Utah faces TCU in clash of former Mountain West foes
Utah quarterback Isaac Wilson, left, throws the football during an NCAA college football game against Arizona, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Salt Lake City, Utah. Credit: AP/Tyler Tate
TCU (3-3, 1-2 Big 12) at Utah (4-2, 1-2), Saturday, 10:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
BetMGM College Football Odds: Utah by 6 1/2.
Series record: Utah leads 5-3
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
Utah looks to snap a two-game losing streak that virtually eliminated the Utes from a shot at claiming a Big 12 title in their first season in the league. They’ll face TCU for the first time since 2010. The Horned Frogs are also reeling, winning just once in their past four games
KEY MATCHUP
Utah’s offense has featured a heavy dose of Micah Bernard this season with the senior running back averaging 112.7 yards per game on the ground. That’s not a welcome sign for a TCU defense struggling to stop the run. The Horned Frogs allow 180.2 rushing yards per game – ranking 15th among Big 12 teams.
SMU running back Brashard Smith (1) races down the sidelines past TCU cornerback JaTravis Broughton (13) during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024, in Dallas. Credit: AP/Smiley N. Pool
PLAYERS TO WATCH
TCU: Senior cornerback JaTravis Broughton will be facing his old team on Saturday. Broughton spent five seasons at Utah, making 29 starts in 47 games with the Utes. He totaled five pass breakups over TCU’s previous three road games this season.
Utah: Isaac Wilson is the Utes starting quarterback going forward after a lower leg injury against Arizona State ended Cam Rising’s season. Wilson has shown flashes of his playmaking potential but has also been erratic. The true freshman has thrown five interceptions and completed only 56% of his pass attempts in three previous starts.
FACTS & FIGURES
Utah leads the Big 12 in first downs defense (13.0), third down conversion defense (26.7%) and time of possession (34:58). … TCU QB Josh Hoover has completed at least 20 passes and thrown at least two touchdown passes over nine straight games, the most by a Big 12 quarterback since 2011. Hoover ranks third nationally in passing yards (2,077) and passing touchdowns (16). … Bernard ranks second in the Big 12 with 6.36 yards per carry. Bernard has had four 100-yard games this season and has accumulated a career-best 676 rushing yards through six games. … TCU and Utah were previously in the Western Athletic Conference (1996-98) and Mountain West Conference (2005-10) together. The Utes went 2-0 against the Horned Frogs in the WAC and they split six meetings in the MWC.
