Remaining Schedule

[MDUte]

With the remaining 6 games, here’s what I’m seeing:
OSU (away): trap game
UCLA (home): decides the South for us if we win
Stanford (away): trap game
Arizona (away): gimme win
Oregon (home): toss up
Colorado (home): gimme win
UCLA is the biggest game left on our schedule IMO. We win and I believe the South is locked up. We’ll win against Arizona and Colorado.
But OSU and Stanford are the games that I’m most worried about. They both play like us…physical, balanced, ball control football. Wouldn’t be surprised to see us lose 1 of these.
Hoping for 5-1 but I think 4-2 is most likely. What does everyone else think??

[Italy88]

You the same dude that predicted 4-straight losses? I’d recommend just settling down and enjoying the ride.

[MDUte]

Nope, sorry wrong dude. But thanks for the advice.

[UteBacker]

I was that dude that predicted four straight losses.  That was before the USC game.  Nothing about the way the Utes were playing at that point gave me any confidence that they’d get over the hump in L.A. OR be competitive with Arizona State.  The Utah team that we’ve seen the last couple of weeks is re-energized, focused, mostly mistake-free and they have regained their killer instinct on both sides of the ball.  It was just a prediction based on the season up to that point, so it’s nothing more than one long-time Ute fan’s opinion.

 

Going forward, I think MD has absolutely nailed the rest of the season.  Hoping for 5-1 but seeing 4-2 as being more realistic.

[Larry B]

The only thing that concerns me is that ASU has a pretty favorable schedule going forward. I think it will come down to their game against USC. No one else on their schedule should challenge them. If they beat USC I could still see them winning the South because we could very easily lose 2 more (Oregon and either Stanford or OSU). UCLA still has to play Oregon, Utah and USC. I could see them losing 2 of those, if not all 3.

So, to answer your question, I think we go 4-2 the rest of the way. The South is between us and ASU with it all coming down to who wins ASU/USC.

[alUmnUs]

Realistic take. Utah definitely has the more difficult schedule. Except, ASU at OSU in late November might be an insurance policy for the Utes.

You know, 10 years in and now that we fully understand the nuances and inner-workings of PAC12 play – we should all appreciate any abilities we’ve gained to mentally navigate this game within a game that is “who’s going to win the PAC12 South?”

[MDUte]

In addition to USC, ASU plays Oregon St on the road and Washington St next week at home. I could see them losing any 1 of those 3 games.

With owning the tiebreak against ASU, I think 4-2 would win us the South.

[alUmnUs]

So hard to trust Wazzu on the road.

Late season games in the Northwest are about the best thing you can wish on a South Division nemesis in this league.

[MDUte]

Good point, I agree with you.

[Smack]

Utes go 6-0 and win the division as undefeated champions of the south!

You might wonder about my optimism.

But it’s simple: I never pick against the Utes. 😀

Go UTES!