The Utah rugby team hopes that the leftover taste in its mouth can provide some different results against BYU this time around.
The Utes are headed to Provo to play the Cougars in the second leg of the National Guard Game of the Week on Friday with the hopes of handing the No. 2 team in the country its first loss of the season. BYU thumped the No. 4 Utes 59-15 back on March 7 to win the Wasatch Cup8212;the fourth consecutive time the Cougars have done so. It also gave them an automatic berth into the national playoffs round of 16 to be played later in April.
Although an automatic berth is no longer on the line for the Utes, momentum still is.
Utah will begin trying to qualify for the national playoffs the hard way as it hosts the first two rounds of the Pacific Coast Playoffs in hopes of making it past those two games and into the round of 16.
Aside from restoring confidence, the Utes feel they owe it to themselves to make a better effort against their southern rival.
“We need to execute better under pressure,” said head coach Blake Burdette after the recent loss to BYU. “We know we can play better. It’s just a matter of trusting the system and believing in each other.”
Utah was very much in the game the last time these two teams met, trailing 24-15 at halftime before allowing the Cougars to score 35 unanswered points after the break.
The loss to BYU won’t be the only thing disconcerting about how the Utes’ match up against the Cougars. Utah beat Utah Valley University 38-12 in Provo on March 14. Less than a week later, the Cougars dismantled UVU 106-12. BYU’s average margin of victory this year has been 54.3 points per game and only half of the Cougars’ opponents have scored in double figures.
Utah will also play in-state opponent Weber State this weekend to wrap up regular season play. Utah will host Central Washington8212;the team that defended its home field against the Utes 25-7 on Oct. 178212;for the first round of the Pacific Coast Playoffs at Baliff Field.
The game against BYU is set for 7 p.m. on BYU’s South Field. Ticket prices are $6 for general admission and $2 for students and military. The game will be televised on ESPNU on April 7.