Oregon State hosts Boise State in the Pac-12’s only nonconference game this week. The play on the field has only been one part of the disastrous start USC is off to this season. In fact, Utah is one of only three Pac-12 teams now ranked, checking in at No. 23 in the Coaches Poll and No. 24 in the AP Poll.
Advertisement
Ball security improved a little bit against San Jose State after Utah turned the ball over six times against BYU two weeks ago.
Now it is early in the season with a lot of football to play. Once February hits, USC will go off for a tough stretch of four straight road games, journeying through Stanford (Feb. 3), California (Feb. 5), Oregon State (Feb. 10) and Oregon (Feb. 12) before coming back for the Trojans’ last action at Galen Center for the year. “Though it was limited, we really got to see his poise and his demeanor in those games and how he moved the ball”. Nevertheless, I am stoked that Utah is in such a good position early in the season and are overall playing pretty well. ASU quarterback Manny Wilkins threw more incomplete passes than completions as he went 15 of 31 for 264 yards and two touchdowns to one interception.
Jackson also recovered a fumble shortly after his return Friday, proving he’s much more than just a special teams player. This type of team has proven that there is never a tiresome moment watching Utah football.
The No. 24-ranked Utes have been a legitimate threat through the air in 2016, something that hasn’t happened since the program joined the Pac-12 in 2011. I’m heartbroken for them. It’s easy to react strongly to how they’ve played thus far, but simplified, it’s just two losses to a pair of teams who could very well play for the national title in January. Fitts is out for the rest of the season and will seek a medical hardship year.
On the play that would decide the game for USC on Friday evening, Jackson lined up opposite Utah receiver Tim Patrick.
“He’s got the whole package for a wide receiver”, Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham said, noting Patrick has a flawless combination of size, speed, good hands and a strong work ethic. USC’s final three Pac-12 games alone include a home date with OR, then trips to Washington and UCLA.
His best play came at the beginning of the game. While Washington has dispatched of each of their three opponents with extreme ease this season, they have struggled to impress with the ground game. It looked like USC was paralyzed on the final series. Last year, the Broncos tragically beat my beloved Panthers with a ridiculously good defense and an offense that ran on fumes most of the season and wasn’t all that impressive in the Super Bowl.
“I feel like I’m like the lighter fluid to the barbecue”, he said.
“This is probably the murkiest and cloudiest the division has looked since the conference split into north and south”, Pac-12 Network college football analyst Evan Moore said. The only inner conference game occurred when the Stanford Cardinals (2-0) defeated the USC Trojans (1-2). Or maybe Baxter meant USC would lose to Utah, too. Over the past two seasons, Smith-Schuster has totaled 220 yards and two touchdowns on 14 catches against Utah. In order to have success in the league, let alone against Stanford, the Trojans are going to need greater discipline and situational awareness. A win would keep playoff implications alive for the defending Pac-12 Champs.
Stevie Tu’ikolovatu, USC’s senior nose tackle, played his first game in Salt Lake City against the Utes after transferring out of the program this offseason.
Advertisement
The 2017 Pac-12 Women’s Basketball Tournament presented by New York Life begins March 2 from KeyArena and every game will be broadcast live.
