SALT LAKE CITY-Saturday, No. 11 (in The Associated Press poll) and No. 12 (in the coaches poll), Utah hosts FCS foe Idaho State of the Big Sky Conference at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
The 2-0 Utes will entertain the Bengals, out of Pocatello, Idaho, at 2:15 pm, at a venue where they are 64-24 (.727) under head coach Kyle Whittingham.
The theme for this game is “State of Utah.” Those who attend the Ute Walk on the corner of Guardsman Way and 500 South 2.5 hours prior to kickoff, will receive a flag of the state of Utah.
Should the Utes vanquish the 1-0 Bengals, they would improve to 3-0 for the fifth time in the past six seasons.
Utah is currently 7-0 all-time against Idaho State and 53-12-2 all-time against current members of the Big Sky Conference.
The Utes have netted 58 consecutive sellouts at Rice-Eccles Stadium and are 25-1 in non-conference games since joining the Pac-12 Conference in 2011.
The strength of the Utes remains running the ball (33rd nationally with 227.5 yards per game) and stopping the run (21st nationally at 79.5 yards surrendered per game).
Senior tailback Zack Moss averages 133.5 yards per game on the round, ranking him 8th nationally and his 267 rushing yards overall rank him ninth nationally.
The Utes’ offensive line has also been exemplary as Utah is one of only six schools nationally not to surrender any sacks this season. Furthermore, the Utes have yet to commit any turnovers this season as well.
The Utes rank 62nd nationally in scoring offense at 31.5 points per game and 27th nationally in scoring defense at 14.5 points per game.
The Bengals come into this game having downed NCAA Division II Western Colorado 38-13 September 5 at Holt Arena.
Leading Idaho State to the win over the Mountaineers were junior quarterback Matt Struck (23-41, 402 yards, 4 TD’s/INT), senior tailback Ty Flanagan (22 car, 96 yards) and receivers, junior Tanner Conner (10 rec, 173 yards, 2 TD’s) and senior Michael Dean (8 rec, 163 yards, TD).
Defensively, the Bengals were led by junior linebacker Oshea Trujillo (interception), senior linebacker Luke Holloway (2 sacks), junior defensive lineman Kainoa Fuiava and graduate transfer defensive back Anthony Ricks (a sack apiece).
