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SALT LAKE CITY — A year ago, Utah traveled to Tempe, Arizona, with an injury-riddled quarterback in Cam Rising and fell just short against the eventual Big 12 champions. This time, the Utes look for revenge as No. 21 Arizona State visits Rice-Eccles Stadium.
Expect the unexpected
Earlier this week, Arizona State's initial injury report listed quarterback Sam Leavitt as "probable." Leavitt, who has been nursing an ankle injury, was downgraded to "doubtful" Thursday night. Since then, the point spread has shifted 4 points toward Utah from the opening line of -4.5.
Assuming there is less than a 25% chance Leavitt plays, the Utes will need to prepare accordingly. Sixth-year senior Jeff Sims is Leavitt's projected backup. Sims spent two seasons at Georgia Tech, throwing for nearly 4,500 yards with 30 touchdowns and 23 interceptions, while adding 670 yards on the ground, including sack yardage.
Leavitt and Sims share similar dual-threat skill sets. While Leavitt's late injury change came as a surprise, Utah must be prepared for anything on Saturday.
Don't take your foot off the pedal
Arizona State has won its past two games on field goals in the final minute of regulation. Despite trailing 17-0 against TCU, the Sun Devils stormed back for a 27-24 victory.
Utah has yet to play in a close game this season and could be tested — even if Leavitt does not play. ESPN's Football Power Index ranks Utah No. 26 in game control, a metric that measures how consistently a team maintains control throughout games against its schedule. A lower number reflects stronger control, and a ranking of 26th is a solid mark for the Utes.
Win the trenches
In the loss to Texas Tech, head coach Kyle Whittingham said he was surprised by Utah's struggles at the line of scrimmage. Three weeks later, the Utes will look to re-establish dominance up front.
According to Pro Football Focus, Arizona State ranks second-to-last in the Big 12 in run-blocking grade and 11th in run defense. While the Sun Devils hold the conference's third-best overall run grade, their inconsistency blocking up front has been a major factor in their two close losses.
Utah's strong run game and rush defense could prove decisive. Defensive end John Henry Daley ranks among the conference leaders with 6.5 sacks this season. Generating pressure on either Sims or Leavitt will be crucial in forcing mistakes from Arizona State's offense.
No. 21 Arizona State and Utah are scheduled to kick off at 8:15 p.m. MDT Saturday on ESPN.
