It’s a cold, rainy day in Salt Lake City. No. 13 Utah is hosting No. 17 Arizona State in a game with major conference implications. ASU quarterback Jayden Daniels is the talk of the town — high potential, accurate passer, shifty runner — Utah’s defense has a tall task. Surely a high-scoring shootout is in order, right? Not even close.
Daniels, a future Heisman Trophy winner, second overall draft pick and NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, was throttled by Utah’s defense. The superstar in the making finished the game 4/18 passing with 25 yards and an interception, an all-time dismantling by Utah’s defense. So, what did defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley do so well?
Simply put, quarterbacks don’t fare well at Rice-Eccles Stadium, especially those who like to run. Throughout the past six seasons, Utah has flat-out dominated run-heavy quarterbacks at home.
These eight run-heavy quarterbacks combined for an abysmal collective stat line from 2019-2025 at Rice-Eccles Stadium: 42.3% completion, 130.3 yards per game, three touchdowns, six interceptions and an average of four sacks taken per game. Kansas State’s quarterback, Avery Johnson, fits this mold to a tee.
Johnson, a junior from Wichita, Kansas, has had a disappointing 2025 campaign. While his stats haven’t been poor whatsoever, he has struggled mightily when facing highly ranked defenses. Utah is set to be one of the top two defenses Johnson will face this season.
Kansas State will also be playing without its top receiving threat, Jayce Brown. With Johnson’s options limited and Utah’s defense flying around, it is expected to be a long day for Kansas State on the offensive side of the ball.
The question of the game is whether or not Kansas State’s defense can keep up with Utah’s red-hot offense. Offensive coordinator Jason Beck has turned a new page in the historical playbook of Utah football. As a team, the Utes are averaging a strong 41.1 points per game in 2025.
Powered by a top-ranked offensive line and various rushing threats, Utah’s strength is to run the ball. Kansas State’s rushing defense isn’t bad, but it certainly isn’t great either. According to Team Rankings, the Wildcats currently rank as the 76th-best run defense in college football, giving up 157.8 yards per game on the ground.
Utah ranks second in rushing offense this season, averaging 279 yards per game. As 17.5-point favorites, Utah is anticipated to obtain a lead and run the ball, keeping the ball out of Johnson’s hands. If this is how the game plays out, Utah should comfortably take care of business.
Utah fans have more than one team to cheer for on Saturday. A showdown at 6:00 p.m. local time between the BYU Cougars and the Cincinnati Bearcats has major implications for the remainder of Utah’s season.
A Cincinnati win would boost Utah’s odds of competing in the Big 12 Championship Game substantially. While it’s of the utmost importance that Utah wins the remaining games on its schedule, only so much can happen without a little help.
Look for Utah to take home a relatively stress-free win on Saturday, but the real stress comes in games out of the Utes’ control. Go Utes and Go Bearcats!
My Predictions:
Utah: 45
Kansas State: 14
BYU: 27
Cincinnati: 17
