1. USC was this year’s WTF loss. We have one every year, but it’s already happened. Re-watch the game and you’ll see that other than fumbling away a sure score and giving up 2 big plays (the sack that wasn’t + the DBs pinballing each other off the play on the ball they were otherwise in position to make… and yes, I know that JJ also gave up a long TD, but it was a near perfect throw/catch that IMO still would have beaten even tighter coverage)… *sigh*
2. While ASU has often had our number, we will beat them easily this year. I respect Herm’s coaching (and recruiting) ability a ton, but they have too many inexperienced guys in key positions on both sides of the ball. They will not be able to handle us this year.
3. Cal is the obvious “trap” game left on the schedule… and while their D is legit and we may not have the level of offensive production in that game that we have otherwise produced this season, they simply don’t have the offense to do much against our D. I think we win this one comfortably.
4. In the last 4 meetings, Utah has basically played Washington to a tie, with literally one strange play deciding the outcome of each game (P12 ‘Ship Pick 6 off the leg, ’18 RegSeas our lineman inexplicably fumbling out of bounds a sure Pick 6 AND the dropped TE screen in the end zone, the ’17 timeout, and the ’16 uncalled blocks in the back on the Pettis punt return)… and compared with their respective teams from last year, Utah is better and Washington is not. I had us going 10-2 at the beginning of the year, losing to USC and UW… but now, from what I’ve seen from both teams, I think we win this game… even on the road.
5. The biggest challenge vs. UCLA….. never mind.
6. On the road at ‘Zona also looks like a potentially dangerous game… until you actually watch them play and realize that they just aren’t very good. Khalil Tate is a seriously gifted athlete who for whatever reason not only hasn’t developed as a QB but has seriously regressed. They really ruined him. And they have no viable plan B.
7. 2019 Colorado is pretty much 2018 Colorado with a different HC. W.
8. Offensive skill position depth. I cannot believe that I just wrote that. !!! I went to my first Utes football game over 35 years ago, and never in that time have we been close to 6+ deep at WIDE RECEIVER *AND* at Running Back… when you think of the recent struggles at WR (even last year), it’s almost hard to believe. But yet… true!
9. Huntley’s offseason weight/muscle gain and improved decision making should enable him to avoid injury and play the whole season. Even if (God forbid) he does get hurt, I think Shelley can lead the team to Ws in every remaining game (with the possible exception of Washington).
10. We don’t face another team whose passing attack scares me very much (including UW). The best passing Os on the schedule this year are already behind us. I just don’t see another game where we could get beat by giving up multiple big passing plays over the top… and nobody can run on us effectively.
11. Mid-season KoolAid should be fun too!!! Activity on UteHub sure seems to have fallen off post-USC… too many people taking this too seriously maybe? Football is just entertainment at the end of the day, but isn’t it more fun to find reasons to be excited rather than depressed?? Winning championships is hard, no matter the league, and as someone who grew up on 1980s Ute football I think it’s pretty awesome we’re even in this position. So… Go Utes!!
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