Quarterback
Although his numbers aren’t quite what they used to be, having quarterback Brian Johnson back from injury has been huge for the Utes. The junior rarely makes mistakes and elevates his play when needed. Additionally, freshman quarterback Corbin Louks gives the Utes a legitimate running threat while Johnson continues to mend his ailing shoulder. On the other side of the ball, freshman quarterback Andy Dalton has secured the starting spot and is looking good in his first year. Against Stanford last week, Dalton threw for 344 yards and two touchdowns in a 38-36 comeback win.
Edge: Utah
Running back
The Horned Frogs love spreading their rushing attack around to a bevy of running backs and that actually works to the Utes’ favor. The less the ball is in junior tailback Aaron Brown’s hands, the better off Utah will be. As a freshman in 2005, the shifty tailback rushed the ball 17 times for 163 yards against the Utes. Brown’s production has dropped off this season but still remains a threat. Meanwhile, Utah’s Darrell Mack is quickly becoming the best tailback in the conference. Despite getting significant carries in five games, the junior ranks second in the Mountain West Conference with 107.8 rushing yards per game.
Edge: Utah
Wide receiver
None of the Utes’ coveted “six-pack” has been exactly been jaw dropping to this point in the season, with the receptions being evenly distributed. Bradon Godfrey leads the team with 32 receptions, but running back Darrell Mack has been Johnson’s primary target since returning. For TCU, freshman Ervin Dickerson leads the team with 19 catches for 271 yards and three touchdowns. The Horned Frogs have similarly spread out their air attack, with seven different players catching touchdowns.
Edge: Even
Offensive line
The big boys up front for Utah have proven their worth plenty of times in the past few weeks with a pounding rushing attack. In the past three games, the Utes have averaged almost 230 rushing yards per game and have allowed Johnson to be sacked four times. Freshman Caleb Schlauderhaff took over at left guard for the injured Corey Seiuli four weeks ago and while Seiuli is back again, Schlauderhaff retains the starting position. Conversely, the Horned Frogs have been steady up front all season, averaging 130 rushing yards and allowing 11 sacks in six games.
Edge: Even
Defensive line
This entire section would be devoted to All-American candidate Tommy Blake, but the senior left the team earlier this season for undisclosed reasons. Despite the loss, the Horned Frogs still retain the best defensive end in the conference in Chase Ortiz. The senior has been a wrecking ball for TCU ever since he set foot on campus and currently leads the conference in both sacks (5.0) and tackles for loss (10.5). The Horned Frogs lead the conference in sacks with 19. Meanwhile, the return of defensive tackle Gabe Long has been huge for the Utes’ rush defense. Utah has allowed an average of 44 rushing yards in the past two games.
Edge: TCU
Linebackers
Utah lost a significant member of its senior linebacking trio two weeks ago when Kyle Brady went down with a ruptured Achilles’ tendon. Sophomore Stevenson Sylvester has filled the vacated role well and is second on the team with 42 tackles. On the other side of the ball, the Horned Frogs’ David Hawthorne leads his team from the middle linebacker position with 52 tackles. He is joined by blitz-happy Jason Phillips (5.0 tackles for loss) and drop-back linebacker Robert Henson (two interceptions).
Edge: Even
Secondary
Sean Smith and Brice McCain are quickly gaining a reputation as two of the better cornerbacks in the conference. The ever-confident Smith is on his way to fulfilling his claim of being a “legend,” leading the Utes with four interceptions. But Smith has also taken a few too many chances and has yielded touchdowns. On the other side, McCain is the closest thing to a lock-down corner on the Utes’ roster, giving up very few receptions. Meanwhile, TCU’s ball-hawking safety Steven Coleman has a knack for what opposing quarterbacks are going to do. The junior has three interceptions and five pass break-ups.
Edge: Utah
Special teams
Utah’s “Sweet” Louie Sakoda and TCU’s Derek Wash are the two best punters in the conference, averaging 44.2 and 44.1 yards per punt, respectively. Both teams also boast solid kicking games, with Sakoda hitting 11 of his 12 attempts and the Horned Frogs’ Chris Manfredini hitting nine of 13 kicks. The biggest difference between the two units is any semblance of a return game. TCU has struggled and averages near the bottom of the conference in both kickoff and punt returns, but the Utes’ Brice McCain and Derrek Richards have flourished in their respective return games.
Edge: Utah
Coaching
It will be pretty hard for any anti-Kyle Whittingham or anti-Gary Patterson websites to get their wish of a new coach at the end of this season. Both coaches have dealt with a slew of injuries and have fared admirably to this point. Utah has showed what it was truly capable of twice this season when it upset national powers Louisville and UCLA, but has suffered letdowns against weaker teams. Meanwhile, TCU struggled early in the season, but is improving as the season progresses and plays extremely tough in the fourth quarter. Both teams face a must-win this week as their conference championship hopes are on the line.
Edge: Utah