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SALT LAKE CITY — And just like that, one-third of the season is already in the books.
The Utes are sitting at 3-1, about right where most fans had penciled them in before the season began.
But here comes the gauntlet. Four out of the next six opponents are in the Top 25, including No. 12 UCLA, who visits Rice-Eccles Stadium Thursday night in a nationally televised showdown.
- Utah (3-1, 0-1 Pac-12) vs. No. 12 UCLA (3-0, 0-0 Pac-12)
- Date: Thursday, Oct. 3
- Time: 8:00 p.m. MDT
- Site: Rice-Eccles Stadium (45,017/FieldTurf)
- TV: FOX Sports 1
- Radio: ESPN700, Sirius 110/XM 191
- Series Record: UCLA leads 9-2
- Last Meeting: 2012 (UCLA 21-14)
- Kickoff Weather: Rain showers, temps in the mid-40s
After picking up its first two wins against the Bruins in back-to-back games, the Utes lost last year in L.A. to fall to 2-9 all-time. UCLA won the first eight games of the series before losing in 2007 and 2011. Utah trails the series 2-3 in Salt Lake City, where it beat the Bruins in 2011, and remains winless (0-6) in Los Angeles.
| Offense | Avg | Yards | Pass | Rush | Y/R | Y/A |
|
UCLA UTAH |
52.7 46.0 |
614.3 523.0 |
330.0 280.7 |
284.3 242.3 |
5.9 6.6 |
9.1 9.2 |
| Defense | Avg | Yards | Pass | Rush | Y/R | Y/A |
|
UCLA UTAH |
18.0 23.7 |
339.0 379.7 |
177.0 279.7 |
162.0 100.0 |
3.6 2.5 |
5.5 7.1 |
Here are ten things you need to know to impress your friends in the tailgate lot as we count you down to kickoff:
- Utah (3-1, 0-1 Pac-12) returns to Pac-12 Conference play on Thursday, Oct. 3, hosting No. 12 UCLA (3-0, 0-0 Pac-12) in Rice-Eccles Stadium at 8:00 p.m. MT. The game will be televised nationally on FOX Sports 1. Radio is ESPN700 AM. Satellite radio is Sirius 110/XM 191. Sports USA will be broadcasting the nationally from Rice-Eccles Stadium with the talent team of Dan Fouts, Doug Plank and Troy West.
- If you like offense, you'll love this stat: the Bruins are ranked first in the nation in third down conversion % (.680), 2nd in the nation in total offense (614.3), 3rd in the nation in scoring (52.7). The Utes are 16th in the nation in total offense (504.8) and 19th in scoring offense (42.0).
- Thursday's game is the sixth-annual blackout game. The Utes will wear black uniforms and fans are encouraged to wear black attire. Utah is 4-1 in blackout games, with wins over TCU in 2008, Wyoming in 2009, Oregon State in 2011 and Cal in 2012, and a loss to TCU in 2010.
- UCLA has outscored its opponents 62-0 in the third quarter of its first three games; it outscored opponents 83-0 from late in the second quarter at Nebraska through the third quarter against New Mexico State.
- Utah quarterback Travis Wilson has five pass plays of 50 yards or more this season, including a long pass of 80 yards (tied for the 10th-longest in school history) and one of 74 yards. The longest pass in entire 2012 season? 47 yards.
- The last time UCLA opened a season with more than three straight wins was in the 2005 season (8-0, finished 10-2). UCLA did win five straight games in the middle of the 2012 season, its longest win streak since 2005.
- Ute defensive linemen have been credited with 12 of Utah's 15 sacks this season, including seven against Weber State—Utah's most in a game since eight sacks against Alabama in 2008.
- UCLA RB Jordon James is fifth in the nation in yards per game at 141.3. He's had three consecutive 100+ yard games to start the season - the last Bruin with more than three straight 100-yard games was Tyler Ebell (6) in 2002.
- Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham is 6-2 coming off regular-season byes with both losses coming in Pac-12 play (to Washington in 2011 and USC in 2012). The victories came over Wyoming (2005, 2007), Colorado State (2006, 2009), New Mexico (2008) and Iowa State (2010).
- The Utes are 5-7 in their last 12 games vs. AP Top 25 foes, including a 24-21 win over No. 25 BYU in 2012. During that same span, the Utes are 4-3 against ranked opponents at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Meanwhile, UCLA is 5-2 in true road games under Coach Mora. Last year, the Bruins won four road games in a season for the first time since 2002 (4-2 on road in 2012).
