This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
After a plucky victory in the Rose Bowl, it doesn't matter that the Utes haven't beaten Oregon State in Corvallis since joining the Pac-12, or that they've only once won consecutive Pac-12 road games, or that they've never had a winning Pac-12 record.
They're favorites in spite of all that.
The No. 20 Utes have risen higher in the nation's estimation than they did after beating No. 5 Stanford last season, or after winning five of their last six to end their debut Pac-12 campaign.
Thursday night, at 8 p.m. MT, they are expected to prevail in the type of game that, in past years, they have not. If they're worthy now, we'll know it.
Time, Place and [Radio Waves In] Space • Kickoff is 8 p.m. (MT) Thursday at Reser Stadium in Corvallis, Ore., onetime home town to Linus Pauling, Jon Krakauer and Randy Couture. The game will be televised on Fox Sports 2, KMYU and on several Pac-12 Networks feeds and aired on the radio by ESPN 700.
The Set-Up • Utah takes the field with a lot of things going for it. Foremost: Likely the nation's best pass rush and special teams at the midway point of the season. Oregon State is no featherweight, though, and in fact opened the week as a 1.5-point favorite before the line swung Utah's way (-2.5, as of Wednesday evening). Mike Riley's team features a fairly stout defense and a quarterback, in Sean Mannion, who tore Utah's secondary asunder last season. It feels trite to say each week that we will learn about this Utah team during its latest test — but after the Utes surprised in Pasadena, it will take a similarly complete game for them to deliver what most seem to expect in Corvallis. Should they ace the front-runner role, they'll be one win away from bowl eligibility with six chances to get there, and they'll be in the thick of the Pac-12 South title race.
Opposing Coach • Mike Riley was a Corvallis High quarterback, and in 13 seasons he's made Oregon State a model of what a mid-market team might hope to accomplish in the Pac-12. Since the start of his second stint with the Beavers, in 2003, OSU is 55-43 in conference, 84-60 overall, and has been to eight bowl games (winning six). According to a ESPN poll of his peers, Riley is the second-most underrated coach in the FBS ranks. To boot, he comes across as a nicer guy than a college football coach has any business being.
Utah Ties • Riley's predecessor is none other than Utah running backs coach Dennis Erickson, who parlayed a 21-17 run with the Beavers into a head coaching gig with the San Francisco 49ers. Oregon State's roster also features four former Utah preps: Skyline defensive tackle Siale Hautau, Fremont defensive end Luke Hollingsworth and Bingham defensive end Baker Pritchard and tight end Iona Pritchard. Hautau and Hollingsworth are likeliest to make an impact Thursday night — both listed as starters on the depth chart released Monday. Of Hollingsworth, Riley said Tuesday: "He's going to be in a more prominent role going forward." Mannion and Utah junior quarterback Travis Wilson are also pals from their time together at summer quarterback camps.
Pregame Quotable • Senior cornerback Eric Rowe, on Mannion: "People are like 'Oh, he's just a pocket passer' — he's a deadly pocket passer."
Media Guide Nugget • Oregon State has won 108 games — third-most in the Pac-12 behind USC and Oregon — since the turn of the millennium. The Beavers had not won 100 games combined in the previous 33 seasons. Like Utah, 2014 marks a 50-year anniversary since one of the Beavers' biggest 20th-century splashes. In Utah's case, it was the 1964 Liberty Bowl. For Oregon State, it was their last trip to the Rose Bowl, which they lost 34-7 to Michigan.
Telling Stat • Mannion requires just 588 yards to break the Pac-12 career passing record currently owned by Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Matt Barkley. With just 79, he'll pass Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer.
Beavers Offensive Outlook • Without Brandin Cooks — now a receiver for the New Orleans Saints — and with struggles on the offensive line, the Beavers have not been the passing game powerhouse they were in 2013. But Oregon State leads the Pac-12 in time of possession (33:45) and has scored on nine of 15 drives this season that began inside its own 20. They also rank fourth in the Pac-12 in red zone offense. So while Mannion isn't setting the world ablaze, they have moved the ball well enough to manage the game, and much of that is due to the effectiveness of running backs Terron Ward and Storm Woods — who have mirror-image stat lines of 59 carries and 5.8 yards per carry. Last year, OSU didn't accumulate this many rushing yards until the fourth quarter of the 11th game. Still, the Beavers are just 101st in total rushing offense. They pass to set up the run, and that's a tall order with leaky pass protection against a team that leads the nation in sacks per game (5.6).
Beavers Defensive Outlook • Whether Utah starts Kendal Thompson or Travis Wilson, is it going to dramatically alter the approach of longtime defensive coordinator Mark Banker? Probably not. Neither quarterback has prolific passing numbers, and with the Beavers ranked 10th nationally in passing efficiency defense and having picked off 25 passes since the start of last season, they have to like their chances against either thrower. Corner Steven Nelson and strong safety Ryan Murphy are honorable mention all-conference players, and free safety Tyrequek Zimmerman has two interceptions this season. Also, fifth-year senior defensive linebacker Michael Doctor has been a thorn in Utah's backside, recording 10 tackles and an interception in 2012 and 1.5 sacks in 2011. But the Beavers have been more porous against the rush, allowing 132.6 yards per game, and the Utes rushed for 260 yards last season using the read-option that Thompson and junior Devontae Booker ran to perfection against the Bruins.
Beavers Special Teams Outlook • Utah gets a dose of its own medicine. Oregon State presents some threats at kick returner (Murphy: 33-yard average, one touchdown), punt returner (Victor Bolden: four returns, 44 yards) and kicker (between them, Trevor Romaine and Garrett Owens have been perfect since Owens missed twice against Oregon State in the opener). Their punt coverage has been somewhat suspect, though, allowing 60 yards on seven returns.
Required Reading
• Notes: Senior free safety Tevin Carter, a revelation thus far in 2014, is "up in the air" for Thursday, said Kyle Whittingham.
• Utah's special teams are as "good as they've ever been" in their first year directly under head coach Kyle Whittingham.
• The latest depth chart, released Thursday, reveals changes at wideout and on the defensive line — but not the O-line.
• Notes: Redshirt freshman right guard Salesi Uhatafe was "a big-time plus" in his first career start, against UCLA.
Injury report • The Utes will still be without linebackers Jason Whittingham (wrist) and Jacoby Hale (knee), and senior free safety Tevin Carter's status is in doubt due to an undisclosed injury. Oregon State is without center Isaac Seumalo, who Riley did not expect Tuesday to return anytime soon, and transfer defensive tackle Kyle Peko is "doubtful," Riley told The Oregonian, due to academic issues.
Three Big Questions
1. Will Utah's offense be on its own for once? • Utah has gotten a special teams or defensive score in four of five games this season. Twice, they've been spotted 14. Take that out, and their scoring average dips from 39.6 to 31.2. Against Michigan, Washington State and UCLA, the offense alone has scored just 18.3 points per game, and yet Utah has wound up 2-1 in those games. In Corvallis, 18 is not likely to get it done.
2. Will Utah's quarterback perform well enough to secure the job going forward? • He'd better, because next up are five ranked opponents in five consecutive weeks. That's probably going to be plenty hard without a quarterback battle and all the accompanying hubbub those cause. The smart money seems to be on Thompson to get the start, and if he replicates the success he had in Pasadena, Utah can cater more to him with its offensive game plan and its practice reps.
3. Will the poor Tribune beat reporters make deadline? • It's kind of you to express that concern. No, probably not.
— Matthew Piper
Twitter: @matthew_piper