Utah Football: 3 takeaways from home shutout over Cal in Week 9

3. Does Utah boast the best defense in the country?

Entering Week 9, there was no doubt that Utah had the best defense in the Pac-12. The Utes ranked fourth nationally in yards allowed, giving up only 252 yards per game to their first seven opponents. Utah was sixth in the country in points conceded, allowing opponents fewer than 12 points each outing. They were especially good against the run, holding teams to only 61 yards per game on the ground to rank behind only Wisconsin in that category.

After seeing what they did to Cal on Saturday night, though, we need to start asking whether Utah might have the most championship-ready defense in the country. They showed an ability to shut down an opponent to catatonic ineffectiveness as they held the Golden Bears to 83 total yards of offense.

Spencer Brasch, a true freshman who entered the year buried on the depth chart, got the start for Cal after Devon Modster was injured in Week 8. Brasch received a rude awakening to FBS football, as Utah held the youngster to just 47 yards on 7-of-19 passing. Getting his first start in a tough environment, Brasch was hardly set up to succeed against such a tough opponent, and the team eventually took him out for redshirt freshman Robby Rowell.

The ground game offered no support whatsoever for the young quarterback. Utah held Cal to just 23 net rushing yards on 21 carries, barely averaging more than one yard per carry. It was an all-out assault by a Utah defense intent on making a statement for pollsters heading into November.