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Another game, another player lost to injury. That is the way the season has gone for the Utah Utes this year, and Saturday's game at UNLV was no different.
Senior safety Joe Dale , who is fourth on the team with 27 tackles, left in the first half of Saturday's game with a knee injury and didn't return. He is estimated to be out three to four weeks, Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said.
Dale had the interception that clinched Utah's 30-23 win over Air Force in 2008.
Junior Justin Taplin-Ross is penciled in as Dale's replacement, but he won't necessarily be the guy the Utes use, Whittingham said.
"Joe would have been a vital part of the scheme," he said. "We have to make do with the guys we've got and figure out who our best 11 are."
Injury report
Defensive lineman Lei Talamaivao (cracked fibula) and offensive lineman Walter Watts (knee) were expected to play Saturday after missing the last two games but are listed as doubtful, Whittingham said. Receiver/backup running back Shaky Smithson , who didn't play against UNLV because of an ankle injury, should play against Air Force.
Poll talk
The Utes are ranked No. 18 in the first BCS standings.
"It's nice, but there is still a lot of football to be played," Whittingham said. "We have to keep playing so it has no bearing or effect on what we do."
Last season, the
Tsunami aid
The University of Utah Student-athlete Advisory Committee, the Utah Alumni Association and the Polynesian Coaches Association are teaming up for a project called "Project One Hope" during Saturday's game. The groups will collect donations for victims of the recent earthquake and tsunami that devastated the islands of American Samoa, Samoa and Tonga.
Many Utah football players have ties to the islands and some lost family members in the tragedy.
No. 1
Safety Robert Johnson is tied for first nationally for interceptions per game (0.83) after snagging another one against UNLV on Saturday. Johnson also returned a fumble for a touchdown.
