Friday’s Utah vs Arizona game is one of the more underrated Pac-12 contests of Week 4, but who will come out on top?
Who would have thought that Utah would be heading into Week 4 with a 3-0 record and senior captain Troy Williams wouldn’t be the starting quarterback? There was speculation after last season that Williams might be fighting for his job, but Tyler Huntley won the No. 1 spot out of fall camp.
Through three games, Huntley has passed for 885 yards and five touchdowns with two picks. He’s also completing 72 percent of his throws and has rushed for 212 yards and three more scores. The sophomore is one of the most underrated dual-threats in the nation and Arizona will have its hands full on Friday night.
In fact, the Wildcats have been struggling defensively this year, allowing about 387 total yards per game. This could be a recipe for a big game by Huntley. Oregon transfer wide receiver Darren Carrington is also having a monster season with 26 catches for 409 yards and four touchdowns.
Arizona is led by Brandon Dawkins who took over as the starter last season which led to Anu Solomon’s transfer to Baylor. He’s also a capable runner under center, accounting for 251 yards and five rushing scores. It will be a battle of dual-threats in Tucson on Friday.
Can anyone else step up offensively for the Wildcats or will the offense be squarely placed on Dawkins’ shoulders?
Here’s how you can watch Friday’s Utah vs Arizona game online:
Date: Friday, Sept. 22
Start Time: 10:30 p.m. ET
Location: Tucson, Ariz.
Venue: Arizona Stadium
TV: FOX Sports 1
Live Stream: FOX Sports Go
Keys to Victory
For Utah, containing Dawkins will be key on the defensive side of the ball. He’s a highlight reel waiting to happen, so keeping him in the pocket is important. On offense, the Utes just need to keep doing what they’ve been doing. Attack the weak Wildcat secondary with quick routes and then take some shots after they come up. Huntley has the arm to burn the Wildcats.
Someone — anyone — needs to step up to take some pressure of Dawkins under center. The Arizona quarterback leads the team in rushing and has just 422 passing yards in three games. Clearly the team is relying on him to run and they won’t be able to win that way against Utah. Establish the run game or have some receivers step up or else it will be a long day for the Wildcats.
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Prediction
This game has all the makings of a trap for Utah. The Utes are finally in the AP Top 25 after a strong start to the season, but they are likely looking ahead to a tough stretch of games against Stanford and USC. However, Huntley will keep this team grounded and he will have a clutch performance in the fourth quarter to lift the Utes past the Wildcats. This one could come down to the wire anyway.
Final Score: Utah 34, Arizona 30