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Why Kyle Whittingham’s Utah Utes will go undefeated

By Brenton Lillie

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With the Utah Utes halfway through their schedule without suffering a loss, is it time to start thinking national championship game?

Utah has surprised everyone with their ascent to the top of the Pac-12 standings, but is it time for the program to start thinking about bigger things than just the Pac-12 South division title?

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Right now the Utes are 6-0, and are in control of their division. The victory over Arizona State was another step toward the Pac-12 championship game, but if this team wants to do something special, then that game is only a stepping stone toward the College Football Playoff.

Of course, making the playoffs probably means going undefeated, and there are still some tough games on the schedule. So how much of a chance does Utah have of finishing the regular season with an unblemished record?

Remaining on the schedule are a couple of what seems to be easy games. Home against the disappointing Oregon State Beavers and the perennial bottom feeder, Colorado, are as close as you can get to a certain victory in such a tough conference. The Utah Utes also have a home game against the UCLA Bruins, but with the recent losses that program has suffered, the game no longer looks like the hurdle it once did.

However, there are some tough road trips, starting with this week against USC in Los Angeles. The Trojans have not had the year they were expecting, but that is still a talented team with fantastic athletes. The Steve Sarkisian mess has undoubtedly hurt their performance so far, but with an interim coach in place, it’s possible the players start playing up to their potential as they did for Ed Orgeron when he was the interim coach at USC two years ago.

USC is still third in scoring defense in the conference, allowing 21.3 points per game, which is just slightly worse than Utah’s 19.5. Meanwhile, the two teams are also very close in scoring offense, with USC ranked fifth and the Utes sixth, at 38.3 and 36.5 points per game, respectively.

These teams are close to dead even, statistically, until you start to dig deeper. USC ranks 11th in the conference in penalty yardage per game, at 72.8. Utah is second. Utah has the best red zone offense in the Pac-12, while the Trojans are sixth. The Utes lead the conference in interceptions by their defense, and their quarterbacks have been sacked the least amount of times on offense.

USC, meanwhile, is 11th in interceptions and  sixth in the number of sacks given up. Essentially the Utes have the advantage in coaching, discipline, and instinct. Expect this to be a close game, and most likely the biggest test of the season so far for Utah.

If they escape Los Angeles with a victory, they get a brief reprieve with the aforementioned game against Oregon State. After that, they head to Seattle to face a program much like themselves in the Washington Huskies. Washington is also very disciplined, with the fifth fewest penalty yards per game.

Unfortunately, the breaks just have not gone Washington’s way this year, as they are 11th in the conference in turnover margin, while Utah sits atop the Pac-12. If the Huskies can keep themselves from putting the ball on the ground, then this game could be close.

Nevertheless, Utah will be favored, and the Huskies play a style of football that the Utes have mastered. In 2016, this game could be a classic between two juggernauts, but in 2015, it will most likely be the big brother schooling his younger sibling.

The one game that figures to be the last test for this team will be on November 14, when the Utes travel to Tucson to take on an Arizona Wildcats team that blasted them 42-10 last season. In that game, Arizona ran wild all over the Utah defense for almost 300 yards rushing on 47 carries. Nick Wilson, by himself, had more than 200 yards and a ridiculous 10.9 yards per carry average against what was a stout defense.

Utah also threw three interceptions and coughed up a fumble in their worst game of the year. They will be itching for revenge in 2015, but there have been plenty of great teams that have walked into Tucson and immediately found themselves in a much tougher game than envisioned. Expect the Utes to be ready, but history has taught us to never underestimate Rich Rodriguez or the Wildcats.

Overall, the slate does not appear as tough as it once did, as other contenders have suffered injuries, surprise defeats, or unexpected coaching changes. Still, navigating the Pac-12 South is always dangerous, but this Utah team has proven that they have what it takes. A great defense, exceptional coaching, and a veteran quarterback playing his best football is a combination for an undefeated season. Expect to see the Utes playing in January.

Next: The Holy War and the 50 Best College Rivalries of All-Time

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