10 things to know about Utah vs. No. 5 Stanford

SALT LAKE CITY — While there are no such things as moral victories, there are a lot of positives to build on from the Utes' first two conference losses.

"I think we're knocking at the door," Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham said during Monday's press conference. "We've got to make a few more plays -- that's the short version. When you're close like that, it usually comes down to a play or two or three plays that's the difference, which has been the case in those two games. The opponents have made those plays, and we haven't. We've got to find a way to make those plays."

Unfortunately for the Utes, the task to create those few plays that could change the outcome of the game gets even more difficult as No. 5 Stanford comes into Rice-Eccles Stadium on Saturday.

Here are ten things you need to know to impress your friends in the tailgate lot as we count you down to kickoff:

• Utah (3-2, 0-2 Pac-12) hosts No. 5 Stanford (5-0, 3-0 Pac-12) in Rice-Eccles Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 12 at 4 p.m. MDT. The game will be televised on the Pac-12 Networks. Radio is ESPN700 AM. Satellite radio is Sirius 110/XM 198.

Utah (3-2) vs. No. 5 Stanford (5-0)

• Utah (3-2, 0-2 Pac-12) vs. No. 5 Stanford (5-0, 3-0 Pac-12)
• Date: Saturday, Oct. 12
• Time: 4:00 p.m. MDT
• Site: Rice-Eccles Stadium (45,017/FieldTurf)
• TV: Pac-12 Networks
• Radio: ESPN700, Sirius 110/XM 198
• Series Record: Stanford leads 3-2
• Last Meeting: 1996 (Utah 17-10)

Series Snapshot
Utah and Stanford have never played in a conference game and have not faced each other since Utah beat the Cardinal in 1996 to improve to 2-0 in Palo Alto and 2-3 overall. Neither team has won a home game (the Utes are 0-2 in Salt Lake City). Stanford's series edge came on a win in Berkeley in 1924.

1. Stanford last played in the state in 2003 during an 18-14 victory at BYU. The Cardinal has not played Utah since 1996 (17-10 Utah win), and not on the road since 1995 (27-20 Stanford win).
2. Stanford is the fourth top-five team the Utes have played in the last five seasons. Utah beat No. 4 Alabama in the 2009 Sugar Bowl and lost to No. 4 TCU in 2009 and 2010. Since joining the Pac-12 in 2011, Utah is 0-4 against ranked conference opponents and 1-4 overall (win was against No. 25 BYU in 2012).
3. Stanford enters the weekend with the nation's second-best overall winning streak at 13 games (Ohio State leads all FBS programs with 18 consecutive wins).
4. Utah wide receiver Dres Anderson has four-straight 100-yard games (103 yards vs. Weber State, 101 vs. Oregon State, 141 vs. BYU and 106 vs. UCLA) and he is tied for the national lead in receptions of 50 yards or longer (4). Also, Utah has eight plays of 50 yards or more this season, which is tied for third in the country.
5. Sophomore QB Dallas Lloyd (Pleasant Grove) is the only player on Stanford's roster hailing from Utah, while both schools combine for 60 players from California (30 each).
6. No grey area here - when playing ranked opponents in consecutive games, the Utes have either won both or lost both. Utah lost against back-to-back ranked opponents in 1968 (No. 14 Nebraska and No. 18 Oregon State), 1974 (No. 12 Arizona and No. 15 Arizona State), 1977 (No. 5 Oklahoma and No. 19 Houston) and 1982 (No. 15 ASU and No. 18 Texas). Utah beat back-to-back ranked opponents in 1994 (No. 20 BYU and No. 15 Arizona), and in the 2008 season (No. 16 Brigham Young and No. 4 Alabama).
7. Stanford has yet to allow an opponent to score a first quarter touchdown this season. Through three Pac-12 contests, the Cardinal have allowed just 10 combined first half points.
8. Through the first five games, the Utes are 3-0 when they score first, and 0-2 when the opponent gets in the first punch.
9. With Stanford often holding large leads late in the game, junior QB Kevin Hogan has attempted just five fourth-quarter passes through the first five games of 2013.

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