Pac-12 Football 2017: 5 teams that will be on upset alert in Week 4
By Zach Bigalke
Last weekend, several Pac-12 football teams collapsed against Group of Five foes. As Pac-12 play starts, schools will be on upset alert this week?
Eight Pac-12 teams have completed their non-conference schedules, and Week 4 sees conference action begin in earnest. Oregon State is on a bye week, and No. 18 Washington State is playing Nevada at home. Otherwise, the other five games featuring Pac-12 teams are conference tilts.
Since it is highly unlikely that the Wolf Pack is going to win as a 28-point underdog in Pullman, that leaves us to look at each of the five Pac-12 contests. So let’s dive in and look at some of the reasons why each of the favorites in league matchups need to remain on upset alert heading into this weekend’s slate of games.
(All betting lines courtesy of Sportsbook Review.)
The No. 23 Utes are now 3-0 after two comfortable wins over FCS North Dakota and San Jose State sandwiched around a tough Holy War victory at BYU. Utah heads to Tucson on Friday night as a 3.5-point favorite. But Arizona Stadium is always a tough place to play, and the newly-ranked Utes could be staring straight at a trap game in Week 4.
Kyle Whittingham knows all too well about the danger lurking in the desert. When the Utes last played in Tucson two years ago in a mid-November showdown, they were ranked No. 10 in the College Football Playoff rankings. Arizona stunned Utah 37-30 in double overtime, beginning a downward spiral that knocked the Utes out of Pac-12 contention.
This year, Arizona is coming off a rough season in 2016. Playing Utah could serve as a turning point for the program as they look to rebound. A close loss against American Athletic Conference contender Houston is the only thing keeping this game from being a battle of unbeaten squads. The Wildcats are fielding one of the nation’s top defenses after taking down UTEP and FCS Northern Arizona and holding Houston to 19 points.
They are also averaging more than two turnovers per game. Against sophomore quarterback Tyler Huntley, that defense could wreak some havoc. Arizona has a history of stunning ranked teams at home, and they could do it again this time around. Utah hasn’t won against Arizona on the road since 2011, and they could fall right back out of the AP Top 25 if they aren’t careful on Friday night.