Overlooking Stanford – New Poll

[Tony (admin)]

November 19th is likely the day we find out who will be in the Pac-12 championship game. The Utes are at Oregon and USC is at UCLA. Assuming the Utes beat Stanford of course, the poll question is to rate your confidence level playing Oregon on the road? You can vote in the right column of the website or find the poll via the polls icon in the Home screen of the Ute Hub mobile app.

[EagleMountainUte]

Utah has had problems stopping the rush. Specificly on the edge. Oregon is very good at the rush.  I actually think DTR is better than Nix.

Oregon’s defense is not very good. Better than Zona and Stanford obviously. I think they are comparable to SC as far as strength goes. Which means Utah can score. At the level they did against SC?? That is a lot of other questions.

I think the biggest question is if Rising can spread the ball around and ball out like he did against SC. I think out scoring them is going to be the best way to do it. What I mean is whoever has the last go ahead score wins. Kincaid will not be 100% right away. He may not play at all in fact very premature right now in counting on that. 

Utah’s running back situation is not ideal. I also think Utah’s defense is steadily improving to make 3-4 stops on Oregon. Oregon Oline is no slouch and probably the best Utah will face all year.

Wild card as always is Special Teams. You may see a few touchbacks. You may see Utah spotting 15-20 yards every Oregon possession. This is all obvious observations but I think we are all OVERESTIMATING Oregon and fUCLA defenses.  I really see it as a game Utah can win and then most likely face SC in Vegas.  

 

[ProudUte]

If our offense was healthy – then I think we could be right in that game.  By healthy I include emotional issues.  So, if Cam was 100%, Kuithe and Kincaid were both playing and TT was playing at last year’s level – I think this game would be a toss-up.

We could still win this game.  But, it will take a great defensive effort (holding them to 30 or less) and creating some turnovers.  It is what it is.  IMO, Oregon is a somewhat better team today as we saw in their game against UCLA.  They also have the REVENGE factor.  They were embarrassed twice last year.

Go Utes!!!

 

 

[EagleMountainUte]

TT looked good against Zona. Stanford could be the game that he really shows out but he was running around on special teams hitting guys. 
I also think that emotion of honoring Lowe and Jordan for USC lit some fires in some guys. It changed the trajectory for sure after the fUCLA game. 

[Charlie]

As has been noted, if Rising is out of his brace and can run, and if TT returns to late 2021 form (last Saturday was encouraging), and if Kincaid is playing and making catches – I very much like our chances. We have had several very good teams in the Pac the last few years but none have gone thru the conference undefeated. Oregon is not better than those teams or good enough to be the first. Of the 4 contenders left Oregon is the only one playing a second game with a ranked team that will challenge them.

[PlainsUte]

The versitility of some of the new wildcat packages takes away from the necessity of TT returning to 2021 form, in my opinion.  As a group RB has been performing quite well. 

It is a bit troubling that Cam remains hobbled and if Kincaid comes back he may not be pre-injury Kincade.   If other players like Vele and Yassmin can step into the pressure-relief target role for Cam as Kuithe and Kincade did so well, the Utes oh-fense might still be set.   

Some of big-play defensive lapses, particularly with a mobile QB, create a weakness that has me worried.