I can’t believe we are 5-1…

[Charlie Foxtrot]

with the offensive issues we have had so far this year. I keep expecting to see some type of identity developing especially half way through the season, but each game seems to be something different. JJ and Vaki were the difference makers today mixed in with Barnes being effective at times. Hopefully we will see some type of improvement next week building on the success we had today.

[2008 National Champ]

The bigger question is how much was the ability of Utah’s offense and how much was looking good because of Cal’s D. CAL came into the game giving up 431 yards per game and 31 points.

The good news is that Oregon is the only team left on the schedule with a decent defense, even if they were only tested today for the first time in 2023. The bad news is that Utah only managed 445 yards and 34 points so at best, they were only equivalent to what CAL is used to giving up.

Will Utah’s defense be good enough to win out with Utah’s offense finally being average instead of well below? Because there are 3 teams left on the schedule who are good enough to take advantage of the D’s mistakes that we saw today and Utah needs to beat at least two of them to make the CCG.

[AlohaUte]

Washington doesn’t have a decent defense?

[2008 National Champ]

They aren’t giving up points (~20 ppg) but they are allowing just under 400 yards per against less than stellar competition. Before today’s game I thought Oregon had the better defense of the two, at least in relation to what Utah would like to do on offense. Unless they get Letuligasenoa back, UW is vulnerable to the run and they still were with him against G5 offenses.

Of the two, Oregon and Washington, I still think Oregon has the better defense. Washington has the best offense in the country and that makes up for a lot of deficiencies.

[UtMtBiker]

UW and AZ don’t look too bad on either side of the ball.

[popbirch]

Wash in Seattle is going to be very hard to win without developing an air attack somehow.

Usc is beatable. Losing to Nd who plays very similar ball to us.

Asu is a win.

Oregon is a tough game again.

Colorado is a win.

Arizona is all over the place but it’s a freshman qb and we tend to mess those guys up so I’ll say thats a win.

If we can go 2-1 against Uw, sc and oregon we will be in the champ game. But that is a tall task without more passing yards. I suspect we can beat oregon at home but not sure we can split the road games.

Honestly tho if we do end up losing only 2 more with all the injuries and struggles I would call this season a big success at 9-3. There’s also still a chance a 6-3 team gets into the champ game but it would require a lot of chaos.

[2008 National Champ]

November is Seattle is going to be cold, wet and windy. It wouldn’t surprise me to see some snow since we always seemed to get a snow day in November when I was a kid.

[The Miami Ute]

If we can go 2-1 against Uw, sc and oregon we will be in the champ game.

I’m not so certain about that. Oregon State has the head to head over us and, if we lose to Washington, I’m pretty certain those two will probably meet in the CCG. I’m actually thinking that we might have a similar scenario as last season, where it’ll be until the last game of the season until the CCG’s participants are decided.

[popbirch]

Ya it could definitely come down to multiple team tie at 7-2. There’s no way to predict how that would shake out this early.

[2008 National Champ]

Not if the tie-breaker comes down to head to head, but we can figure out the 3 way pretty easily since it comes down to who you don’t play.

All of the NW schools miss one of the LA schools so any tie-breaker Utah is in with those 4 comes down to UCLA or USC being better than Stanford which looks pretty safe at this point. Since Utah and WSU don’t play, any tie breaker with WSU automatically goes to SOS which favors Utah.

Likewise, the two LA schools each miss two of the NW schools so again, it comes down to Stanford v whoever they miss. SC misses Oregon State and WSU so a tie breaker involving them would be decided by Oregon State v Stanford. Advantage Utah. UCLA misses Washington and Oregon so they have the worst SOS argument. Again, advantage Utah.

So just like 2022, if Utah can get into a three-way tie breaker, they move on. In truth, if Utah has to lose another conference game this year it would be best if it was Arizona, Arizona State or Colorado since none of those teams will make it to a tie-breaker. Then Utah would hold the head to head against everyone but Oregon State which would greatly increase their odds.

Of course, that all becomes moot if Utah can’t win enough to be considered.