big to play for — a bowl game. On Saturday, the Utes will be on the road in Pullman, Wash. to face the 5-5 Wazzu Cougars in a do-or-die contest in
which both teams will be vying for the same postseason fate.
It’s been 41 days since Utah last claimed a win, but head coach Kyle Whittingham says there is something the team can do to get back on track.
“Have a séance,” he says jokingly. “No, we just keep swinging. We’re playing quality teams. I’ve said ad nauseum that the level of play in this conference is very high…As bad as we’ve been playing and as tough of a stretch as it’s been, we’ve got two games left, and if we get two wins then we’re in a bowl game potentially.”
The Utes will have their hands full of challenges Saturday. First, they still have yet to wrangle a win outside of Utah this season, and although they thumped the Cougars last season 49-6 at Rice-Eccles Stadium, Washington State is a much better team this year and is coming off of a 24-17 road win over Arizona, a team that handled the Utes with ease.
Secondly, the big, bad news of the week for Utah was losing starting quarterback Travis Wilson to a season-ending head injury that could end his career as well.
Sophomore Adam Schulz will be at the helm for the offense again Saturday, making his second consecutive start. While he lacks experience, Schulz has stepped into his new role with a fair amount of success. Against Oregon last week, he helped keep his team in the game through two-and-a-half quarters with both a rushing and passing touchdown. Whittingham says there is one key to helping out Schulz under center.
“What we can do, number one, is establish a strong run game,” he says. “We didn’t run the football very effectively against Oregon. We had over 100 yards, but I think we only got 2.8 [yards] a carry, and that’s nowhere near efficient enough … That’s the way to protect the quarterback and assist the quarterback, is a strong run game.”
While the Utes will focus on moving the ball on the ground, Washington State will undoubtedly rely on a successful passing game. On the year, the
Cougars have 3,604 yards through the air compared to just 570 rushing yards. Utah safety Eric Rowe is more than convinced he and the rest of Utah’s
defensive backfield can handle Washington State’s throw game.
“I’m confident our corners can play man the whole game,” Rowe says. “There’s been improvement from Oregon State to now. The technique, the footwork, I can tell that everyone is getting better since Oregon State.”
Before the season began, Rowe said the Utes would certainly be bowl eligible by campaign’s end. With only two must-win games remaining for Utah,
his attitude hasn’t changed at all.
“We’re going to a bowl game no matter what it takes,” Rowe says. “We’re going to go up to Pullman and we’re gonna win, then we’re gonna have Colorado
come in here and get the other win, because I’m determined to go to a bowl game. I don’t want to sit at home.”