Quarterback
Although shaky and error-prone at times, BYU quarterback Max Hall has done an admirable job in his sophomore year. His channeling of former Cougar greats has led the team to seven consecutive wins and has put him at the top of the Mountain West Conference in passing yards per game (312.1) and second in passing efficiency (139.9). Hall suffered a slight AC sprain in his right shoulder against Wyoming last week, but is expected to play against the Utes. Meanwhile, Utah quarterback Brian Johnson continues managing games and getting his team wins. Last week against New Mexico, Johnson completed 16 of his 27 passes and led the Utes to a 28-10 win over New Mexico.
Edge — BYU
Running back
Utah’s Darrell Mack hasn’t been quite as effective in the last two weeks, as teams have started to key in on the Utes’ running game. But the junior is still ranked second in the MWC with 107.2 yards per game. On the other side of the field, BYU’s Harvey Unga has proven himself a reliable run option for BYU. Unga has rushed for 909 yards and nine touchdowns on the year. The freshman is also a viable receiving threat out of the backfield, tallying 573 receiving yards and three touchdowns through the air. Fui Vakapuna and Manase Tonga also contribute from the BYU backfield.
Edge — Even
Wide receivers
Bradon Godfrey emerged as Johnson’s go-to guy last week against New Mexico, catching six passes for 77 yards and a touchdown. Speedy senior Derrek Richards still leads the corps with 532 receiving yards this season. Receivers such as Jereme Brooks, Elijah Wesson and Marquis Wilson have combined for more than 300 yards on the ground despite just 48 carries between the three. For the Cougars, Dennis Pitta and Austin Collie have been making Hall’s job easy this year. Pitta leads the team with 693 receiving yards from his tight end position and Collie is BYU’s deep-ball threat, as he averages 16.1 yards per catch and has five touchdowns.
Edge — BYU
Offensive line
How 6-foot-1 Max Hall can even see over the top of his massive offensive line is a mystery of its own. The big boys up front for the Cougars average nearly 6-foot-5, 318 pounds and have cleared the way for the No. 1 offense in the MWC this season (452.9 yards per game). Meanwhile, the Utes’ front five sputtered at times against the Lobos last week, allowing three sacks and clearing the way to 138 total rushing yards.
Edge — BYU
Defensive line
The BYU-Utah matchup features not only two of the best rushing defenses in the conference, but also two of the best pass-rushing defensive ends. Sophomore sensation Jan Jorgensen leads the charge for the Cougars, ranking first in the MWC in sacks (9.0). For the Utes, senior Martail Burnett has recorded seven sacks and 13 tackles for loss. The Cougars rank first in the MWC and 10th in the nation in rush defense, allowing merely 92.2 rushing yards per game. Along the same lines, the Utes have held five of their last six opponents under 100 rushing yards.
Edge — Even
Linebackers
Brady Poppinga’s little brother Kelly is performing admirably in his senior season at the Y, leading the team in tackles per game (8.2) and references to his older brother in The Edge with two. Bryan Kehl and David Nixon have impressed on the outsides, recording three sacks apiece and tallying 71 and 56 tackles, respectively. For the Utes, Stevenson Sylvester continues to rise to the top of the MWC crop at linebacker. Utah has also shown off its depth at the position lately as the talented young hitters Kepa Gaison, Mike Wright and Nai Fotu have filled in well for injured Utes.
Edge — Even
Defensive backs
Although it has its work cut out this week against Max Hall and the potent Cougar offensive attack, Utah’s defensive secondary is right up there with the nation’s elite in pass defense. The Utes rank 10th in the country (180.7 yards per game) and have allowed merely seven passing touchdowns this season. The Cougars have similarly put up impressive numbers despite losing a number of safeties to injury. The latest — and most significant — loss is senior Quinn Gooch. Gooch was the focal point of the secondary before succumbing to a season-ending knee injury.
Edge — Utah
Special teams
“Sweet” Louie Sakoda fell a little bit short on his sole field goal attempt against the Lobos, but still remains one of the best kickers/punters in the country. The junior ranks first in the MWC in yards per punt (44.8) and second in scoring (7.8 points per game). BYU kicking and punting games have been subpar this season, but return specialist Austin Collie is a threat to score whenever he touches the ball.
Edge — Utah
Coaching
BYU’s Bronco Mendenhall and Utah’s Kyle Whittingham will forever be linked after they were both signed to contracts in 2005. Mendenhall had the task of completely turning around a down-and-out BYU program after the Gary Crowton era. Meanwhile, Whittingham had to try to match the standard set by college football coaching guru Urban Meyer. Mendenhall has led the Cougars to a 25-10 record, while Whittingham has led the Utes to a 23-13 record. While the two are eerily similar, Mendenhall has won a conference championship at BYU and has already grabbed at least a share of another one.
Edge — BYU