Tweet
SATURDAY FREE PLAY
7pm ET
(7) Utah (9-0) at Wyoming (6-3)
Recommended Play: Wyoming +23.5
Preview courtesy of The Sports Network:
With just two games remaining in the regular season, the seventh- ranked Utah Utes are still in search of messing things up for the BCS. The team continues its push towards perfection this Saturday night as it lands in Laramie to do battle with the Wyoming Cowboys in Mountain West Conference play in front of a national television audience. Utah, one of six teams still undefeated at the Division I-A level and one of two (Boise State) that is not a member of a BCS conference, actually dropped a place in the latest BCS rankings to seventh. The slight could keep the Utes out of a BCS bowl game because a team that does not reside in one of the power conferences has to be sixth or better in the standings in order to even get a shot at one of the big games. Either way, the fact remains that Utah is off to a 9-0 start this year and is easily leading the MWC standings. The perfect start breaks the school record set in both 1930 and 1934 when the Utes raced out to an 8-0 start.
Thanks to a resounding 63-31 thumping of Colorado State last week at home, these Utes now own the school's longest overall winning streak at 13 games. As for the Cowboys, many are overlooking the success that Wyoming is having this year because of what Utah has been able to do. The Pokes are currently 3-2 in MWC play and picked up their second straight win last Saturday with a 53-45 overtime thriller against the UNLV Rebels in Sin City. The 53 points matched a season-high for the Cowboys, who beat Appalachian State in the opener at home, 53-7. In terms of the all-time series between these familiar foes, the Utes are ahead by a count of 45-30-1. Utah claimed a 47-17 victory in Salt Lake City last season to give it four wins in a row over Wyoming. The Cowboys are still ahead at home, 19-16, but have lost the last two at War Memorial Stadium.
Another game, another victory, and another accolade for Utah quarterback Alex Smith as he was again named the Co-Offensive Player of the Week in the MWC following his performance against the Rams. Smith completed 21-of-26 passes, for 291 yards and four touchdowns in less than three quarters of playing time.
Also having a strong game for the Utes was running back Marty Johnson who found the end zone three times, all on one-yard runs. Utah produced 534 yards of total offense in the decision as well. Smith, being hyped as a Heisman candidate, was notified last week that he is one of 15 players being given serious consideration for college football's top honor. Smith has thrown for 24 touchdowns and just two interceptions while completing nearly two out of every three pass attempts. While Smith is getting the job done with both his arm and his legs, he has 439 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground, Johnson leads the unit with 12 rushing scores. The Utes are currently second in the nation in scoring with 45.8 ppg, behind only Boise State. Putting up 63 against the last two opponents means the Utes have recorded at least 50 points in back-to-back games for the first time in school history.
While the Utah offense was running around and over Colorado State, the Rams were getting their share of yards as well with 226 yards on 39 rushing attempts and another 194 yards through the air. However, while the Utes remained turnover-free, the defense forced a total of five miscues (three interceptions and a pair of fumbles). Spencer Toone rang up a team-high 11 tackles yet no one on the Utes managed to register a single sack in the contest. Morgan Scalley, who picked off two passes and scooped up a fumble and returned it 88 yards for a touchdown was named the MWC's Defensive Player of the Week on Monday. With the Utah offense scoring a combined 120 points in the first quarter alone this season, the defense has made easy work out of opponents by limiting them to a combined 122 through the first three periods of play. The pass defense for the Utes has been especially tough, holding foes to just 188.6 ypg and a mere six touchdown thus far. Toone leads the group with 84 tackles and has a team-high three recovered fumbles to his credit as well. Scalley now has five interceptions, two fumble recoveries and a blocked kick during this magical season.
Wyoming scored in every period except for the second frame last weekend, which is why the team was still in the hunt down the stretch and managed to pull out the win in overtime against UNLV. The offense produced just 323 yards, including a mere 83 yards on 42 rushing attempts, yet that was still enough to keep the team competitive. Backup quarterback J.J. Raterink, who came in for Corey Bramlet who left with a hip injury and is listed as questionable at the moment for the game with the Utes, was spectacular for the group as he hit 22- of-36 passes for 227 yards, four touchdowns and just one interception. Running back Ivan Harrison took some of the pressure off the youngster by posting three rushing scores of his own. While he had a strong outing against the Rebels, putting Raterink in against Utah is a completely different story and could force the signal-caller to run for his life against the tenacious Utes.
What the Cowboys need is for the rushing attack to pick up the slack if Bramlet is unable to make an appearance.
UNLV posted 432 yards of offense, 109 more yards than the Cowboys could muster, and even that was not enough to get a win at Sam Boyd Stadium. Wyoming could do little to stop running back Dominique Dorsey from racing for 180 yards on 34 carries, while UNLV quarterback Shane Steichen was putting up d four touchdown passes. However, the Cowboy defense did manage to pick off a pair of passes, and it also helped that the Rebels were flagged an unheard of 22 times for 167 yards in the setback. Randy Tscharner led the team in tackles with 11, of which seven were unassisted. The Cowboys actually have one of the top scoring defenses in the league this season, giving up 23.9 ppg, but they have yet to face a team remotely as potent as Utah in their travels. Wyoming has surrendered a combined total of just 33 points in the first quarter, a number that will surely be challenged by this week's opponent. John Wendling, who picked off a pass last weekend, leads the team in tackles after nine games with 68 stops and is tied with Derrick Martin for the team lead in interceptions with three as well.
