No. 15 Utah is rolling into Big 12 play with the kind of balance that can make a team feel suffocating.
The Utes have blasted through their first three games at 3-0, outscoring opponents 142-24 and winning by an average of 39.3 points. Now they head to Ames, Iowa, for Saturday’s opener against Iowa State with a formula that has looked sharp on both sides of the ball.
What stands out most about Utah’s start is how thoroughly it has tightened up against the run. The Utes are giving up just 75.0 rushing yards per game, which ranks second among Big 12 teams. That’s a major jump from last season, when Utah allowed 181.2 rushing yards per game and ranked 108th in FBS.
That defensive improvement has only made the offense look even more efficient. Utah is averaging 518.0 total yards per game, good for 11th in FBS and third in the Big 12. The Utes are ninth nationally in scoring offense and lead the conference with 47.3 points per game.
"I like the efficiency from the quarterbacks," Utah coach Morgan Scalley said. "I like the improvement in the defensive run game. I'm very pleased with the effort, the culture showing up on the field, guys blocking downfield."
Devon Dampier has been central to that offensive surge. Utah has scored at least 30 points in an FBS-best nine straight games, and Dampier’s growth as a passer has kept the machine humming. He ranks second in the Big 12 in passer rating at 178.5 and has thrown for 690 yards, seven touchdowns and one interception through three games.
"He's done a lot of work on his own with (quarterbacks coach Ryan) Gunderson (and offensive coordinator Kevin) McGiven on studying this offense and being able to recognize defense," Scalley said.
Iowa State, though, brings a defense that can force Utah to grind for every yard. The Cyclones are 2-1 and have been just as stingy in key areas, allowing only 11.0 points per game and 83.3 rushing yards per contest. They also haven’t given up 100 rushing yards to an opponent in their last four games, dating back to last season.
Offensively, Iowa State has leaned heavily on Aiden Flora. He’s putting together a breakout season, tied for the Big 12 lead with 109.3 rushing yards per game and ranked fourth in yards per rush at 8.6. He’s also making noise as a punt returner, averaging 20.8 yards per return.
The issue for the Cyclones has been the passing game. Jaylen Raynor sits last among Big 12 quarterbacks in passing yards with 434 and second to last in completion percentage at 55.8%. He completed 64.7% of his passes against Bowling Green last week, but the production was modest: 133 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
"We need to be able to pass the ball better than what we did when he was in there," Iowa State coach Jimmy Rogers said. "There's no question about that."
Saturday’s matchup is the seventh all-time meeting between the programs and the first Big 12 game for both. Iowa State leads the series 5-1 and beat Utah 31-28 last season in Utah.
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