ESPN’s “College GameDay” is headed back to Utah on Oct. 24, and the setup couldn’t be much bigger: unbeaten, 10th-ranked Utah against 14th-ranked Houston in a Big 12 showdown with plenty riding on it.
Utah enters at 6-0 and riding the nation’s longest winning streak at 12, while Houston comes in at 6-1 after knocking off No. 18 Oklahoma State, 35-32, on Saturday. The Utes also have a little extra incentive after watching archrival BYU handle the spotlight on ESPN’s pregame show and then upset Notre Dame.
Those two wins have Utah and BYU pointed toward a potential top-10 clash in Salt Lake City on Nov. 7. But the Utes have to get through Houston first, and after the way they nearly coughed up a game at Colorado, that part of the schedule suddenly matters a lot.
Utah led 13-0 at halftime in Boulder, then watched Colorado score 17 straight second-half points and actually move ahead 17-13 late in the third quarter. The Utes needed to bat down a Hail Mary on the final play to escape with the win. It was a near miss that put them in real danger of becoming one of Week 7’s upset victims.
So what has to change against Houston? The checklist is simple.
First, Utah has to stay locked in on Houston and not drift toward No. 2 BYU, even if that matchup is already looming large. There’s also a road date at 4-2 Cincinnati on Halloween night waiting down the line.
Second, the Utes need to keep this from turning into a track meet. Houston averages 39.3 points per game and brings a lot more firepower than Colorado, so Utah cannot afford a fourth-quarter shootout or a parade of big plays.
Third, and maybe most importantly, Utah has to put together a complete game. The second-half fade against Colorado was the most jarring part of that win, and the Utes simply can’t afford another stretch like that against a Cougar offense that has already shown it can punch back.
Rice-Eccles Stadium should help there. Utah has won eight straight at home, and the noise should keep the Utes focused as they try to protect both their unbeaten record and their place in the national conversation.
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Utah's Tight Escape Raised A Bigger Concern Utes Fans Can't Ignore
Colorados Week 7 trip to Utah ended in a three-point loss, but the bigger takeaway for the Utes was how much the Buffaloes sharpened as the game wore on. After a rough start, Colorados defense settled in and made life difficult for Devon Dampier, limiting his rushing impact and keeping steady pressure on the Utah quarterback while the offense found a better rhythm in the second half.
Isaac Wilson remains a source of frustration because of the turnovers that have followed him, yet his late-game leadership and playmaking gave Colorado something it can build on. With a few key players expected back from injury in the coming weeks, the Buffaloes have a chance to deepen their rotation and raise their level, which makes the way they finished in Salt Lake City even more important for the bigger picture. [Read more 🡒]
Utahs Undefeated Start Nearly Slipped Away To A Familiar Problem
Utahs unbeaten run came with a tense reminder of how slim the margin can be in conference play, and it was Isaac Wilson who helped make it interesting late. The former Utah quarterback, now at Colorado, spent the night pushing a comeback against his old program and finished with 18 completions for 256 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions in Utahs 27-24 win.
Wilson had extra motivation in the matchup, and Colorado kept chipping away until the game reached the kind of late pressure Utah has seen too often in recent seasons. The Utes survived this one, but only after weathering a final surge that forced them to sweat until the closing moments. [Read more 🡒]
Utah Gets A National Showcase In A Huge Test For The Utes
ESPNs College GameDay setting up on the University of Utah campus says plenty about what Saturday means in Salt Lake City. The Utes are getting a national spotlight ahead of their meeting with Houston at Rice-Eccles Stadium, and it is the kind of stage that comes only when a game carries both immediate stakes and broader attention around the sport.
Utah comes in unbeaten and has already built a profile as one of the more complete teams in the country, while Houston arrives with an offense that can put stress on anyone in the AP Top 25. With two ranked teams in the building and the atmosphere expected to match the moment, this one has the feel of a defining early test for a Utah team trying to prove it belongs in the biggest conversations. [Read more 🡒]