Utah Football: 5 reasons Utes will beat BYU in 2019 edition of The Holy War
By Dante Pryor
4. The run game will have a big day
Along with having the best defensive line in the Pac-12, the Utes have one of the best offensive lines in the conference as well. Zack Moss is rated as the second-best senior running back in the upcoming draft, and the Cougars will find out why in this game.
There are two things that travel well in hotly-contested rivalry games — defense and a rushing attack — and the Utes have both. Along with having one of the best running backs in the conference, we should see more of Tyler Huntley.
New offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig, who returns to Salt Lake City after 10 years away from the program, plans to take advantage of Huntley’s athleticism by giving him more responsibilities in the run game. They do lose Armand Shyne to the transfer portal, but they’ll rack up the yards between Moss and Huntley with TJ Green giving them a breather when necessary.
BYU has size up front, but the Cougars don’t have a lot of depth. They will miss linebacker Sione Takitaki and lineman Corbin Kaufusi and their production on the Cougar defense. This is an area where Utah will use their athletic and strength advantage.
If the game is close and the Utes have a lead, expect heavy doses of Moss and Huntley late in the fourth quarter.