Predicting the Locals

[UteThunder]

And finally, the University of UTAH:

@ BYU – WIN

vs Northern Illinois – WIN

vs Idaho State – WIN

@ USC – WIN

vs Washington State – WIN

@ Oregon State – WIN

vs Arizona State – WIN

vs California – WIN

@ Washington – LOSS

vs UCLA – WIN

@ Arizona – WIN

vs Colorado – WIN

11-1

 

[UteBacker]

Thunder- I see eye to eye with you more than anyone else on this board, so it thrills me to see you pick us to go 11-1.  I wish I were as optimistic as you, and it could be because I cut my teeth as a Ute fan in the 80’s, but I see at least a loss or two more in there somewhere.

I think we’ll lose at least one game to USC, Wazzou or Arizona St.  That leaves one more loss as our annual WTF game.  I’ll pick us to go 9-3, but that will be good enough to take the South.  We’ll avenge our loss to Washington in the championship game and will go to the Rose Bowl.

But what do I know?   I never saw 2008 coming…

 

[UteThunder]

It’s funny because in my head I have us going 10-2 but as I went through the schedule I just don’t know where that 2nd loss comes from. So, whoever else we lose to aside from Washington would be our WTF loss for me. Then again, maybe we don’t have a WTF loss this year.

[Larry B]

Man, if we can be 8-0 going into Washington, that game has Game Day written all over it. I’d love to predict 11-1 but as UteBacker said, you can almost guarantee there will be at least 1 more loss somewhere. I don’t think it’ll be ASU. I think it’ll either be Washington State or Cal. I don’t know why, but that Cal game scares me a little. It could end up being a 10-7 type game.

I still think 10-2 or 9-3 gets us to the Pac12 Championship.

[Tacoma Ute]

Right now I just wanna end the @USC drought, and of course avoid a blunder in Provo. The Cal and UA games scare me a bit. UW will be favored and I could stomach a loss there easily if we avenged it postseason.

[Dante Guardi]

I see a lot of people talking about the U of A game but as long as Sumlin is coach, he will continue to run that program straight into the ground. Remember he had arguably the best player of this decade and only went 9-3 if i remember correctly. Wazzu and Cal are much scarier games than Arizona. Khalil Tates strong suit is running and our defense will eat him up. JJ Taylor, Arizonas RB has to be one of the most overrated players in the country and their defense is bottom 3 in the pac 12. I have a tough time believing Arizona will beat us cuz the Utes have the upper hand in every single category. Wazzu is much scarier cuz as long as they have a mediocre defense, they will have a year similar to last year (9-3, 10-2) and cal has a scary defense and we play Washington the week after so i wouldnt be surprised if they overlook Cal and focus on UDUB. Just my $0.02

[AlohaUte]

I’m really trying hard to pick 10-2, but I think 11-1 as you have it is the most likely. If we drop a 2nd I think it will either be:

@USC

vs. Wazzu

vs. ASU

vs. Cal

vs. UCLA

I know those are a lot of options, but 4 of those are at home and it gives us the advantage. If any of those home games were on the road, I’d probably pick it to be a loss. I think Cal is the scariest just because they are flying under the radar and have a great defense.

[EagleMountainUte]

We better beat Washington but I like the way you think. 

[Charlie]

I don’t disagree but 11 wins are optimistic. The first key game is @USC, if we win we win the South. I feel we are slightly favored. Second is WSU, in SLC, probably the edge we need to beat Leach. @Washington is the last key game. Likely we are evenly matched, the location is an edge but getting them after Oregon visits and games with USC and Stanford may bring the edge back if they have already taken their lumps. Losing any other game will be an upset. Any game by its self if very winnable, winning one after another is very difficult. 10 and 2 may be most likely, but if we are 8 and 0 going to Washington the next challenge will be in the CCG. The Az schools will not be the problem they have been. I think

[UteBacker]

Wazzou is to Utah as Utah is to Stanford.

 

This is: a total pain in the ass.

[salty-ute]

@ BYU – WIN
vs Northern Illinois – WIN
vs Idaho State – WIN
@ USC – WIN
vs WashingtOn State – WIN
@ Oregon State – WIN
vs Arizona State – WIN
vs California – LOSS
@ Washington – LOSS
vs UCLA – WIN
@ Arizona – WIN
vs Colorado – WIN

10-2