.

The good news: CU had close games against their three most physical conference opponents (usc, ucla, and Stanford). We are a physical team, and I think we can give them a game.

[Utah]

This game is huge for us. We win, we can win 10 games again.

[DrumNFeather]

I realized that even if we win, we aren't co-south runners up...oh well.

[LA Ute]

[LA Ute]

[DrumNFeather]

Joe Williams should get a lot of carries in this game.

[Dwight Schr-Ute]

Well, I'm up!



It seems like my history of not embedding Tweets continues.

https://twitter.com/BrennanJSmith/st...20694619594754

[U-Ute]

It seems like my history of not embedding Tweets continues.

Fixed.

Forward slash, not back slash

twitter-bbcode.png

[SeattleUte]

Is this game the true start of the rivalry? If we upset them it would really fire it up...

[chrisrenrut]

Is this game the true start of the rivalry? If we upset them it would really fire it up...

It would be nice that deny them the title game at their house, like they did to us in 2011.

[SeattleUte]

It would be nice that deny them the title game at their house, like they did to us in 2011.

This situation reminds me a little of Whit's first game vs. BYU.

[SoCalPat]

Colorado is a nation-best 9-1 against the spread this year.

Utah has never covered against Colorado since joining the Pac-12.

Nothing lasts forever, but those are two pretty strong trends. Maybe the pressure of closing the deal at home gets to Colorado, but I feel this game will develop like UW did -- slow start, good rally, tie or take the lead in the second half before CU gets another boost from Folsom and wins by 14.

[SoCalPat]

It would be nice that deny them the title game at their house, like they did to us in 2011.

Two small items about that game -- Colorado hadn't won a road game in its last 24 tries before winning at Utah that day. It still rates as the biggest upset home loss in Utah history.

Furthermore, CU denied us repping the South only in hindsight. Two more outcomes had to fall our way later that weekend to play in the Pac-12 title game. Unfortunately for us, they both came through.

[DrumNFeather]

Colorado is a nation-best 9-1 against the spread this year.

Utah has never covered against Colorado since joining the Pac-12.

Nothing lasts forever, but those are two pretty strong trends. Maybe the pressure of closing the deal at home gets to Colorado, but I feel this game will develop like UW did -- slow start, good rally, tie or take the lead in the second half before CU gets another boost from Folsom and wins by 14.

What's the spread?

[LA Ute]

I'm going into this one with high hopes and low expectations. I felt that way even before the Oregon game, except that my expectations are lower now.

[SeattleUte]

What's the spread?

10.5, down from 12.

[sancho]

What's the spread?

So, you making the drive up to Boulder?

[DrumNFeather]

So, you making the drive up to Boulder?

Not this year...but I think I'm gonna try to get UtahDan out here for the next one.

[chrisrenrut]

Two small items about that game -- Colorado hadn't won a road game in its last 24 tries before winning at Utah that day. It still rates as the biggest upset home loss in Utah history.

Furthermore, CU denied us repping the South only in hindsight. Two more outcomes had to fall our way later that weekend to play in the Pac-12 title game. Unfortunately for us, they both came through.

I as thinking more about it in the rivalry-building context, not a historically analogous context. When we play Colorado, that 2011 loss is the bad memory that first comes to my mind. If we can give them a similar memory, perhaps the bad blood builds and a real rivalry is born.

[LA Ute]

CU is more talented than we are (after all, they are CU and we are only Utah) so our only chance at winning is if their talent doesn't gel during the game and we play well.


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[Rocker Ute]

Furthermore, CU denied us repping the South only in hindsight. Two more outcomes had to fall our way later that weekend to play in the Pac-12 title game. Unfortunately for us, they both came through.

This is why I am predicting a Utah win followed by that dark horse series of circumstances that would have gotten us to the playoffs to happen so we can talk about what might have been for the next 10 years.

It's what Utah does.


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[LA Ute]

Utah press release on the CU game:

*****

No. 21/20 Utah (8-3, 5-3 Pac-12) vs. No. 9 Colorado (9-2, 7-1 Pac-12)

Saturday, Nov. 26, 5:30 MST, Boulder, Colo.

Televised on FOX

Search #UTAHvsCU for conversation.

The Rankings

> Utah dropped 10 places in the AP poll and nine in the Coaches’ poll to No. 21/20 after last Saturday’s 30-28 loss to Oregon.

> Utah is in the AP and Coaches’ polls for the 10th-straight week. The Utes broke in at No. 24 AP/No. 23 Coaches on Sept. 18. Their highest ranking was No. 11 on Nov. 13.

> Utah was ranked No. 12 in last week’s College Football Playoff (CFP) rankings. The new CFP rankings will be announced on Tuesday, Nov. 22. Since the CFP rankings were introduced in 2014, Utah has been ranked in the top 25 every week.

> No. 9 Colorado is the second ranked opponent Utah has faced this season. The Utes lost to No. 4 Washington, 31-24, on Oct. 29. In its history, when both Utah and its opponent are ranked, the Utes are 10-9.



Five Facts

> At 8-3, Utah is bowl eligible for the third-straight year. Utah is 3-0 in bowl games as a member of the Pac-12 Conference, beating Georgia Tech in the 2011 Sun Bowl and winning the Las Vegas Bowl in 2014 (Colorado State) and 2015 (BYU).

> Senior running back Joe Williams crossed over 1,000 yards for the season last week against Oregon. Williams has rushed for 1,088 yards in just seven games.

