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SALT LAKE CITY — Utah (1-0, 0-0 Pac-12) hosts Weber State (1-0, 0-0 Big Sky) on Saturday, Sept. 7 at noon MDT in Rice-Eccles Stadium.
Here are ten things you need to know to impress your friends in the tailgate lot as we count you down to kickoff:
- The game will be televised nationally on the Pac-12 Networks. Utah, which played in the first game ever broadcast on the Pac-12 Networks last year in a win over Northern Colorado, is 3-2 in games televised on that channel.
- Weber State's roster this season includes players from 13 states and Canada. A total of 25 of WSU's roster come from the state of Utah. California is second with 14 players and a total of 13 players are from the state of Florida. Eight players come from Idaho, six from Hawaii, five from Oklahoma and four from Texas. The ‘Cats also have players from Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Louisiana, Nevada, and Washington, as well as one from Alberta, Canada
- Utah is 35-0 against current members of the Big Sky Conference and 3-0 against Weber State. Utah's most recent win over the Wildcats came during its undefeated (13-0) 2008 season.
- Weber State's 50-40 win over Stephen F. Austin Saturday marked the Wildcats' first season-opening win since 2008. The 50 points scored is the most by WSU in regulation also since 2008.
- Utah (1-0, 0-0 Pac-12) vs. Weber State (1-0, 0-0 Big Sky)
- Date: Saturday, Sept. 7, 2013
- Time: 12:00 p.m. MDT
- Site: Rice-Eccles Stadium (45,017/FieldTurf)
- TV: Pac-12 Networks
- Radio: ESPN700
- Series Record: Utah leads 3-0
- Last Meeting: 2008 (37-21)
- Kickoff Weather: Partly cloudy; temps near 90
Utah is 3-0 against Weber State and has outscored the Wildcats 119-44. Utah's most recent win came during its perfect 13-0 season in 2008. The Utes have never played a road game with Weber State.
- Utah co-offensive coordinator Dennis Erickson called plays from the press box for the first time since his last assistant job back in 1981, when he was the offensive coordinator at San Jose State.
- After Weber State's Bo Bolen returned a kickoff 100-yards for a touchdown (becoming the sixth player in WSU history to return a kickoff 100 yards), the Wildcats held a 23-7 lead after the first quarter. Weber State had just 29 points in the first quarter in all of the 2012 season.
- Utah WR Anthony Denham's career-high 113 receiving yards against USU was Utah's first 100-yard receiving game since Oct. 4, 2011 (DeVonte Christopher, 125 yards vs. Washington).
- Utah beat Utah State 30-26 last week for its sixth-straight season-opening win, a streak that began with a 2008 victory at Michigan.
- Utah is 4-1 in games played on September 7 and 2-0 at home. Utah won its first four games on the date before losing in overtime at Utah State last year. Two of those September 7 wins were against Pac-12 schools: Oregon State in 1991 and Stanford in 1996, both on the road.
Utah redshirt freshman kicker Andy Phillips, playing in his first football game at any level against Utah State, made a 45-yard field goal in his first attempt against Utah State. On the subsequent kickoff, he performed a successful onside kick that would lead to a touchdown.
Phillips, who was awarded the game ball after the win, was also 3-of-3 in PATs and kicked off three times — all touchbacks.
Phillips finished 3-of-3 in field goals against USU after making field goals of 19 and 38 yards in the fourth quarter.
