Just realized something about Oklahoma State that has lessened my worries

[22Ute22]

What Orange and Black team did we play on the road last year, that had a very good and experienced O-line, top tier RB, and subpar QB play?

That’s right, Oregon state. They only beat us 21-7 despite us having FCS level QB play and a mountain of injuries besides QB. Additionally, despite DJU being a meh QB, I’d argue he’s significantly better than Bowman, which I think would offset the inexperience we have at safety compared to Vaki and Bishop.

Meanwhile, our QB play will be magnitudes better than it was last year, and our offensive weapons will also be much improved, except for maybe some growing pains on O-line.

[2008 National Champ]

how does the 2021 trip to Oregon State fit into your thesis?

[22Ute22]

Our awful special teams cost us that game. The special teams was pretty damn good last season.

[2008 National Champ]

special teams gave up a 14-19-208-2 passing line to an average QB? or 260 yards on the ground?

[Anfernee]

I still think it’s a tough, close game but what lessens my worries is Oklahoma State’s pass defense was godawful in 2023. Of the P5 teams, only Colorado, Vanderbilt, Cal, and Stanford gave up more yards through the air than the Cowboys. And that was in a conference that prides itself on running the ball.

[2008 National Champ]

They weren’t playing 1980’s option football in 2023.

The PAC was top heavy with 6 of the top 16 passing offenses and then the next best being Oregon State at 51. The Big-12 had 4 of the top 25 and it’s 7th was Iowa State at 49. If you drop to Stanford at 57 (8th Pac) you get 3 more Big 12’s in Houston, Kansas and Kansas State (52, 53, 54).

Depending on where you want to make the cutoff: 40% of the top passing offenses were either Big-12 or Pac-12. 26% of the top 50. 30% of the top 57. No matter how you slice it, Utah is going from the top passing conference to the #2 passing conference and with all of the QB’s that moved on, had the Pac retained it’s structure it would not have been expected to be the top passing conference in 2024.

[Anfernee]

Their pass d sucks. We will have a great throw game. No need to respond with another encyclopedia.

[2008 National Champ]

got it. Utah will improve everywhere you want them to but the teams they play this year will be exactly the same as 2023.

[22Ute22]

That too. Their secondary was completely awful last season, which is good for us since we will probably be a pass first team. The strength of their defense is their front 7, but especially their linebackers.

[Utah]

1- Big 12 defenses are awful. Iowa St was the Big 12’s best defense and they were ranked something like 44th. The P12 had 4 or 5 teams ranked higher.

2- OSU’s QB is incredibly average. So we can completely stack the box and force their QB to beat us and he hasn’t shown he can.

3- OSU’s pass defense is bad.

I’m much, much, much more worried about Arizona.

And after the OSU/Arizona weeks, there are no games I’m worried about.

Except maybe TCU. Maybe. But TCU was really bad last year. Really bad. But I must have ptsd with them…

[22Ute22]

At UCF scares me ngl. It’s a classic trap game. Short week for us and we have to travel all the way across the country against a team that could be sneaky good, or at least good enough to pull of an upset without needing a bunch of luck.

My list of games I terms of worry factor

1) Arizona
2) Oklahoma State
3) UCF
4) Iowa State
5) TCU

[Utah]

If we played them early in the year I’d be more worried. They have a very good starting 22, but still lack P5 depth. Come Nov they could be a paper tiger.

[Knoblocker]

*takes notes*

[Central Coast Ute]

We don’t all agree. Ok St. Will be a tough game for the Utes this year imo. I have them up there with UCF as the two games that worry me the most. A lot of people put AZ at the top, but i’m not worried about the Wildcats at all this year.

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