> Senior defensive end Hunter Dimick leads the nation in sacks with 14 and holds the Utah record for career sacks with 29.

> Utah has played Colorado 62 times—its most games against a Pac-12 opponent and the fifth-longest rivalry in school history.

> While the Utes trail the series 31-28-3 overall, they own a 4-1 advantage over CU as Pac-12 members and have won the last four games.



Statchat

> Utah ranks No. 1 in the nation in net punting (45.20).

> Utah ranks No. 2 (tied) in the nation and No. 1 (tied) in the Pac-12 in takeaways with 26 (17 INT, 9 FR).

> Utah ranks No. 5 (tied) in the nation and leads the Pac-12 in interceptions (17).

> Utah ranks No. 6 in the nation and leads the Pac-12 in time of possession (33.59).

> Utah ranks No. 6 (tied) in the nation and leads the Pac-12 in sacks (38).

> Utah ranks No. 9 (tied) in the nation and leads the Pac-12 in tackles for loss (88).

> Utah is No. 1 in the Pac-12 in fewest interceptions thrown (5).

> Utah is No. 1 (tied) in the Pac-12 in defensive touchdowns (3).

> Utah is No. 2 in the Pac-12 in rushing offense (213.4).

> Utah is No. 2 (tied) in the Pac-12 in turnover margin (0.82; 26 gained, 17 lost).

> Utah is No. 2 in the Pac-12 in field goal percentage (.824, 14-of-17).

> Utah is No. 3 in the Pac-12 in rushing defense (131.6).

> Utah is No. 3 in the Pac-12 in passing yards per completion (13.06).

> Utah is No. 3 (tied) in the Pac-12 in fewest sacks allowed (19, 1.73/gm).

> Utah is No. 3 (tied) in the Pac-12 in fumbles recovered (9).

> See sidebar on page 3 for complete Utah rankings



Wishnowsky is Ray Guy Award Finalist

First-year Ute sophomore Mitch Wishnowsky has been named one of three finalists for the Ray Guy Award, which honors the country’s best punter. Wishnowsky leads the nation in punt average (48.6), punts of 50+ yards (26) and punts inside the 10-yard line (14). He is No. 2 in the nation and first in the Pac-12 in punts inside the 20-yard line (31) and percentage of punts inside the 20 (57.41%, 31-of-54). He has seven punts at or inside the 5-yard line. Wishnowsky has not had a touchback since the first game of the season and has led Utah to a No. 1 national ranking in net punting (45.20). Wishnowsky—a CBS Sports, SI.com, FoxSports.com, ESPN.com, Sporting News and SportsOnEarth.com Midseason All-American—is bidding to become Utah’s third-straight Ray Guy Award winner as the country’s best punter, following in the footsteps of Tom Hackett (2014-15 Ray Guy Award winner and consensus All-American). It is the first time that a school has had a finalist for the Ray Guy Award three straight seasons. Wishnowsky is Utah's third Ray Guy Award finalist, joining Hackett and Louie Sakoda (2008).



In the Huddle

True freshman Donavan Thompson is backing up both linebacker positions this week … Kyle Fulks moves back into the two deep at X receiver behind Tim Patrick … Raelon Singleton and Siaosi Wilson are listed as the co-starters at Z receiver … Senior kicker Andy Phillips is the first player in Utah football history to reach 400 points. He has 403 career points … Right guard Sam Tevi returned to the starting lineup last week against Oregon. He missed the Arizona State game and all but four plays of the Washington game with an injury … Nine true freshmen have played: Thompson, Zack Moss, Julian Blackmon, Demari Simpkins, Bradlee Anae, Terrell Burgess, Leki Fotu, Tyler Huntley and Devonta’e Henry-Cole.



Two-Minute Drill

Utah is the only Pac-12 South Division team without a loss within the division. The Utes are 4-0 against the South and 1-3 against North Division teams … Utah is 4-1 on the road … Utah is 2-0 on natural grass … The average point differential in the previous five Pac-12 games between Utah and Colorado is 4.2 points a game … Against AP top-25 opponents, Utah is 21-60 all-time, 19-21 since 1994 and 6-10 as a member of the Pac-12 … Utah is 72-20 all-time when ranked in the AP poll and 19-9 since joining the Pac-12 Conference in 2011. See pages 16-18 for Utah’s complete history in the national rankings … The Utes have sold out 44 straight games in Rice-Eccles Stadium since the 2010 season opener. Of those sellouts, 40 have been standing room-only crowds. See ‘Standing Ovation’ for more.



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[SeattleUte]

Utah is a lot better than Washington State.

[Rocker Ute]

You know what we should do? We should recruit a Heisman candidate QB. I wonder if the coaches have ever thought of that.


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[SeattleUte]

You know what we should do? We should recruit a Heisman candidate QB. I wonder if the coaches have ever thought of that.


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Somebody said to me today that Utah needs to hire a new Urban Meyer. I hadn't thought of that either.

[Devildog]

We will beat Colorado and destroy their South Championship hopes. Mark my words, we win this one.

[Ultimate Ute]

If Pac-12 North cellar dweller Oregon can beat Pac-12 South contender Utah at Rice-Eccles, Utah can beat Colorado at Folsom Field.

Just go with it.

[LA Ute]

If Pac-12 North cellar dweller Oregon can beat Pac-12 South contender Utah at Rice-Eccles, Utah can beat Colorado at Folsom Field.

Just go with it.

It depends on whether CU's obviously superior talent gels during the game. If not, we have a chance. 😉


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