facebook-pixel

Sliding Utes in for one more fight to ensure a bowl berth — and Colorado is in the same boat

(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Utes defensive back Chase Hansen (22) dives at Stanford Cardinal tight end Dalton Schultz (9) as the University of Utah hosts Stanford, NCAA football at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City Saturday October 7, 2017. At left is Utah Utes defensive back Corrion Ballard (15).

Chase Hansen’s takeaway lesson from the at-times frustrating, too-often disappointing, and in a few instances, completely heart-wrenching 2017 season thus far?

“Fighter’s fight,” Utah’s starting junior strong safety said, “regardless of the position you’re put in, regardless of if you’re winning or losing. You come back, you work hard and you go out on Saturday, and you fight some more.”

The next fight? Colorado.

This is the backs-against-the-wall bowl.

The win-and-have-a-few-more-weeks bowl.

The lose-and-wait-until-next-year bowl.

And, ultimately, the fighter’s-fight-bowl.

Utah, like Hansen explained, has no choice but to try to find its footing and prep for one more battle to ensure the 2017 season that began 4-0 and featured a top-20 national ranking doesn’t go down as one of the worst final two months of a season in recent memory. The Utes have lost six of their last seven since that ranking.

But they’re not alone.

The Colorado Buffaloes ride into Rice-Eccles Stadium on Saturday evening in a similar spot. The Buffs have lost six of their last eight, and like the Utes, are 5-6 and in need of one win to ensure bowl eligibility and avoid the immediacy of a season gone sideways.

Colorado coach Mike MacIntyre says that element certainly adds to the hype of the regular-season finale.

“I think it does because both teams are playing for the same thing,” he said. “It’s not like one of them’s already clinched.”

And this cap to the year historically has been a tight affair.

The average margin of victory in the last six games is five points since the two programs entered the Pac-12 Conference in 2011. No game has been decided by more than a touchdown. Utah is currently 4-2 in the series. The contests have been nail-biters for six straight seasons, but it doesn’t qualify as a rivalry game in the opinion of Utah coach Kyle Whittingham.

“I get this question every single year, and I have had the same answer for several years,” he said. “I answer with the feeling that a rivalry typically has some bad blood in it, some ill feelings, and there’s none of that with Colorado.”

The Utes and Buffaloes are, as senior defensive tackle Lowell Lotulelei said, “in the same boat” in 2017. Both programs came off strong seasons in 2016 but lost a mass of talent to the NFL and graduation.

“But they still got some players there that are still keeping the ball rolling,” he said.

And Colorado’s seniors, like the 22 Utah has, don’t want their final night of college football to end in Salt Lake City.

“I know over there those seniors thinking the exact same thing,” Lotulelei said. “They just want to get to a bowl game and finish out their career. I know it’ll be a tough game and they’re going to come out to play.”

Colorado running back Phillip Lindsay, recently named a Doak Walker Award finalist, is fourth in the country in total rushing yards (1,402) and has 13 rushing touchdowns this year. Lindsay, the focal point of Colorado’s offense, also leads the country in rushing attempts with 283 in 11 games.

Sophomore quarterback Steven Montez has thrown for 2,780 yards, 18 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 2017.

Hansen said while the Buffaloes don’t have the talent they had a year ago, they’re going to test the Utes.

And he said the stakes of the game Saturday night have him motivated.

“As far as the fans go, who knows how they feel about it,” Hansen said. “But for us and for [Colorado], I’m sure we want to finish our season strong, and that’s what we’re focused on.”

COLORADO AT UTAH <br>At Rice-Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City <br>Kickoff • 8 p.m. Saturday <br>TV • FS1 <br>Radio • 700 AM, Sirius 93/XM 197; Internet 959 <br>Records • Utah 5-6, 2-6; Colorado 5-6, 2-6 <br>Series history • Colorado leads all-time series 32-28-3; Utah is 4-2 vs. Colorado since joining Pac-12 <br>About the Buffaloes • Colorado running back Phillip Lindsay, recently named a Doak Walker Award finalist, is fourth in the country in total rushing yards (1,402) and has 13 rushing touchdowns this year. … Lindsay also leads the country in rushing attempts with 283 in 11 games. … Colorado has lost six of its last eight after a 3-0 start to 2017. … The Buffaloes have the 10th rushing defense in the Pac-12, averaging 198.7 yards allowed on the ground per game. … Colorado is coming off its bye week. <br>About the Utes • The 2017 senior class has won three bowl games. … The senior class is 33-17 in the last four years. … There are 22 members of the 2017 senior class. … Center Lo Falemaka is listed as a senior but plans on applying for a medical hardship extension after the season ends. … Sophomore linebacker Donavan Thompson has moved ahead of senior Sunia Tauteoli on the depth chart. … Kicker Matt Gay (Lou Groza) and punter Mitch Wishnowsky (Ray Guy) were named national award finalists this week.