Utah Football: Game preview and prediction vs. Arizona State

Utah football looks to consolidate sole possession of first place in the Pac-12 South on Saturday. Can they survive a dangerous trap in Tempe against Arizona State?

With their takedown of UCLA on Friday night in Week 9 and several fortuitous results on Saturday, Utah laid claim to the top spot in the Pac-12 South. At 4-2 in conference play, the Utes have one fewer loss than every other team in the division. The win vaulted Kyle Whittingham’s team up the AP Top 25 and set them up as a frontrunner in the conference.

Utah’s success is predicated on a defense that gives up only 287 yards and fewer than 17 points per game. The Utes also boast the best red zone defense in the entire country, holding opponents scoreless on more than 45 percent of their trips inside the Utah 20. That level of dominance has allowed Utah to survive despite a hot-and-cold offense that has struggled to find consistency in 2018.

This week, the Utes face an Arizona State team that has gone through its own hot and cold streaks in their first season under Herm Edwards. The Sun Devils returned to .500 in the standings with a takedown of USC in Week 9, and their four losses have all come by a single touchdown. And if they manage to defeat Utah, it would put them into an opportunistic position to potentially steal away the division crown.

Where the Sun Devils have really excelled this year is on special teams. Arizona State has been especially adept at blocking punts and kicks, and they rank 17th nationally in kick return defense. For a team that has been middle-of-the-road in terms of both scoring and preventing opponents from scoring, the special teams success has helped make the difference.

Can the Sun Devils take down the Utes on Saturday and really throw the Pac-12 South race into a tailspin? Here’s how you can watch the Saturday game between No. 16 Utah and Arizona State:

Date: Saturday, Nov. 3
Time: 4:00 p.m. ET
Location: Tempe, Ariz.
Venue: Sun Devil Stadium
TV: Pac-12 Network
Live Stream: Pac-12 Live | FuboTV

Keys to Victory

One of Utah’s biggest weaknesses is also among Arizona State’s strengths. To win on the road in the desert, the Utes need to do a better job of protecting their kicking unit after giving up three blocks so far this season. The Utes also need to do a better job of producing positive plays and keeping players from getting tackled behind the line of scrimmage.

Arizona State has been great at protecting the football this year, ranking fourth nationally in giveaways. Where they have been less successful is in generating turnovers when on defense. The Sun Devils need to win the turnover battle, not just by holding on to the football themselves but also by creating a takeaway or two that cuts into Utah’s momentum.

Betting Odds

Odds courtesy of oddsshark.com

Point Spread: Utah -7
Over/Under: 56

Prediction

Utah is riding a four-game winning streak, and they are the stronger overall team. Arizona State has proven capable of pulling off upsets here and there, but they have been incapable of putting together two wins in a row since the beginning of the season. That trend will continue on Saturday in Tempe, as the Utes consolidate their hold on the top spot in the division.

Final Score: Utah 38, Arizona State 27