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Despite getting shut out in the first half of a 24-21 victory against USC, and finishing with two, Utah still leads the nation in sacks.
In sacks per game, at five, Utah averages almost a full sack more than No. 2 Washington (4.25), and senior defensive end Nate Orchard (with 11) and Hunter Dimick (with seven) are both among the nation's sack leaders.
Simply put, said Utah defensive line coach Ilaisa Tuiaki: USC has good football players.
"I thought their scheme worked perfect against what we do, and it's just the way it is," he said. "Somebody's got to show up one week, and secondary did a little bit more than we did, and so it was a good team effort."
And partly, said redshirt freshman Filipo Mokofisi, the numbers may have dipped because Utah has earned opponents' respect, and the max protection blocking schemes that come with it.
Mokofisi expects Arizona State's offensive linemen to be, on the whole, a little smaller than USC's (none of their starters or backups are listed at more than 306 pounds), but "they're technically sound and they know how to use their hands and their feet."
"I think we match up pretty good against their offense. It's a lot of running, and we're a good run defense, so I'm looking forward to it."
And while Arizona State averages 489 yards of total offense, the Sun Devils have allowed 18 sacks in seven games, a per game rate that ranks 98th.So keep the T-shirts in your rotation, for now.
Injury report, or lack of one • Junior center Siaosi Aiono, senior free safety Eric Rowe and junior linebacker Jared Norris all left Saturday's game for periods of time. By Tuesday, there was buzz about another offensive starter being injured.
As usual, head coach Kyle Whittingham preferred not to talk about non-season-ending injuries, but asked if any fell into the category of season-ending, he didn't exactly set fans at ease.
"Don't know at this point in time. May have something to say tomorrow."
The status of senior free safety Tevin Carter remains unknown (Whittingham bristled at the perceived assumption that he was out during Monday's press conference), and no firm return date is known for junior linebacker Jason Whittingham.
"It was a physical game," against USC, Whittingham said. "They're a physical team, USC is, and we definitely took bumps and bruises, but we've just got to move forward and keep going."
Playoffs? • In the race for the first-ever College Football Playoff, the Utah football team now knows where it stands.
That would be No. 17.
The 6-1 Utes, ranked No. 18 in the latest AP poll, are positioned behind 16 others in the first CFP poll released Tuesday afternoon by the 12-member playoff committee. The poll will ultimately decide the four teams that play for the national championship, as well as the other eight teams that will play in the biggest postseason bowls.
Utah will play the three Pac-12 teams ranked ahead of it before the season is out: No. 5 Oregon, No. 12 Arizona and this week's game against No. 14 Arizona State. There's still time to move up as long as the Utes keep winning, but a loss likely knocks them out of place for big-time stakes in January.
At this point, Whittingham views the poll as a sign that his players are being taken seriously rather than worrying about where Utah winds up in the long run.
"It's good recognition for our players," he said. "It's recognition for what they've been able to accomplish so far this year."
Star treatment • You want attention? Just try rushing for 665 yards and six touchdowns in four games. You'll get it.
Well, at least Devontae Booker has been. While the junior running back is the darling of Utah fans everywhere for the life he's pumped into the running game, he said he's getting all kinds of fanfare on a personal level.
"It's like everybody, every week, it's ridiculous," he said. "Everybody wants to watch me play, just hitting me up out of nowhere. Bam, like cousins, friends, everybody is coming out of the woodwork."
The Sacramento native said the Stanford game is already becoming a popular affair in his hometown, with a lot of friends and family hitting him up for tickets.
Oh right, one game at a time.
Against Arizona State, Booker is in the hunt for a big day, as the Sun Devils are the Pac-12's 11th-best team against the run this year.
Todd Graham said Tuesday he's been impressed with his defense's improvement: They've allowed only 10 points in each of the last two games, and Stanford and Washington managed a combined 227 yards on the ground.
"We've got a good gameplan coming in," Booker said. "They said their defense held opposing offenses to not as many points, but not with our offense. I don't believe that."
Twitter: @matthew_piper and @kylegoon —
No. 18 Utah at No. 15 Arizona St.
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Saturday, 8 p.m.
TV • FS1