UCLA Football: 3 reasons the Bruins will upset No. 11 Utah

2. The Cam Rising factor

So, what’s the deal with Utah quarterback Cam Rising? Is he playing?

The search for concrete answers to this question is a difficult one, and Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham isn’t exactly giving help in that pursuit.

Per KSL Sports, Whittingham said, “Cam? No, he practiced today, did a great job, but we will know nothing for 48 hours at the minimum. Then of course we won’t make an announcement. You’ll just find out on game day who the guy is. That’s the best I can tell you right now.”

So, there are a few possibilities as to what plays out at the quarterback position for the Utes this Saturday.

Option one is that Rising remains out. In that case, it will be Nate Johnson who takes the field. He was good against Weber State but threw just seven passes against Baylor and four against Florida as he competed with Bryson Barnes for the job.

Johnson is a dual-threat at the position, but he hasn’t been the most consistent runner. He averaged 7.5 yards per carry against Florida, then just 2.9 against Baylor.

If this is where Utah goes, then UCLA is in good shape.

Option two involves the return of Rising. Obviously, this is what Ute fans want to happen, but there are questions of rust and health that will still linger.

Rising is a good passer, but he’s also a good runner. His strength is in his versatility, but he’s not elite in either category alone. If his legs aren’t at 100 percent and he’s forced to be a pocket passer, then the job of the Bruin defense gets a lot easier.

If Rising is healthy, he’ll still be rusty. He hasn’t played since the Rose Bowl in January, and it’s not exactly easing back into things to resume play in this huge conference showdown. Considering UCLA’s strong pass rush, things will be difficult for Rising if this is his return game.

No matter what happens, the Utah quarterback situation is good for UCLA football.