Good luck
Mike Thomas
www.ChampionPlays.com
7pm ET
(7) Utah (9-0) at Wyoming (6-3)
Recommended Play: Wyoming +23.5
Preview courtesy of The Sports Network:
With just two games remaining in the regular season, the seventh- ranked Utah Utes are still in search of messing things up for the BCS. The team continues its push towards perfection this Saturday night as it lands in Laramie to do battle with the Wyoming Cowboys in Mountain West Conference play in front of a national television audience. Utah, one of six teams still undefeated at the Division I-A level and one of two (Boise State) that is not a member of a BCS conference, actually dropped a place in the latest BCS rankings to seventh. The slight could keep the Utes out of a BCS bowl game because a team that does not reside in one of the power conferences has to be sixth or better in the standings in order to even get a shot at one of the big games. Either way, the fact remains that Utah is off to a 9-0 start this year and is easily leading the MWC standings. The perfect start breaks the school record set in both 1930 and 1934 when the Utes raced out to an 8-0 start.
Thanks to a resounding 63-31 thumping of Colorado State last week at home, these Utes now own the school's longest overall winning streak at 13 games. As for the Cowboys, many are overlooking the success that Wyoming is having this year because of what Utah has been able to do. The Pokes are currently 3-2 in MWC play and picked up their second straight win last Saturday with a 53-45 overtime thriller against the UNLV Rebels in Sin City. The 53 points matched a season-high for the Cowboys, who beat Appalachian State in the opener at home, 53-7. In terms of the all-time series between these familiar foes, the Utes are ahead by a count of 45-30-1. Utah claimed a 47-17 victory in Salt Lake City last season to give it four wins in a row over Wyoming. The Cowboys are still ahead at home, 19-16, but have lost the last two at War Memorial Stadium.
Another game, another victory, and another accolade for Utah quarterback Alex Smith as he was again named the Co-Offensive Player of the Week in the MWC following his performance against the Rams. Smith completed 21-of-26 passes, for 291 yards and four touchdowns in less than three quarters of playing time.
Also having a strong game for the Utes was running back Marty Johnson who found the end zone three times, all on one-yard runs. Utah produced 534 yards of total offense in the decision as well. Smith, being hyped as a Heisman candidate, was notified last week that he is one of 15 players being given serious consideration for college football's top honor. Smith has thrown for 24 touchdowns and just two interceptions while completing nearly two out of every three pass attempts. While Smith is getting the job done with both his arm and his legs, he has 439 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground, Johnson leads the unit with 12 rushing scores. The Utes are currently second in the nation in scoring with 45.8 ppg, behind only Boise State. Putting up 63 against the last two opponents means the Utes have recorded at least 50 points in back-to-back games for the first time in school history.
While the Utah offense was running around and over Colorado State, the Rams were getting their share of yards as well with 226 yards on 39 rushing attempts and another 194 yards through the air. However, while the Utes remained turnover-free, the defense forced a total of five miscues (three interceptions and a pair of fumbles). Spencer Toone rang up a team-high 11 tackles yet no one on the Utes managed to register a single sack in the contest. Morgan Scalley, who picked off two passes and scooped up a fumble and returned it 88 yards for a touchdown was named the MWC's Defensive Player of the Week on Monday. With the Utah offense scoring a combined 120 points in the first quarter alone this season, the defense has made easy work out of opponents by limiting them to a combined 122 through the first three periods of play. The pass defense for the Utes has been especially tough, holding foes to just 188.6 ypg and a mere six touchdown thus far. Toone leads the group with 84 tackles and has a team-high three recovered fumbles to his credit as well. Scalley now has five interceptions, two fumble recoveries and a blocked kick during this magical season.
Wyoming scored in every period except for the second frame last weekend, which is why the team was still in the hunt down the stretch and managed to pull out the win in overtime against UNLV. The offense produced just 323 yards, including a mere 83 yards on 42 rushing attempts, yet that was still enough to keep the team competitive. Backup quarterback J.J. Raterink, who came in for Corey Bramlet who left with a hip injury and is listed as questionable at the moment for the game with the Utes, was spectacular for the group as he hit 22- of-36 passes for 227 yards, four touchdowns and just one interception. Running back Ivan Harrison took some of the pressure off the youngster by posting three rushing scores of his own. While he had a strong outing against the Rebels, putting Raterink in against Utah is a completely different story and could force the signal-caller to run for his life against the tenacious Utes.
What the Cowboys need is for the rushing attack to pick up the slack if Bramlet is unable to make an appearance.
UNLV posted 432 yards of offense, 109 more yards than the Cowboys could muster, and even that was not enough to get a win at Sam Boyd Stadium. Wyoming could do little to stop running back Dominique Dorsey from racing for 180 yards on 34 carries, while UNLV quarterback Shane Steichen was putting up d four touchdown passes. However, the Cowboy defense did manage to pick off a pair of passes, and it also helped that the Rebels were flagged an unheard of 22 times for 167 yards in the setback. Randy Tscharner led the team in tackles with 11, of which seven were unassisted. The Cowboys actually have one of the top scoring defenses in the league this season, giving up 23.9 ppg, but they have yet to face a team remotely as potent as Utah in their travels. Wyoming has surrendered a combined total of just 33 points in the first quarter, a number that will surely be challenged by this week's opponent. John Wendling, who picked off a pass last weekend, leads the team in tackles after nine games with 68 stops and is tied with Derrick Martin for the team lead in interceptions with three as well.
Good luck
Mike Thomas
www.ChampionPlays.com