They’ll try to keep it that way Saturday, Oct. 31, when they take on Wyoming in a Mountain West Conference game at Salt Lake City, Utah.
No. 19 Utah won its fourth consecutive contest last weekend, improving to 3-0 in conference play and remaining tied for first place with TCU. But it sure wasn’t easy. Coach Kyle Whittingham’s Utes needed overtime to edge out Air Force 23-17.
Their next assignment doesn’t look like a walk in the park either. Wyoming (4-3 overall, 2-1 conference) has won three of its last four games, and will be coming off a bye week when it faces Utah in Saturday’s 8 p.m. EST game.
The Cowboys’ last game was also against Air Force, which ended a three-game Wyoming winning streak with a 10-0 triumph on Oct. 17.
Utah and Wyoming will meet for the 82nd time. The Utes lead the series 49-31-1, and have won eight of the last nine games – including a 40-7 road triumph in 2008. The Cowboys’ last win over the Utes was a 31-15 decision in 2006 at Laramie, Wyo.
Saturday’s game will be telecast by the Mountain West Sports Network.
Utah Offense Going Through Rough Patch
On the surface, things look fine for the Utah offense. The Utes are averaging 27.9 points and 397.4 yards per game, which aren’t bad numbers considering that workhorse running back Matt Asiata was lost to a season-ending knee injury in the fourth game.
Eddie Wide has performed well since Asiata went down, David Reed is one of the nation’s leading receivers, and Terrance Cain has proven himself to be a talented QB.
The Utes, however, managed only 269 yards last week against a very tough Air Force defense. In the previous game, Utah had just 327 yards against a very shaky UNLV defense.
And Utah’s had some trouble punching the ball into the end zone. In red zone offense, the Utes rank 100th of 120 teams in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision.
Utes Receiver Reid Continues to Produce
It’s hard to argue with the performance of Reid. The senior had seven catches for 149 yards last week, including a 90-yard TD. On the season, Reed’s made 45 catches for 695 yards and four TDs, and his average of 99.29 yards per game ranks him 10th in the FBS.
Jereme Brooks had just two catches for six yards vs. Air Force, but he’s been a productive No. 2 receiver, making 27 catches for 288 yards and three TDs.
Wide might lack the power of Asiata, but he hasn’t been held under 100 yards since taking over as Utah’s feature back. He’s rushed for 529 yards and five TDs, averaging 6.1 yards per carry.
The athletic Cain has completed 63.2 percent of his passes for 1,503 yards, with 11 TDs and five interceptions. He’s also run for 287 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Yet despite some impressive offensive performances, defense has been the key to the winning streak – and to the Utes’ being ranked No. 16 in the Bowl Championship Series standings.
Linebacker Sylvester Keeps Utah Streak Intact
Stevenson Sylvester leads Utah with 45 tackles, and his biggest one took place vs. Air Force. On a fourth-and-two play in overtime, the senior rover stopped Falcons quarterback Connor Dietz for no gain to clinch Utah’s 20th victory in its last 21 games.
The Utes haven’t quite been dominant on defense, but they’ve been remarkably consistent. Utah State managed to gain 342 yards against Utah in the season opener, and no opponent has topped that since. The Utes are allowing averages of 17.7 points and 308.3 yards per game.
Safety Robert Johnson is tied for third in the FBS with five interceptions, and his 41 tackles tie him for third on the team with defensive end Koa Misi.
Linebacker Mike Wright is second behind Sylvester with 43 tackles, defensive end Derrick Shelby has a team-high 6.5 tackles for loss.
Coach Christensen Keys Wyoming Turnaround
The Cowboys went 4-8 last year, and have already matched that victory total in their first year under head coach Dave Christensen. And they've already won two conference games, one more than they managed in all of 2008.
Wyoming hasn’t been the most explosive team around, managing just 19.4 points and 328.6 yards per contest. And the youthful Cowboys have allowed 21 sacks. But they did net 30 or more points in three consecutive games before being blanked by Air Force.
Freshman quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels has experienced growing pains while completing 57.1 percent of his passes for 1,057 yards and six touchdowns. But he’s been intercepted just twice in 189 attempts.
Wide receiver David Leonard has been by far the most frequent target, making 49 catches for 433 yards. But he has just one TD reception. Travis Burkhalter (17 receptions, 182 yards) and Brandon Stewart lead the team with two apiece.
Freshman Alvester Alexander paces Wyoming rushers with 311 yards and five TDs, averaging 4.2 yards per carry. Sophomore Brandon Stewart has added 240 yards and scored twice, picking up 4.9 yards per attempt.
Three Cowboys Rank Among FBS Defensive Leaders
The Cowboys have played stubbornly on defense with mixed results. They're yielding 23.6 points and 372.7 yards per game.
Two Wyoming players – both sophomore linebackers – rank among the nation’s leading tacklers. Brian Hendricks has racked up 81 tackles (including 23 vs Air Force), and his average of 11.57 per game rates third in the FBS. And just three spots behind him is Gabe Knapton, who has 77 tackles and an 11.00 average.
Also among the FBS leaders is Cowboys defensive lineman John Fletcher, whose seven sacks tie him for eighth. Fletcher has 10 tackles for loss, and he’s also broken up four passes.
Other standouts include freshman safety Shamiel Gary (61 tackles, 3 interceptions), linebacker Weston Johnson (59 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 3 interceptions), and cornerback brothers Marcell and Tashaun Gipson. Marcell has broken up seven passes, and Tashaun has three interceptions.
