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The stakes in college football don't get much higher than this. No. 5 Utah facing an offensively loaded No. 23 Cal, hyped further by the presence of ESPN's College GameDay and a late start that promises traditional Pac-12 craziness. The Utes, following a 62-20 drubbing of Oregon, sat back last week and watched their ranking soar, now fully in control of their own destiny in the Pac-12 South. The Golden Bears have arguably the best quarterback in the nation and are 5-0 with a Pac-12 North championship a possibility following the Ducks' struggles. Here's a position-by-position look at this week's matchup and which team will have the edge heading into Saturday's game:

Quarterback

Travis Wilson was a revelation against Oregon, shrugging off shoulder pain to gash the Ducks through the air and on the ground. He finished with four touchdowns and 227 yards passing, adding 100 yards rushing and a touchdown in the run game. He spread the ball around well, looking decisive and confident. The Utes don't want him to get into a shootout with Jared Goff this week, but the potential to build on his last game should have Utah fans salivating for the rest of the season.

Jared Goff is the definition of a prototypical quarterback. He's a top NFL draft prospect because of his decision making, size, arm strength, intellect and a long list of other superlatives heaped on him by national pundits. He has the seventh most passing yards in the nation, controls the ninth best passing offense in the nation and has thrown the Golden Bears to the 10th best total offense. Wilson showed moxie against Oregon, but Goff is the clear winner in this matchup.

Edge: Cal

Running back

Wilson led the Utes in rushing against Oregon, but Devontae Booker was no slouch with 98 yards on 22 carries. He hasn't been the force of nature he was last season, but has a good matchup this week against a Cal team that surrenders 137 yards per game to opposing rushers. Utah needs Booker to help grind out some long drives and break off a few big runs to keep Goff off the field and take pressure off Wilson.

Goff gets all the attention, but Cal's reputation for abandoning the run game is highly exaggerated. The Golden Bears average nearly 170 yards per game on the ground and have a potent trio of rushers between Khalfani Muhammad, Vic Enwere and Daniel Lasco. Enwere is the bellcow, carrying the ball 54 times this season for 257 yards and five touchdowns, but Muhammad is the player to watch. The track star, who comes on in relief, has 350 yards on only 39 carries, an average of nine yards per tote. Still, assuming Booker is Booker, the Utes have an edge here.

Edge: Utah

Wide receivers

One of the most promising subplots of the Oregon game was the emergence of Kenneth Scott, whom the Utes struggled to get involved in the passing game the first few weeks of the season. Scott finished with six receptions for 75 yards and a score, opening up more boundary and deep passing options for Wilson. Britain Covey delivered again with three catches for 55 yards and a pair of scores — one from Devontae Booker — and the Utes got Caleb Repp involved with two touchdowns of his own. Utah needs a big game out of several of the receivers to keep up with Cal this week.

Kenny Lawler is Goff's go-to pass catcher, nabbing 27 passes for 399 yards and a staggering eight touchdowns this season. Lawler is third in the Pac-12 in receiving yards per game and leads the league in touchdown catches. Bryce Treggs is another dangerous weapon after catching nine passes for 148 yards and two scores in Cal's last two games. Goff also spreads the ball around well and his receivers are able to freelance a bit more in the confines of Cal's offense. The Golden Bears have an edge in this category.

Edge: Cal

Offensive line

Utah couldn't have asked for much better of a performance from the offensive line. The Utes kept Wilson clean all night, surrendering zero sacks, while opening throwing lanes for him and holes for Booker to dash through. Utah is ranked first in the Pac-12 with only one sack given up this year, but faces a Cal team leading the conference with 18. It will be a good test to see how they hold up.

Cal struggles a bit in pass protection as Goff sometimes holds the ball too long to find an open receiver. The Golden Bears are tied for seventh in the conference with 12 surrendered sacks. The Utes also get Hunter Dimick this week, which should help them keep Goff uncomfortable. However, he also thrives in throwing against the blitz, so it could be a chess game back and forth throughout the game.

Edge: Utah

Defensive line and linebackers

Dimick's return is a huge boost and Utah hit its stride against Oregon, bringing Vernon Adams and Jeff Lockie down a combined five times. It's no secret that the key to success in this game is harassing Cal's offensive line and keeping Goff from having too much time to get the ball downfield. However, the Utes front seven will also have to keep an eye on the running game to keep Muhammad from sneaking out of the backfield for a big gain. This is a tough test, but if Utah can bring Goff down consistently, they'll be in good shape.

Cal is somehow sneakily leading the Pac-12 in sacks with 18. Senior defensive end Kyle Kragen has been a force, leading the team with four sacks and four tackles for loss to go along with 21 tackles. The Golden Bears have 12 players with at least one sack and have recovered an absurd eight fumbles this season for the seventh best turnover margin in the nation. The Utes have more talent on paper, but this is closer than it seems.

Edge: Even

Secondary

Dom Hatfield and Marcus Williams both brought down interceptions against Oregon, giving the Utes seven on the season. Williams leads the Pac-12 with three and the Utes will likely need to generate at least one, if not a few, against Goff to keep Cal from breaking the game open. This is the most crucial matchup of the game to see if Hatfield and company can hang with Lawler and Cal's receiving corps.

The Golden Bears struggle mightily against opposing passers, giving up the third worst yardage total through the air per game. However, they've also been stingy in allowing other teams into the end zone through the air, surrendering only four touchdowns so far this year. The key will be if Scott can get open deep a couple of times and if Covey can win battles consistently underneath. Goff's presence makes this battle too close to call.

Edge: Even

Prediction: Cal's offensive talent will test the Utes in a way that Utah hasn't experienced this season. However, Cal hasn't faced a team with the defensive talent that Utah has. Coupled with a raucous crowd and a well-rested Utah team, the Utes eke this one out 30-28.