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SALT LAKE CITY — If this year's edition is anything like last year's matchup, football fans will be in for a real treat as the Utes travel northwest to take on Oregon State Thursday night in Corvallis, Oregon.
The 2013 edition of Utah vs. Oregon State featured a back and forth overtime battle in which the Beavers edged out the Utes 51-48 in Salt Lake.
But things are a bit different this season for the 4-1 Utes, who are off to their best start since 2010 with road wins over Michigan and UCLA.
"We feel we made the most of the bye week and are looking forward to getting back in action this Thursday night against Oregon State in Corvallis," Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham said. "We need to continue taking care of the football offensively and being opportunistic on defense and special teams. The Beavers are also coming off of a bye so both teams will be rested and prepared."
Here are 10 things to know about this week's matchup:
- No. 20/23 Utah (4-1, 1-1 Pac-12) at Oregon State (4-1, 1-1)
- Date: Thursday, Oct. 16
- Time: 7:00 pm PT (8:00 MT)
- Site: Corvallis, Ore.
- Reser Stadium (45,674/FieldTurf)
- TV: FOX Sports 2 (Simulcast on Pac-12 Networks)
- Radio: ESPN700 AM and Sirius 91/XM 91
- Series Record: OSU leads 11-6-1
- Last Meeting: 2013 (OSU 51-48 OT)
Utah trails the series with OSU 11-6-1. The first Pac-12 Conference win in Utah football history was against the Beavers in 2011 — 27-8 in Salt Lake City. Utah has won four of the last seven games, though OSU has won the last two. The Beavers lead 5-1-1 in Corvallis and 5-4 in Salt Lake City. The teams are 1-1 in neutral site games.
- No. 20/23 Utah (4-1, 1-1 Pac-12) plays Oregon State (4-1, 1-1) on Thursday, Oct. 16 in Corvallis, Ore. The game will kick off at 7:00 p.m. PT/8:00 p.m. MT in Reser Stadium and will be televised on FOX Sports 2, as well as simulcast on the Pac-12 Networks national feed. Radio is ESPN700 AM and Sirius 91/XM 91.
- The Utah-OSU football game originally scheduled for a FOX Sports 1 national telecast has been moved to FOX Sports 2 (DirecTV channel 618; Dish channel 397) to accommodate game five of MLB's National League Championship Series. While the Ute game will also be aired on KMYU in Salt Lake (Comcast channel 643 HD/22 SD and satellite channel 12), the Pac-12 Networks will simulcast the game on Pac-12 Network (national feed), Pac-12 Arizona, Pac-12 Mountain and Pac-12 Oregon. The Pac-12 Networks regional carriers, Bay Area, Los Angeles, and Washington will join the football game in progress following the conclusion of previously scheduled programming. The game can also be seen on FOX Sports GO.
- In the latest rankings, Utah moved up four places in the A.P. poll to No. 20 and cracked the USA Today Coaches' poll for the first time since 2010 at No. 23. It is Utah's highest A.P. ranking since Dec. 22, 2010 and its best Coaches' ranking since the final poll of 2010.
- Even with a bye last week, Utah leads the nation in total sacks (28) and sacks per game (5.6) for the second-straight week. Utah also leads the country in tackles for loss per game (10.2) and is third in total TFL (51). Nate Orchard ranks No. 1 nationally in sacks per game (1.7) and is second in total sacks (8.5).
- Utah's first victory over a Pac-12 team as a conference member was against Oregon State in 2011.
- According to the ESPN analytics team, Utah's special teams this season are the best since that of Miami in 2004. ESPN's metrics evaluate everything a special teams unit does, taking into account the context of a play (down and distance, yards from the end zone, clock), as well as "expected points added." Utah's special teams are contributing 7.8 points a game to its scoring margin. Miami's special teams "expected points added" average in 2004 was 8.0 points a game.
- Both Travis Wilson and Kendal Thompson have played in every game for the Utes. The starter for the OSU game will not be revealed until Utah's first offensive series in Corvallis. Wilson has started all five games and is 4-1 this season and 11-10 in his career. Thompson (0-0 as the starter) directed all of the scoring drives in Utah's 30-28 win over UCLA after relieving Wilson on the fourth offensive series of the game.
- Oregon State quarterback Sean Mannion became the 24th passer to reach the 1,000 completions milestone in FBS history last week in a 36-31 win over Colorado.
- Mike Riley is the longest tenured coach in the Pac-12 in his 14th year at OSU; the rest of the league entering the ‘14 season includes Kyle Whittingham, Utah (10 yrs), Steve Sarkisian, UW/USC (6), David Shaw, Stanford (4), Todd Graham, ASU (3), Mike Leach, WSU (3), Rich Rodriguez, Arizona (3), Sonny Dykes, Cal (2), Mark Helfrich, Oregon (2), Mike MacIntyre, Colorado (2) and Chris Peterson, UW (1).
- When a Beaver rushes for 100-plus yards it usually equals a victory for Oregon State. OSU has won 29 of its last 35 games (83%) when a rusher gains 100, including their last win over Colorado (Terron Ward 102 yards).
