Utah Utes quarterback Cameron Rising (7) seems to be to cross as Utah and USC play at Rice Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake Metropolis on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022. Scott G Winterton, Deseret Information
Now that its bye week is over, Utah is going through a brief week.
The No. 14 Utes, who rose one spot within the Related Press ballot Sunday, go to Washington State Thursday (8 p.m. MDT, FS1).
Like Utah, WSU (4-3, 1-3) can also be coming off a bye. On Oct. 15, the Cougars misplaced 24-10 at Oregon State.
That very same night time, the Utes handed then-No. 7 USC its first setback of the season, 43-42. Utah rallied from a number of two-touchdown deficits and beat the Trojans on a quarterback Cam Rising landing and two-point conversion with 48 seconds remaining.
“What an excellent win for our program,” stated coach Kyle Whittingham. “It was a kind of nights that was very particular.”
The dramatic victory helped ease the ache of the Utes’ 42-32 defeat at UCLA on Oct. 8.
“We have been in a position to get that nasty style out of our mouths of a loss, in opposition to an excellent staff in Rice-Eccles and that was particular for us and particular for our fan base,” stated cornerback Clark Phillips III. “It was good to get issues rolling in the suitable route.”
It was additionally the type of win that may propel a staff down the house stretch of the season.
“Most positively. It was a hard-fought recreation,” Phillips stated. “It was a recreation actually fought to the final second. These are the kinds of victories you're taking with you all season.”
Tight finish Dalton Kincaid, who caught 16 passes for 234 yards in opposition to USC, stated beating the Trojans “confirmed precisely who we're. The center and the willpower that now we have. Cam used the time period ‘unwavering perception’ and I believe you may’t say something higher.”
With a bit of greater than a month remaining within the common season, Utah finds itself proper within the thick of the Pac-12 race.
On Saturday, No. 8 Oregon beat No. 12 UCLA 45-30 in Eugene. It marked the Bruins’ first Pac-12 loss. The Geese stand on their lonesome on high of the convention standings with a 4-0 mark in league play.
The Utes (5-2, 3-1), UCLA and USC have one Pac-12 loss apiece.
Bear in mind, this yr there’s a change within the championship recreation format. The league introduced final summer season that in the case of crowning a champion, divisions now not matter. The Pac-12 championship recreation will function the 2 groups with the very best convention successful proportion as an alternative of two division winners.
“Our aim is to put our two finest groups in our Pac-12 soccer championship recreation, which we imagine will present our convention with one of the best alternative to optimize CFP invites and in the end win nationwide championships,” stated Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff.
The Pac-12 championship recreation shall be held Dec. 2 in Las Vegas.
After taking part in Washington State, Utah hosts back-to-back video games in opposition to Arizona (Nov. 5) and Stanford (Nov. 12) and it closes the common season at Oregon (Nov. 19) and at Colorado (Nov. 26).
However as Whittingham would let you know, his staff isn't trying previous Thursday night time in Pullman.
No. 14 Utah (5-2, 3-1) at Washington State (4-3, 1-3)
Thursday, 8 p.m. MDT
Gesa Area
TV: FS1
Radio: ESPN 700