Utes ready to prove themselves

The No. 16 Utah Utes aren't bothering to characterize today's game against No. 4 TCU like it's any other matchup in the Mountain West as they've done with other big games in the past.

It's kind of hard to sell today's showdown as not being much more than, say, Wyoming, when you've got ESPN's "College GameDay" on hand, TCU's first sellout crowd since 2006 and numerous members of the national media on hand. Nike is even getting into the act, giving the Horned Frogs some new duds to unveil as part of the company's Rivalry Week splash.

"You can tell this is something special," Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said earlier in the week when asked about his team's emotions.

The Utes hope they can channel their amped up emotions into their best game of the season and upset the Horned Frogs.

With the national spotlight, high rankings and MWC title and BCS implications, the hype surrounding today's game has much the feel of Utah's Sugar Bowl game against Alabama.

Then, the 9-point underdog Utah stunned the Tide 31-17.

Today, Utah is a 20-point underdog, giving the Utes the role they've come to embrace.

"That was quite nice of them," linebacker Stevenson Sylvester said of the long odds given the Utes. "It boggles the mind sometimes when you think about it and what people think of our team but we like that. We obviously have something to prove out there."

Those thoughts were echoed by corner Brandon Burton.

"We seem to play harder and better in games like this," he said. "I'm not expecting anything different out of the players."

From the opening moments of the Sugar Bowl it was obvious the Tide had taken the Utes too lightly.

Utah knows it won't catch its conference foe off-guard like that, especially after last year's 13-10 win over the Frogs.

"Oh, for sure," receiver Jereme Brooks said when asked if he thought the Frogs had revenge on their minds. "Those guys can make plays. They're all fast and a well-coached team."

Whittingham has mentioned often this week the Frogs are better this season than they have been at any other time since they joined the MWC in 2005.

Offensively, the Frogs lead the conference in scoring offense (37.4) and total offense (458.6) and quarterback Andy Dalton is second in passing efficiency (162.7). Defensively, the Frogs are tops in scoring defense (11.2) and total defense (240.6) while defensive end Jerry Hughes is regarded as one of the top defenders in the country.

The Frogs also have a scoring threat in punt and kick returner Jeremy Kerley.

"It's the best football team we've faced to this point, no question," Whittingham said. "They're solid in all three phases of the game. There really is no weakness."

The Utes have won their last six games since losing at Oregon 31-24. Since then they've improved enough to make them believe they can compete with the Frogs.

"We have a whole different mentality going," offensive lineman Tony Bergstrom said. "Guys have gotten the offense down more and we're improved. We've gotten our swagger back."

The Utes have steadily improved in all areas and are coming off their best offensive showing in a 45-14 win over New Mexico.

That game was the first collegiate start for quarterback Jordan Wynn, and his inexperience is one of the reasons why the Frogs are favored so heavily, but like his teammates, Wynn said he is ready for the Frogs.

"They are fast everywhere and full of athletes from the defensive ends to the linebackers to the DBs," he said. "I have to take care of the football and hopefully we'll be in it at the end."

Part of the Utes' confidence stems from the fact that no other team has fared better against the Frogs in the MWC than the Utes.

The Utes are 5-1 against the Horned Frogs, with the only loss occurring in 2005 in overtime, 23-20.

The Utes believe they've done so well because they have a speedy team much like the Frogs.

"They are a lot like us," Bergstrom said. "They have a lot of speed and athleticism and they're another team that focuses a lot on effort and they're extremely well coached. That's why it is a good matchup every year."

lwodraska@sltrib.com