Quarterback
Hold nothing against Brian Johnson. He has done his part during his fifth year at the U. His team is 11-0 and one step away from busting the Bowl Championship Series into a thousand tiny smithereens. Many fans have called for Johnson to step up and play the way he did in 2005, but he is not the player he was back then. His 20 touchdowns and nine interceptions are average, but his ability to perform when it matters is what makes Johnson the leader and winner he is known to be. Comparing Johnson to Max Hall is something you just can’t do. Not because Hall is a “better” quarterback8212;he is just in a different system with different cast members. Hall has thrown 34 touchdowns and eight picks this season and has earned 3,424 yards passing. Nationally, people will say Hall is a better quarterback than Johnson, and that might be true, but Johnson possesses something special that not many can come close to.
Edge: Even
Running back
It’s tandem versus tandem. Utah’s Matt Asiata and Darrell Mack against BYU’s Harvey Unga and Fui Vakapuna. Which duo is more productive? Many would argue that Unga is the best overall back out of the crew, while Asiata is the hardest to bring to the ground. That assumption is about spot-on. Asiata has 633 yards on the ground this season and 10 touchdowns. Mack has 493 yards and three touchdowns8212;all of which came against Air Force earlier on in the season. Unga will almost certainly eclipse the 1,000-yard rushing mark against the Utes, considering he comes into the game with 945 yards and eight touchdowns. Vakapuna, often used as the “punch-in” guy, will be used to gain short, crucial yardage against the Utah defense. Mack has yet to be utilized the same way he was last season, and it’s mostly due to Asiata’s emergence this season as a tractor trailer.
Edge: Even
Wide receiver
For BYU, it’s one guy: Austin Collie. Yes, “fourth-and-18” guy. Yes, the guy who brought God into the equation after BYU’s last-minute victory last year. He has a fair share of people enrolled in his hater club, but with his numbers this season, they can’t dispute his talent on the field. The leading receiver in college football, Collie has racked up 1,315 yards this season en route to 15 touchdowns. No doubt he has become Hall’s go-to receiver and a point of emphasis for the Utah defense. The Cougars also have Brian Johnson’s cousin, Michael Reed, a 6-foot-1-inch wideout, who has the ability to make big plays in the air. BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall said tight end Dennis Pitta is a game-time decision, but it seems as if Bronco is just blowing smoke. Utah’s trio of seniors Brent Casteel, Bradon Godfrey and Freddie Brown will relish their last game at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Brown has emerged as Utah’s main wideout with 678 yards and seven touchdowns. Junior David Reed has come on strong the past four games and will be a factor against the undersized BYU secondary.
Edge: Even
Offensive line
Utah’s offensive line is smaller, faster and a bit more athletic. BYU’s front five are monstrous and strong as hell. They devour average defensives, but as the TCU game showcased, speed and athleticism can be an Achilles’ heel of this crew. Jerry Hughes and the rest of the Horned Frogs defense promptly introduced Hall to the turf seven times. Utah had trouble giving up sacks earlier in the season, but has only given up four in the past four games. Robert Conley, Zane Beadles and Dustin Hensel will lead Utah in the most important game of the year. BYU is led by Ray Feinga and freshman Matt Reynolds. Both stand taller than 6-feet-5 and weigh more than 320 lbs. Utah has given up 22 sacks on the year in comparison to BYU’s 17.
Edge: BYU
Defensive line
Last year was the year of Jan Jorgensen. This year, it’s the year of both Paul Kruger and Koa Misi. Utah’s dynamic defensive end duo has led the heralded Ute defense. Kruger has 15.5 tackles for loss, while Misi has 8.5. The depth the Utes suddenly have at defensive tackle is something they will be able to use to their advantage against BYU. Kenape Eliapo has returned to form alongside Greg Newman and Derrick Shelby inside. BYU does still have Jorgensen and left end Brett Denney to attack the quarterback, but the 3-4 defensive formation doesn’t allow for very big numbers from the Cougar front three. Kruger and Misi will look to duplicate what Jerry Hughes did against the Cougars earlier on in the season.
Edge: Utah
Linebacker
The strength of the BYU defense lies within its veteran linebacker corps. Shawn Doman, Matt Bauman and David Nixon are all able-bodied, athletic defenders who have the ability to drop back into coverage and fly on an all-out blitz. Bauman and Nixon are No. 1 and 2 on the team in tackles with 89 and 78, respectively. As for the Utes, if there were a game that the trio of Stevenson Sylvester, Mike Wright and Nai Fotu needed to play mistake-free, this is it. As he’s done so many times this season, Fotu will line up on the line hoping to smack Hall to the ground off the edge. Wright will be the “spy” in the middle who follows the eyes of Hall and picks up coverage across the middle. And finally, Sylvester will be called on often to drop back into coverage to guard the likes of Pitta and tight end Andrew George.
Edge: Even
Secondary
If Utah were to have a far-and-away advantage in this game, it would come in the secondary. Despite the deceiving number of 197.4 yards per game given up through the air, the BYU secondary has had significant problems all year with defending the pass and, more importantly, the spread-offense formation. UNLV’s Omar Clayton and Colorado State’s Billy Farris lit up the Cougar back four and if Johnson has enough time, it could be a very long day for the BYU secondary, who will be undersized against the likes of Brown and Godfrey. It’s safe to say that the Utes have a bit more of a task on their hands with the likes of Collie, Reed and perhaps Pitta. Look for Brice McCain to exert all his energy on going up against the talented Collie, while Sean Smith will be up against Michael Reed. The play of safeties Robert Johnson and Joe Dale will be a huge key for the U defense.
Edge: Utah
Special teams
Both teams have had an average year in the return game. For the Utes, Casteel has cemented himself as the “it” guy for both punts and kickoffs, while BYU’s true freshman O’Neill Chambers has had problems hitting the correct holes to break open a return. The separation between the two comes in the Louie Sakoda category. Sakoda is a far better kicker and punter than BYU’s Mitch Payne and CJ Santiago. With so much at stake, the Cougars must tremble at the thought of Sakoda lining up to seal the deal for the Utes late in the game.
Edge: Utah
Coaching
The last two years have been utter heartbreak for Utah. Does that mean Mendenhall has a coaching edge over Utah? No. Aside from 2004, you would have a hard time finding a scoreline between the two teams that was over 10 points. Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham’s bunch is 11-0, while BYU stands at 10-1. Mendenhall has echoed his opinion that his team will change for no team and will prepare the same way it does every week. The TCU game was a bit of a smack in the mouth, but give the Cougars credit, as they have not rested on their laurels and will not budge. Will Utah force them to? We’ll see.
Edge: Even
Compiled by Chris Kamrani