Week Six Mountain West Football Preview: The Early Games

Two early games this week—one on Thursday and one on Friday.

Thursday, Oct. 2

(2-2) No. 15 (5-0)

Rice-Eccles 7PM MT TV: Radio: KALL 700 Sports

This game just got a lot more interesting with Oregon State taking it to then-No. 1 USC at home last Thursday. Do not let the 0-2 start for the Beavers fool anyone—Oregon State is a notorious late bloomer. Oregon State has gone 15-3 the last two years in games in October and later.

This game is much bigger in terms of the BCS and strength of schedule if Utah can beat the team that just beat the number one ranked team. Utah has revenge on their minds: Last year these two teams played on opening weekend, and the Utes lost quarterback Brian Johnson for a few weeks and running back Matt Asiata for the year.

On the year Oregon State has yet to win a road game after losing at Stanford and at Penn State in September. Both schools have similar national rankings in their statistics, with the one big difference being that Utah scores 10 more points per game at 38 compared to Oregon State.

The big challenge for Utah will be trying to slow down true freshman Jacquizz Rodgers, who ran all over USC with 186 yards and two touchdowns. This back is small but very speedy, and Oregon State just ran him right up the gut of USC and utilized his speed in the screen game along with other players.

Utah may be fine in defending the run because they gave up only 50 yards to an Air Force team that was averaging around 300 per game two weeks back. The focus must be on Rodgers to slow him down this game.

Utah just needs to keep getting everyone involved in this game and wear down the Oregon State front seven that has only been together for four games this year. Quarterback Brian Johnson will need to be a threat in the running game to keep the Beavers defense from focusing in on one player or type of play.

It is shown that Oregon State is vulnerable to a spread passing attack and a no-huddle. Look for Utah to emulate what USC did in the second half offensively.

Two side notes about the game. As of Oct. 1 the spread has Utah favored by 10.5. Vegas is rarely wrong, but that seems a little bit high to me.

Also, Coach Whittingham has had good success a year after a team has beaten his Ute