NCAAF Game Preview - Utah at Washington
Sat Nov 18, 2017 10:30 PM EST

Mer
0
Bama
56
F
UVA
28
MiaFL
44
F
Okla
41
Kans
3
F
Cit
3
Clem
61
F
Mich
10
Wisc
24
F
ULMon
14
Aub
42
F
KY
13
UGA
42
F
Ill
14
OSU
52
F
Navy
17
ND
24
F
K St
45
OkSt
40
F
TCU
27
TxTch
3
F
UCLA
23
USC
28
F
Neb
44
PSU
56
F
UCF
45
Temp
19
F
Utah
30
Wash
33
F
MissSt
28
Ark
21
F
SMU
45
Mem
66
F
Cal
14
Stan
17
F
LSU
30
Tenn
10
F
MD
7
MSU
17
F
Tuls
20
SoFL
27
F
Tex
28
WVU
14
F
NCSt
24
Wake
30
F
C Mi
42
Kent
23
F
Ohio
34
Akr
37
F
WestMI
31
NIU
35
F
E Mi
27
MiaOH
24
F
Toled
66
BGSU
37
F
Buff
40
Ball
24
F
TnSt
6
JacSt
36
F
MidTN
38
W Ky
41
F(2OT)
UNLV
38
NM
35
F
Cin
20
ECU
48
F
Lib
19
ChaSo
20
F
JMU
31
Elon
3
F
MIN
0
NW
39
F
Rut
0
Ind
41
F
DelSt
6
FlaSt
77
F
Pitt
14
VaTec
20
F
Fres
13
Wyo
7
F
HBU
33
SamHu
53
F
Rice
21
OD
24
F
IASt
23
Bayl
13
F
Hawaii
0
UtSt
38
F
TxSt
12
ArkSt
30
F
SoAl
0
GaSo
52
F
AzSt
40
OreSt
24
F
LT
42
UTEP
21
F
UMass
16
BYU
10
F
UNCC
21
SMiss
66
F
WCU
10
UNC
65
F
SJSU
14
ColSt
42
F
Purd
24
Iowa
15
F
Syr
10
Lou
56
F
GATec
20
Duke
43
F
Hou
17
Tul
20
F
Wof
10
SCar
31
F
UAB
7
Fla
36
F
CoCar
13
Idaho
7
F
NMS
34
ULLaf
47
F
Army
49
NorTx
52
F
Ariz
28
Oreg
48
F
Marsh
7
UTSA
9
F
TxAM
31
Miss
24
F
FLInt
24
FlAtl
52
F
BC
39
UConn
16
F
MIZ
45
Vand
17
F
AF
19
Boise
44
F
NEV
23
SDSU
42
F
BGSU
31
E Mi
34
F
MiaOH
28
Ball
7
F
Kent
14
Akr
24
F
No. 18 Washington sets sights on Utah, Pac-12 North title
Thu Nov 16, 2017 1:13 PM

Washington has been eliminated from College Football Playoff consideration after checking in at No. 18 in Tuesday's latest rankings.

In fact, the Huskies aren't even favorites to win the Pac-12 North.

The Huskies (8-2, 5-2) are part of a three-team battle to win the North Division after Friday's costly loss to Stanford. So there truly isn't a reason to use the P-word as Washington prepares for Saturday's home game against Utah.

"Well, we never talk about the playoffs. Ever. So that's not even a discussion," Washington coach Chris Petersen said at a press conference. "We just play. We got two more games and we're focused on the next one. So two good teams coming and we'll see what happens after this next week.

"It's just about one week and if we start looking about championships and all that, your focus isn't right."

Stanford and Washington State are in better position to claim the North's berth in the Pac-12 title game than the Huskies. Washington State is the frontrunner and would claim the spot with two wins, one which would be over Washington in the annual Apple Cup.

Petersen was told a Stanford loss to California this weekend would help his team's chances and he quickly put a stop to the line of questioning.

"It doesn't matter what happens (in that game)," Petersen said. "We have no say over that. All we can control is playing as hard as we can. Let's play this week, let's get to the following week. These will be two really tough games and I know this: We'll feel really good about ourselves if we can get that done."

Utah is interested in playing spoilers but it has problems of its own. The Utes (5-5, 2-5) have dropped five of six games since a 4-0 start.

The residue of last Saturday's 33-25 loss to Washington State is hard to shake. Utah committed seven turnovers (four interceptions, three fumbles) that led to 23 Cougars' points.

"Can't win a football game when you turn the ball over seven times," Whittingham said. "That is the obvious takeaway."

Just as apparent is that the Utes traditionally have trouble with the Huskies. Utah is 1-9 all-time against Washington and catch the Huskies coming off a bitter setback.

"They will be an angry football team," Whittingham said. "We've got our work cut out for us. They are a talented team, they are strong in all three phases. They have probably the best punt returner (Dante Pettis) in the country, possibly the best of all time."

Pettis averages a national-leading 21.7 yards per punt return and has returned four for scores this season. He set the NCAA career mark of nine earlier this month, and one of those came in last season's meeting when his 58-yard return provided the winning points in Washington's 31-24 victory over the Utes.

Pettis also leads the squad with 54 catches for 612 yards and seven scores, but Washington's passing game hasn't been all that ferocious. Junior quarterback Jake Browning hasn't thrown a touchdown pass in three of the past four games despite being tied with Keith Price (75 from 2010-13) for the school's all-time touchdown passes mark.

The running game is a different matter as junior Myles Gaskin has topped 100 yards in three straight games and five of the past seven. Gaskin, who gained 1,038 yards this season, is tied for the school record of 37 career rushing touchdowns, matching Bishop Sankey (2011-13).

Utah ranks 45th nationally against the run at 143.1 yards per game and allows 24.1 points per game. Kavika Luafatasaga leads the unit with 66 tackles while fellow senior linebacker Sunia Tauteoli has a team-best 10 tackles for losses.

Utes sophomore quarterback Tyler Huntley was intercepted three times in the loss to Washington State one week after throwing four touchdown passes against UCLA. He has passed for 1,953 yards, 13 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

Sophomore running back Zack Moss (772 rushing yards, seven touchdowns) and senior receiver Darren Carrington II (58 receptions for 830 yards and six touchdowns) are enjoying solid campaigns.

The Huskies rank third nationally in pass defense (155.9) despite losing two starting cornerbacks early in the season. Junior defensive tackle Vita Vea is thriving in the trenches with 30 tackles and three sacks.

Washington senior linebacker Azeem Victor was indefinitely suspended after a DUI arrest on Sunday morning. It is the second suspension of the season for the preseason All-American.

The Huskies are focusing on bouncing back as Petersen figures there were a bunch of happy coaches around the Pac-12 to see his club suffer its second loss.

"It's not always going to be a bed of roses," Petersen said. "The gritty teams, they're going to come back right to work. Everybody around the conference is throwing a party that we lost."

Meanwhile, the Utes are aiming for at least one more victory -- they close the regular season with Colorado -- so they can receive an opportunity to build on the program's gaudy 16-4 record in bowl games.

"We are not going to lay down," Utah sophomore receiver Demari Simpkins said. "We will keep fighting and we have another chance to get bowl eligible. That is the goal."

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