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Las Vegas • Saturday, at Sam Boyd Stadium, a stoppable force meets a movable object.

It's as much a key to the game's outcome as any other.

Utah's offense has, in fact, improved of late, averaging 378 yards in the final four games of their Pac-12 slate. And so has Colorado State's defense, conceding 352 and 356 in its past two games after allowing 432 in its first nine.

But it's Las Vegas. Travis Wilson vs. Aaron Davis lacks box office punch. There has to be a main event.

And like anything in Vegas, you can see this one coming from a mile away.

"There's a lot of different things going on, but I guess the headline will be the Colorado State offense against our defense," said Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham on Friday before the Las Vegas Bowl kickoff luncheon.

He guessed right.

Garrett Grayson and Colorado State are not Marcus Mariota and Oregon, but they bear as passing a resemblance as any number of Sin City Elvis wannabes.

While Grayson won't be drafted No. 1 overall, he will likely be drafted, as will senior left tackle Ty Sambrailo. And an NFL future might be in the cards for sophomore Biletnikoff finalist Rashard Higgins and junior Alabama transfer running back Dee Hart, among others.

Whittingham said Friday that Colorado State would be at home in any conference in the nation. For the offensive starters, that isn't lip service. Colorado State is the nation's third-most-efficient passing attack, and the Rams have averaged more than 5 yards per carry on the ground.

Jim McElwain is gone, having accepted Florida's head coaching duties, but the play-calling fell all season to CSU's offensive coordinator and interim head coach Dave Baldwin.

They're fully stocked. They aren't changing. And they're one of the sternest challenges Utah defensive coordinator Kalani Sitake will have faced in a season full of stern challenges.

That Utah's defense is thought a match for this unit can be attributed to three factors: 1. Most years, the statistics back that up, 2. They have a knack for hanging tough in close games, and 3. They have the nation's best pass rush.

Despite all that, the Utes actually rank No. 73 in total defense — allowing 403 yards per game and 433 or more against Colorado, Arizona, Oregon and Arizona State.

The impact of season-ending injuries to junior linebacker Gionni Paul and senior free safety Tevin Carter can't be discounted, but Sitake attributes the eye-popping numbers to momentary lapses and the resulting panic.

"There was nine minutes left in the game against Oregon, the score was 30-27, and you blink, and the thing's 51-27," he said. "And you look at Arizona, it was the same thing. It was about 21-10 with 15 minutes left in the game, and all of a sudden, it was 42-10."

By "lapse," he said, he doesn't mean "lack of effort." Rather the opposite.

"Defensive guys trying to do too much doesn't ever work out."

Maybe an edge rusher saw an opening and decided to go inside to pursue Mariota, who made them pay. Freelancing is fine, Sitake said, "but we freelanced way too much."

The saving grace for Utah may be that aforementioned pass rush. The Utes have 52 sacks, and Sambrailo won't have seen as relentless an edge rusher as Utah senior captain Nate Orchard.

Utah State very nearly upset the Aggies in Fort Collins on the strength of eight sacks, giving Utah a blueprint to follow.

For Utah to continue the bowl success it has enjoyed under Whittingham, who is 7-1, they'll absolutely need to pressure the future NFL quarterback with their nation-best defensive line …

… and they need to move the chains and score touchdowns and punt, kick and return well.

But this town is what it is. And that won't all fit on a marquee.

Twitter: @matthew_piper —

No. 23 Utah vs. Colorado State

P At Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas

Kickoff • Saturday, 1:30 p.m. MT

TV • Ch. 4

Radio • 700 AM

Records • Utah 8-4, 5-4 Pac-12; Colorado State 10-2, 6-2 Mountain West

Series history • Utah leads 52-22-2

Last meeting • Utah 59, Colorado State 6 (Oct. 23, 2010)

About the Utes • Head coach Kyle Whittingham is 7-1 in bowl games, and the Utes are 13-4 all-time. … Senior defensive end Nate Orchard would break John Frank's career record for sacks with three more, and junior running back Devontae Booker needs 169 yards to snap John White IV's single-season rushing record. … After missing time against Colorado, junior linebacker Jared Norris and sophomore defensive end Hunter Dimick are expected to play Saturday.

About the Rams • Colorado State beat the two teams' one common opponent, Colorado, by 10 points more than Utah did. … Senior quarterback Garrett Grayson has passed for 3,779 yards, 32 touchdowns and just six interceptions. … Sophomore wideout Rashard Higgins caught 89 passes for 1,640 yards and 17 touchdowns. … The Rams are led by Dave Baldwin, a former Utah State offensive coordinator who assumed the interim head coach title when Jim McElwain left for Florida.