Oregon – Utah matchup

[ProudUte]

IMO these are two very similar teams.  Both have a lot of talent but have some serious vulnerabilities.  Both have good offenses and both are run-first.  Both teams have some studs on defense but their defenses have flaws that have cost them.  Both teams are suffering key injuries.

The current point spread is 3 points which indicates that the odds-makers see this game as a toss-up.  We, of course, have the advantage of home field and I think this is big.  I don’t think that either team is capable of dominating the other.

I suspect that this may be a higher scoring game than the (vegas over) of 58.5 because the offense seems to be the strength of both teams.

In the end – I suspect that the team that makes the fewest boneheaded mistakes will win.  We need to avoid personal foul penalties, create turnovers, be much better at special teams.  If we do these things and with the help of our crowd – I predict a Utah win.  If we lose the turnover battle and continue to mess up on special teams – we will lose IMO.

Go Utes!!!

 

[Tony (admin)]

What injuries does Oregon have?

[ProudUte]

I heard that they have seven guys who were out last weekend.  I do not know their names.

[Calgradutedad]

Here’s an article I found from five days ago re Oregon injuries.

Oregon Ducks linebacker Jackson LaDuke nearing return from injury, running back Sean Dollars could be available for postseason
Updated: Nov. 10, 2021, 2:50 p.m. | Published: Nov. 10, 2021, 2:50 p.m.
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By James Crepea | The Oregonian/OregonLive

EUGENE — Oregon expects multiple players who have been out with long-term injuries to return this season, including one as soon as next week.

Weak-side linebacker Jackson LaDuke, who suffered a preseason knee injury, is practicing with the No. 3 Ducks as they prepare to host Washington State on Saturday (7:30 p.m., ESPN) and could make his season debut next week at Utah.

“We think he’s maybe a week out,” Oregon coach Mario Cristobal said. “If you had to list him for this week he’d be questionable. If you had to list him for next week you’d say he’s a go.”

Even if LaDuke, a second-year freshman, returns he’ll likely benefit from the four-game redshirt rule. The Ducks have also gotten strong performances from freshman Jeff Bassa at weak-side linebacker over the past month.

Third-year freshman running back Sean Dollars, who injured his knee during winter conditioning, is “going to be available at some point this year,” Cristobal said. “It could be at the end, it could be in the postseason.”

Having redshirted in 2019, Dollars will lose this year of eligibility unless he petitions to get it back. He had seven carries for 81 yards in 2019 and seven carries for 47 yards last season.

Other long-term injuries for the Ducks that came during the season were to weak-side linebackers Dru Mathis (left knee) and Justin Flowe (right foot) and nickel safety Bennett Williams (broken fibula).

Cristobal confirmed Flowe, who tore his meniscus in the season opener last year and injured his foot in the season opener this year, won’t be back until the spring.

Previously ruled out for the season, but Mathis and Williams are making progress in their recoveries from surgeries. Mathis has been off crutches for several weeks and Williams is still in a boot but no longer using a scooter.

Cristobal left the door open to each of them possibly returning, most likely in the postseason.

“Those are reminders of how significant the type of injuries that we’ve had, the caliber of player that has been lost,” Cristobal said. “At the same time the caliber of next man up mindset our team has had to be able to forge forward.”

[tarheelute]

The coaching staff will address special teams and penalties. My worry is the defense, not that they will be bad, just not good enough – without some preparation and focus this week – which I expect. Oregon has watched the tape of the Utah-Arizona game. If Arizona’s offensive scheme caused mix-ups by the Utah secondary, Oregon may try to do something similar, and with better athletes and coaching.

However, I expect the Arizona game was a wakeup call, and will come out ready. Utah 34, Oregon 31.

[Yergensen]

IMO – the team that wins in the trenches wins this game.  This is how we lost in 2019 and is still the deciding factor in our games against the blue bloods.  Big test for our lines, I hope they’re up for it.

[Crazyforu]

I wouldn’t be shocked, at all, to see Utah rest some guys that are borderline (injury-wise) going into the game on Saturday. Reason being, Utah can lose the game on Saturday, and still meet their goals as far as winning the PAC-12. They can’t though lose the game in Vegas, and still meet their goals.

I have no inside information on this, it wouldn’t shock me though, in the least.

[Italy88]

I would be shocked.

[Mule]

Agreed, I don’t see any way that Witt rests borderline players. I mean OnlyU implied that they will have been prepping for this game for 2 weeks! I think Witt wants revenge for 2019! It starts this week!

[Mule]

Plus, there’s no guarantee that if Oregon goes to the playoff that Utah would get selected for the Rose Bowl. ASU needs to lose at least one more (remember, we would be 8-5 in that scenario, and ASU could be 9-3). We need ASU to lose to OSU this Saturday! Either way, the best bet is to just win!

[Crazyforu]

I also wasn’t saying Utah should lose both and basically fall backwards into the Rose Bowl. I was purely looking at it in terms of getting the most guys healthy that you can, for that game in Vegas. Bottom line, Utah HAS to win the game in Vegas to meet their goals. They can still lose the game this week, and meet their goals. 

I hope that makes sense.

[2008 National Champ]

Your scenario doesn’t make sense in that Utah has not clinched the division yet. Lose to Oregon and you still need to beat Colorado. You may be assuming a win against Colorado but I can guarantee Whitt isn’t.

Beat Oregon and then you can sit anyone you want on the 26th. But you’ve got to get to the championship game before you can worry about winning the championship game.

Heck, it wouldn’t even be the first time that losing to a bad Colorado team would cost Utah the division.,,

[Crazyforu]

That’s fair, I hadn’t seen OnlyU’s post until just barely. We shall see who is available Saturday! 

I am 100% not advocating to sandbag anyone, mine was more around giving guys that might be at 60% more time to heal up. While it sounds like I am probably wrong, was just my opinion.

[AZUteFan]

You aren’t necessarily wrong, especially if we had already locked up the South. But because Utah needs to win one of our last 2 games, we don’t have the luxury of any more “precautionary” decisions, similar to what we saw with Tavion Thomas last week. Might have been a different story had UW beat ASU last week. But the sole focus needs to be getting one more win to wrap up the South.