Why am I so scared about this game?

[89ute]

I’m usually sky high about the chances of Ute victory, any time, any place. I honestly thought we would curb stomp Cal and was very surprised at their defense and the mediocrity of our offense. I plopped myself down in my seat in RES expecting to sit back, relax and watch us bloody Goff’s nose. Not so much.

Anyway, I’m on pins and needles with this one. Probably because we haven’t beaten them.

After watching ASU get blown off the field by Texas A&M, I was licking my chops. Especially how Texas A&M defensive end Myles Garrett feasted on the ASU offense. Here’s a rundown of his performance that night by Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports:

“Garrett was unblockable. He had two sacks, 2.5 TFLs, a forced fumble and three QB hurries. He also forced one holding flag. More importantly, he often drew double-teams, and on at least a couple of occasions he drew triple-teams. His relentless presence and ridiculous get-off, repeatedly looking like he jumped the snap count, kept ASU’s strong-armed QB Mike Bercovici off balance and also enabled fellow A&M DE Daeshon Hall to notch four sacks on the night.”

After seeing this, I easily imagined our four deep DEs doing the same thing. There is no reason to think they can’t. Is this dude better than our DEs?

Next, ASU goes on to struggle against two cream puffs. They were tied with Cal Poly midway through the fourth quarter and led New Mexico by only 3-0 in the final minute of the first half. Then drunk Sark kicked the snot out of them in Tempe. By this time, I had moved ASU down around the level of CU and OSU as far as games I’m worried about.

ASU roars back against UCLA. This impressed me, but after watching the Stanford woodsheding, and remembering the struggle with BYU-P, this win might be fool’s gold. ASU went on to clobber CU, but this might be nothing more than what any 500 level Pac-12 team can and probably will do to CU.

So why am I scared?

We should dominate both sides of the line and we have more talent. We have beaten some very good teams and we are home with one of the rowdiest crowds in the country.

Am I having trouble accepting that we might be one of the best, if not the best team in the Pac with the chance to go further?

This game is so incredibly huge. A chance to be in total control of the south. Maybe the pressure is getting to me.

There is nothing ASU has done this year that should make me think they can win at RES.

I’m still nervous.

[Tony (admin)]

The reason is that they have OWNED us ever since we joined the league. We’ve been big time outcoached and they’ve made us look pretty bad.

It’s time to turn the tables.

[Puget Ute]

They got UCLA after Myles Jack was out for the season and missing a few other important players. They forced Rosen to make a bunch of Freshman mistakes. And yet they only won by 6 points (UCLA gifted them a field position Safety and a long TD run while attempting to strip the ball). UCLA is not the same team they were at the start of the year.

We should win this game going away. The numbers somehow show this as the easiest 4th-toughest game remaining on the schedule after Oregon State and Colorado, far behind UW, USC, and even UCLA.

And yet I am still nervous about it. It could be a classic trap game. I will be happy to see if Whitt can work some magic.

[Anonymous]

Yeah on paper this is a lot like the Cal game. Utah will control the line of scrimmage and force Bercowhatever into bad throws or decisions. Cal’s oline was garbage I think ASU’s line is much better. It will be interesting to see if Utah’s defense can get pressure with four man rush.

Still saying Utah should win by two touchdowns.

Anyone hear if Carter is a go for this game?

[89ute]

Didn’t know Carter was questionable. I remember him coming out of the game a time or two. Do you know why Carter is questionable?

[Anonymous]

I just heard he was hurting again. But I think Thomas or Boobie said he will tough it out. Kid knows it is his last chance to put enough on film for the NFL scouts.

[THEeyepatch]

You have to bring your ‘A’ game every week in the Pac-12, every team is more than capable of beating you. Utah is currently in the ‘meat’ of their schedule and the way ASU has looked — albeit a bad Colorado and overrated UCLA — the past couple of weeks, they have a good chance of beating Utah.

I do feel that this is Utah’s TRAP-GAME but I also have said Utah wouldn’t have any ‘WTF’ games this season now the Sitake is gone. I see that the line as dropped to -4.5 which doesn’t bode well. Whittingham will have this team ready and I just have to wonder… is Utah going to break out the playbook or does Whittingham feel that the Utes will be able to beat ASU playing “vanilla”? We’ll see? Expect another grinder, edge-of-your-seat slugfest. Life in the BIG LEAGUES.

IT’S UTAH GAME DAY!

GO UTES!

[Jumpmasterute]

I’m hoping for an edge of your seat game… Kinda like the Oregon game.

[Author]

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