Tomorrow at 10am local time, the earliest game since I’ve lived in Utah, the 16th ranked Utes are set to host the 17th ranked Red Raiders of Texas Tech in the first meeting between the two programs since 1973.
It should be noted Texas Tech won that game 29-22.
The result is likely to decide the fate of the Big 12, especially with Kansas State’s unforeseen fall from grace. FOX Big Noon Kickoff will broadcast their weekly show live from Rice Eccles Stadium and the eyes of the nation will turn their focus on Salt Lake City for the early slate Saturday.
Entering the season as two of the prohibitive favorites to contend for what will likely be just one playoff spot awarded to the conference, the build up has been usually high for a matchup between two programs who haven’t met in over five decades.
This game provides considerable intrigue for a few reasons.
TTU and Utah are both 3-0 with wins over what some would call cupcake schools. In Utah’s case, UCLA, Cal Poly and Wyoming and in Tech’s, AR-Pine Bluff, Kent State and Oregon State.
As the national rankings indicate at this very moment, neither program will face a ranked opponent for the remainder of the season after this weekend. A win would be a propitious opportunity to keep the wheels turning toward an undefeated regular season.
Another component is the big picture we could be forced to look at come season’s end. Let’s say the loser of this game finishes 11-1 and doesn’t win the Big 12. The national media, the fans and most importantly, the playoff committee (who don’t actually watch any of these west coast games) are going to reminisce on this September weekend and say, “Well, they played one ranked opponent all season and lost, so this conference really isn’t worthy of sending two teams to the College Football Playoff.”
Both of these programs were recognized entering the season as having the most effective offensive and defensive lines in the conference. Utah’s strength in the trenches is part of the program’s identity over the last two decades while Texas Tech has used NIL to buy themselves a defensive front full of NFL talent.
Cody Cambell is a billionaire and the Co-founder & Co-CEO of Double Eagle Energy Holdings, an oil & gas extraction company headquartered in Fort Worth. Why does this matter? Cambell is a fourth-generation alum of TTU and played offensive lineman for the Red Raiders from 2001-2004. He’s got deep pockets and is willing to invest in his alma mater, much like Phil Knight and his involvement at the University of Oregon.
Texas Tech’s edge rushers David Bailey and Romello Height will be central to this game. Bailey, a projected Day 2 draft pick, lines up against Utah tackles Spencer Fano and Caleb Lomu in what should be the biggest test of his career, and the toughest challenge the young Utah tackles will face all season.
Texas Tech’s triple threat at receiver, Reggie Virgil, Caleb Douglas, and Coy Eakin, gives QB Behren Morton multiple deep-ball options and will be the toughest test Utah’s secondary has faced all season. The Utes have a solid back end, but the secondary isn’t the strength of the defense. There is no Clark Phillips or Jaylon Johnson to shadow a single receiver for an entire game. The unit is also thinner than expected with the season-ending loss of Rabbit Evans.
Utah is expected to rely heavily on their tight ends, a wrinkle Texas Tech hasn’t seen this season. Will linebacker Jacob Rodrigues, who spent a full year as Virginia’s quarterback before transferring to Tech, brings a rare combination of football IQ and instinct. Now in his second year linebacker and considered an NFL prospect, Rodrigues will be tasked with limiting the production of Dallen Bentley and JJ Buchanan, who Dampier has leaned on heavily thus far.
Texas Tech has a path to victory if Utah starts slow like they did in Laramie. The Utes have a history of playing up and down to their competition mwanwhile Texas Tech’s defensive and offensive lines represent the toughest fronts Utah will likely face all season. History also suggests Utah can be vulnerable when national shows come to town, with multiple College GameDay losses over the past decade to programs like Oregon, Washington and Cal.
Utah has several advantages that could carry them to a win. They are at home, where the environment will be loud, intense and hostile. Their pro-style defense features some big bodies up front, and Logan Fano could disrupt Texas Tech’s game plan. The Utes also have an elite coaching staff and Whittham has a knack for getting the team up for big games, though it will be interesting to see how they respond without the usual “Utah at night” factor. Quarterback Devon Dampier and his fellow Lobo transfers have carried the offense so far, but they will be tested by a legitimate defense for the first time since facing Auburn last season. Meanwhile, Snowden and Dampier are excellent at setting the tone and could get the rushing attack rolling downhill early.
All told, this should be a compelling matchup. The game will almost certainly be decided by key battles in the trenches, the quarterback-to-receiver connections, and how each defense handles the opponent’s top playmakers. With both teams ranked and the winner likely shaping the Big 12 race, Saturday presents a prime opportunity to make a statement on the national stage.
I predict Utah wins this one 29-23.
My Top 25:
- LSU
- Miami
- Oregon
- Ohio State
- Georgia
- Penn State
- Texas A&M
- Utah
- Illinois
- Florida State
- Illinois
- Tennessee
- Oklahoma
- Ole Miss
- Texas
- Notre Dame
- Iowa State
- Alabama
- Mizzou
- Texas Tech
- Georgia Tech
- Auburn
- Mississippi State
- BYU
- Indiana
Mitchell Linsley
mitchlinsley.com 
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