Utah Football: 3 Reasons the Utes will beat Oregon State
Utah football is an underdog for its trip to Oregon State this week. Here’s why the Utes will pull the upset in Corvallis.
0. 843. FS1. Friday, Sept 29. 0. Oregon State -3.5. 832. 9:00 PM ET
The Pac-12 is having its strongest season in a long time, and that’s resulting in a nonstop stream of great games on a weekly basis. Last week, there was a plethora of ranked vs. ranked matchups and high-profile affairs, and this week is no different.
It all starts for the league on Friday night when 10th-ranked Utah football heads to Corvallis for a showdown with the 19th-ranked Oregon State Beavers.
The Beavers are the best they’ve been in years, and last week’s 38-35 loss to Washington State was tough, but it didn’t shut down the excitement around the program.
Here’s why all that momentum could be halted on Friday night.
1. The stout Utah defense
This unit has been tremendous in 2023, and the numbers paint a pretty descriptive picture of the dominance of the Utah defense.
For example, the Utes are allowing 9.5 points per game, the ninth-best mark in the nation. They give up just 263.8 yards per game, also ninth in the nation. On the ground, the Utes allow 51 yards per game and 2.02 yards per carry, both the third-best numbers in the country.
On third down, opponents are 10-of-51 on third down, a 19.6 percent success rate that is the lowest in the FBS.
Utah football also gets to the passer at an elite level. Their 14 sacks are the 11th-most in the country, and Jonah Elliss individually leads all pass-rushers with 5.5 sacks in 2023.
These numbers are all the more impressive when considering the depth of this unit. DE Connor O’Toole hasn’t played all year, and Van Fillinger has been limited. Both are expected to practice leading up to the Oregon State game, meaning this defense could get even better in the near future.
This unit absolutely shut down the UCLA offense last week, and the Beavers’ unit has a lower ceiling than the Bruins. They’re led by DJ Uiagalelei, a quarterback who isn’t exactly a world-beater. In the last two weeks, against Washington State and San Diego State, DJ ihas completed under 50 percent of his throws for 482 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions.