6 OHIO STATE (10-2, 8-1 BIG TEN) VS. 11 UTAH (10-3, 8-1 PAC-12)
Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022 • 5 p.m. • Pasadena, Calif. • Rose Bowl Stadium (90,888) • ESPN
Ohio State Buckeyes Notes
FIRST AND TEN
No. 6 (CFP) Ohio State, 10-2 overall and 8-1 in Big Ten play, including an East Division co-championship, and Pac-12 champion and No. 11 Utah (10-3) meet Jan. 1 in the 108th Rose Bowl Game presented by Capital One Venture X.
Kickoff at the Rose Bowl, located in Pasadena, Calif., is set for 5 p.m. EST on Jan. 1, 2022.
ESPN will broadcast the game with Chris Fowler, former Buckeye captain Kirk Herbstreit, Holly Rowe and Tiffany Blackmon on the call.
Utah represents Ohio State’s eighth different Rose Bowl opponent: OSU is 1-1 vs. Cal; 3-4 vs. USC; 2-0 vs. Oregon; 0-1 vs. Stanford; 0-1 vs. UCLA; 1-0 vs. Arizona State; 1-0 vs. Washington.
Ohio State’s 25-27 record in bowl games includes an 8-7 all-time record at the Rose Bowl and three consecutive Rose Bowl wins: 20-17 over Arizona State in 1997; 26-17 over Oregon in 2010; and 28-23 over Washington in its last visit, on Jan. 1, 2019.
This is Ohio State’s eighth year playing in a New Year’s 6 post-season game, or every year since the start of the College Football Playoff era. No other team has been to a New Year’s 6 game (including CFP playoff games) all eight years.
OHIO STATE’S ROSE BOWL HISTORY
This is Ohio State’s 16th Rose Bowl game with the first appearance 101 years ago vs. California – a 28-0 loss – in the 1921 game.
After making six trips to Pasadena between 1969-76, the Buckeyes made just two appearances in the next 28 years: in 1985 and 1997.
This will be the Buckeyes’ third Rose Bowl appearance in the last 11 years.
RELATIONSHIP BUILDING: OSU & UTAH
The schools have played just once in football: 35 years ago – 1986 – Ohio State defeated Utah, 64-6, at Ohio Stadium. Earle Bruce was in his eighth season as Ohio State’s coach. Utah was coached by Jim Fassel, who would later move on to coach the New York Giants for seven seasons.
Urban Meyer was 22-2 in two seasons (2003-04) as Utah head coach. He was 83-9 in seven seasons (2012-18) at Ohio State.
Each Rose Bowl head coach worked two years under Meyer. Ryan Day was his OC/ QBs coach at Ohio State in 2017-18; Kyle
Whittingham was his DC/LBs coach at Utah in 2003-04.
No current Buckeye is from the state of Utah, but QB Devin Brown, who played his 2021 football season at Corner Canyon H.S.
in Draper, Utah, will be a freshman at Ohio State in 2022.
Corner Canyon also provided Ohio State with two-year starting OL (2017, 2019) Branden Bowen.
Chuck Stobart, Ohio State’s WRs coach from 1995-99 and OC in 2000, was Utah’s head coach for three seasons, 1982-84 (16-17-1).
Football operations coordinator Brian Voltolini spent three years at Utah between 2003-06.
Utah won the Pac 12 by defeating Oregon … twice: 38-7 in the regular season on Nov. 20 in Salt Lake City, and 38-10 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas in the Pac-12 title game.
Ohio State dropped a 35-28 loss to Oregon in Week 2 of the regular season in a game played at Ohio Stadium.
BOWL ROLL CALL
Ohio State ranks in a T6th nationally in bowl games – the Rose Bowl will be its 53rd bowl game – and in a T12th nationally in bowl game wins with 25.
OHIO STATE TEAM NOTES
Ohio State has won 11 consecutive games after a loss.
The last two-game losing streak for Ohio State came at the end of the 2013 season with losses to Michigan State in the Big Ten title game and Clemson in the Orange Bowl.
Ryan Day’s Buckeye teams are 33-4 overall, including a 15-3 record in games on the road or neutral fields.
Day’s teams are also 12-4 vs. Top 25 ranked teams.
Day’s teams have scored 40-or-more points 25 times in his 37 games as coach.
SCOUTING UTAH
Utah won its first Pac-12 title with a 38-10 win over Oregon on Dec. 3.
Utah will be playing in its first Rose Bowl.
The Utes have averaged 214.3 rushing yards per game in the last seven games, while holding opponents to just 113.1 yards on the ground.
Utah is one of six Power Five programs (only Pac-12 team) that is ranked in the top 30 in the FBS in scoring offense and scoring defense.
Kyle Whittingham, in his 17th season, is the longest-tenured coach in the Pac-12 and the second-longest tenured head coach at the same school in the NCAA FBS (Kirk Ferentz; 23 years at Iowa).
Utah has rushed for 2,815 yards this season with 2,204 (78%) coming from the combination of Tavion Thomas, TJ Pledger and Micah Bernard.
QB Cameron Rising has passed for 2,279 yards with 18 TDs and 5 INTS, and he has rushed for an additional 407 yards.
Junior LB Devin Lloyd is a consensus All-American. Check out his stats: 106 tackles, 22 TFLs (-97), eight QB sacks, four INTs and six PBUs.
OFFENSE / DEFENSE QUICKS
Ohio State, in averaging a nation’s-best 551.4 yards per game, outgained every opponent in yardage this season except Michigan, which outgained Ohio State, 487-458, including a 297-64 advantage in rushing yards.
Ohio State was 8-0 this season when out-rushing its opponent; 2-2 when its opponent led.
The offense tied program records this year with four consecutive games with 50-ormore points and six consecutive games of 500-or-more yards of total offense.
Only once this year did Ohio State have more turnovers in a game than its opponent: vs. Nebraska in a close, 26-17 road win.
Otherwise, Ohio State held a 19-9 advantage in takeaways to rank in a tie for 10th nationally.
The offense has scored 50 of 54 times in the red zone (7th-best nationally)
The Buckeyes are 22nd nationally with 36 quarterback sacks but have recorded just two sacks in the last three games.
Ohio State enters bowl season running the range of NCAA national defensive rankings: Impressive rankings of No. 17 in rush defense (118.5) and No. 25 in scoring defense (20.9); a mid-range ranking of No. 51 in total defense (246.9); and a ranking of No. 97 in passing yards allowed.
Additionally, Ohio State’s pass efficiency defense is No. 40 with a rating of 125.7.
TREVEYON’S TDs
Running back TreVeyon Henderson’s rushing total (1,165 yards) is the third-most among true freshmen in Ohio State history, behind J.K. Dobbins (1,403 in 2017) and Maurice Clarett (1,237 in 2002).
Henderson scored at least one touchdown in 10 of 12 games this season and he has broken the Ohio State freshman TDs record with 19 total touchdowns.
He ranks seventh nationally with 19 TDs scored (15 rushing, four receiving).
He is also third nationally in runs of 40 yards or more (six), T2nd in 50+ yarders (four) and T4th with eight of 30 yards or more.
QB 1 LEADS No. 1 OFFENSE
C.J. Stroud, who had not thrown a collegiate pass prior to this season, ranks among the Top 7 passers nationally in eight statistical categories, including No. 3 in pass efficiency, No. 4 in yards per game and No. 5 in touchdown passes, yards per attempt and total offense.
Individually, Stroud currently has the best Ohio State single season marks for passing efficiency (182.2), completion pct. (70.9) and passing yards per game (351.1). His 3,862 passing yards ranks second in school history and his 38 touchdown passes rank third.
DEFENSIVE LEADERS
Ronnie Hickman, a sophomore SAF/ LB hybrid playing the position known as the bullet in the Ohio State defensive scheme, has led the Buckeyes all season long in tackles. He has 97 total tackles and is about to become the first Buckeye to record 100 tackles in a season since Raekwon McMillan in 2016.
A trio of sophomores are next among Ohio State’s top tacklers: linebacker Cody Simon, safety Bryson Shaw and linebacker Tommy Eichenberg with 54, 50 and 47 tackles, respectively.
Senior LB and captain Teradja Mitchell is fifth with 44 tackles and another sophomore, RB-turned-LB Steele Chambers, is sixth with 42 tackles.
DL LEADS IN TFLs & QB SACKS
The defensive line led the way in tackles behind the line of scrimmage, recording 31.5 of the team’s 36 sacks.
First-team all-Big Ten defensive tackle Haskell Garrett led the way in both TFLs (7.0) and sacks (5.5). Junior end Zach Harrison also contributed 7.0 TFLs plus had four sacks.
Several true freshman contributed along the line. Tackle Tyleik Williams had five sacks, end Jack Sawyer 3.0 and end J.T. Tuimoloau had 2.5.
BUCKEYE COLUMN NOTES
Ohio State’s six defensive TDs (4 INT returns and two fumble returns) is T1st nationally with Nevada and MTSU.
The “Pick-6s”: Cam Martinez, 61 vs. Tulsa; Ronnie Hickman 41 vs. Akron; Denzel Burke, 23 vs. Rutgers; and Craig Young, 70 vs. Maryland; and the fumble returns: Haskell Garrett 32 vs. Minnesota and Jerron Cage 57 vs. Penn State.
Ohio State had nine interceptions through the first six games, but has just three since.
Special teams ranked among the nation’s Top 20 in two areas: 19th in KOR (25.4 yards per return) and 9th in KOR defense (15.3).
Noah Ruggles, a Groza Award finalist, has been terrific for the Buckeyes out of the transfer portal. He is 18-of-19 in FGAs and has made all 68 of his extra points.
Ruggles led all kickers in scoring this year (122) and ranked fourth nationally overall.
Ohio State has punted the fewest times of any team in the nation: 29 times.
C.J. Stroud had a career day against Michigan State, completing 32 of 35 passes for 432 and six touchdown passes, which tied Ohio State’s single-game record.
Stroud did it all while playing just the first half and one series of the second half.
His six TD passes tied three other players – Justin Fields (2020 vs. Clemson), Dwayne Haskins (2018 vs. Michigan) and Dave Wilson (Illinois, 1981 vs. Ohio State) – for the most TD passes for a Big Ten quarterback against an AP top 10-ranked team.
Stroud is the first Ohio State quarterback to throw at least 10 TD passes over two games without an interception and he did it twice: vs. Rutgers & Maryland and he had 11 TD passes vs. Purdue and Michigan State.
Chris Olave has 35 career TD receptions and has broken the 23-year-old school record held by David Boston (33).
With 240 yards vs. Nebraska, Jaxon SmithNjigba was the first Ohio State receiver to top 200 yards in a game since Santonio Holmes did so in 2004 vs. Marshall.
TreVeyon Henderson’s 270 rushing yards vs. Tulsa was an Ohio State frosh record.
TE Jeremy Ruckert needs two receiving TDs to break the school TE record of 13, held by Jake Stoneburner (2009-12).
Utah Utes Notes
THE GAME
The No. 11 University of Utah Football team will begin 2022 in Pasadena when they
take on the No. 6 Ohio State Buckeyes in the 108th Rose Bowl. The game is set for
a 2 p.m. PT/3 p.m. MT kick on Saturday, Jan. 1 on ESPN.
BOWLING
Utah is 17-6 all-time in bowl games, dating back to 1939 when the Utes beat New
Mexico, 26-0, in the Sun Bowl. This will be Utah’s third appearance in a New Year’s
Six Bowl, beating Pittsburgh (35-7) in the Fiesta Bowl in 2005 and Alabama (31-17)
in the Sugar Bowl in 2009. The Utes are also 5-2 in bowl games since joining the
Pac-12 Conference.
FOLLOW US!
Fans can get behind the scenes views and live updates during the game on social
media by following the Utes on Twitter (@Utah_Football | @UtahAthletics) and
Instagram (@UtahFootball | @UtahAthletics). Fans can also search #GOUTES and
#UBOYZ on social media for conversations about Utah Football.
NUMBERS TALK
• With a win, Utah would earn its 11th victory of the season for Kyle Whittingham’s third 11+ win season.
• With a win, Utah would win its third New Year’s Six Bowl and 18th bowl game
overall.
• Utah has 315 offensive first downs this season which ranks 14th nationally.
• Utah has averaged 216.1 rushing yards per game (13th in the FBS) while holding
opponents to just 120.1 (20th in the FBS).
• Utah is one of six Power Five programs (only Pac-12 team) that is ranked in the
top 30 in the FBS in scoring offense and scoring defense.
QUICK HITS
• Utah is 11-3 in bowl games under the direction of head coach Kyle Whittingham.
• Whittingham became Utah’s all-time wins leader with Utah’s 38-7 win over No.
3 Oregon on Nov. 20. He is 144-69 during his time at Utah.
• Utah has appeared in the College Football Playoff rankings 35 times, which is
tied for seventh in the FBS (first among Pac-12 teams).
• In Pac-12 games only, Utah led the league in scoring offense (37.2), total defense (332.0), touchdowns scored (45), total offense (454.89), rushing offense (240.78), rushing defense (111.3) and passing efficiency (145.7).
• Utah received its highest CFP ranking (No. 11) after the Pac-12 Championship Game, the 10th time it has landed inside the top-12.
• Utah has held seven of its opponents to under 100 yards rushing this season, including in four of the last five games.
• The Utes rank 11th in the FBS in team sacks (3.23) and 12th in team tackles for loss (7.4) per game.
• Utah ranks eighth in the FBS in third down conversion percentage (.487), and is 14th in the FBS in first downs offense.
• Utah has eight consecutive years of winning seasons, dating back to 2014 and has finished with a winning season in 15 of Kyle Whittingham’s 17 years as head coach.
HEAD COACH KYLE WHITTINGHAM
• Kyle Whittingham, the longest-tenured coach in the Pac-12 Conference and the second-longest tenured head coach at the same school in the NCAA FBS, is in his 17th season at the helm at Utah, where he boasts a 144-69 record as the all-time wins leader. Including 11 seasons as a Ute assistant coach, he has contributed to more victories (229) than any coach in program history.
• His many accomplishments include National Coach of the Year recognition in 2008 by the AFCA—when Utah was declared the national champion by an NCAA major selector while finishing No. 2 in the Associated Press poll—and the 2018 Pac-12 South Division title. He also earned 2021 and 2019 Pac-12 Coach of the Year, 2019 AFCA Regional Coach of the Year, 2019 Dodd Trophy Award winner and was a finalist for the AFCA National Coach of the Year and Bear Bryant Award.
• Legendary for his postseason success, his 11 bowl wins (11-3) ties him for second among active coaches and ranks in the top-10 all-time (including ties). His glossy bowl record includes a 2-0 mark in College Football Playoff New Year’s Six bowls, with wins over Pittsburgh in the 2005 Fiesta Bowl as co-head coach and Alabama in the 2009 Sugar Bowl.
• The Utes appeared in every weekly CFP ranking for the first three years of the system (2014-16) and have tied for the seventh-most appearances of any school with 35 total. Utah has finished in the CFP top-25 in six seasons: No. 22 in 2014 and 2015, No. 19 in 2016, No. 17 in 2018, No. 11 in 2019 and No. 11 in 2021. The Utes have made the final AP top-25 six times and the final Coaches’ poll seven times under Whittingham: No. 2 (2008), No. 18 (2009), No. 21 (2014), No. 17 (2015), No. 23 (2016) and No. 16 (2019).
• Individually, Whittingham has had 30 players make All-America teams, including 17 that have made major All-America first teams (those determining the NCAA’s consensus team). They are Luther Elliss (1994, consensus defensive lineman), Eric Weddle (2006, consensus defensive back), Louie Sakoda (2007, punter; 2008, unanimous consensus place kicker), Zane Beadles (2009, offensive line), Shaky Smithson (2010, punt returner), Star Lotulelei (2012, defensive tackle), Reggie Dunn (2012, kick returner), Nate Orchard (2014, defensive end), Kaelin Clay (2014, returner), Tom Hackett (2014, consensus punter; 2015, unanimous consensus punter), Mitch Wishnowsky (2016, unanimous consensus punter), Matt Gay (2017, consensus kicker), Bradlee Anae (2019, consensus defensive end), Julian Blackmon (2019, safety), Leki Fotu (2019, defensive tackle), Jaylon Johnson (2019, cornerback), Zack Moss (2019, running back), Britain Covey (2021, return specialist) and Devin Lloyd (2021, consensus linebacker).
• Whittingham’s players have won a total of 99 first-team all-conference awards, including 48 in Utah’s 11 seasons of Pac-12 membership. Utah has had 27 first-team selections since 2018, leading the Pac-12 in first-teamers in 2018 and 2021. Three of his players have been three-time first-team All-Pac-12 honorees—Hackett from 2013-15, Wishnowsky from 2016-18 and Covey from 2015-21).
RANKINGS GAME
• Utah is 3-0 against AP-ranked opponents in 2021 (No. 18 Arizona State, No. 3 Oregon, No. 10 Oregon). The last season that the Utes beat three AP-ranked opponents in one season was Utah’s Sugar Bowl run where they defeated No. 11 TCU, No. 16 BYU and No. 4 Alabama.
• Utah’s victory over the No. 3 Oregon Ducks on Saturday, Nov. 20 will go down in the record books as the highest-ranked opponent that Utah has played in College Football Playoff Poll history.
• Utah’s win over Oregon in the regular season was the highest ranked victory over an AP Top 25 opponent in Rice-Eccles Stadium history, surpassing a win over No. 5 Stanford in 2013.
• It ties the highest overall AP-ranked victory in program history, matching a win over No. 4 Alabama in the 2009 Sugar Bowl. Oregon was No. 4 in the AP Poll entering Nov. 20’s game.
• Utah ranks No. 10 in the AP Poll this week, its highest AP rank since it ranked No. 5 heading into the Pac-12 Championship game in 2019. Utah has landed inside the top 10 in the AP Poll 36 times.
HEADING THE OFFENSE
Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Andy Ludwig is in his third year of his second full-time stint on the Utah coaching staff.
• In Pac-12 games only, Utah led the league in scoring offense (37.2), touchdowns scored (45), total offense (454.89), rushing offense (240.78) and passing efficiency (145.7).
• Utah ranks 13th in the FBS and first in the Pac-12 in rushing offense (216.1).
• Utah’s offense has scored 42 touchdowns during Pac-12 play, three more than the next highest team (UCLA, 39).
• Utah has scored at least one rushing touchdown in 12 of its 13 games, including 22 of its 35 in the last six games (63%).
• The Utes have scored on its game-opening drive seven times this season (6 TD, 1 FG). In opening drives this season, Utah has recorded 540 yards, 34 first downs and 45 points.
• Of Utah’s 56 offensive touchdowns this season, 30 have come on drive of 70 yards or longer (54%).
• The Utes were only converting on 37-percent of their third-down attempts through the first six games of the season, now ranking eighth in the FBS by converting on 49-percent of its attempts.
• Utah has led at halftime in seven straight games, and 10 times this season. The Utes are 9-1 when leading at the half this season.
• Utah has scored over 30 points in 10 of its 13 games this season, including 35+ points in eight of its last nine games.
• Utah outscored Stanford 38-0 in the first half on Nov. 5, running for 336 yards and outgaining the Cardinal 440-28 in the first two quarters. It was just the third time since 2004 a Power Five team has outgained an opponent by 400-plus yards in a half and the first time since 2013.
• Utah’s 52 points against Stanford was the first 50-point game for the Utes since their 52-7 win over Oregon State in 2019. Utah has scored 50+ points in 16 games in the Kyle Whittingham era.
• Utah’s 581 yards of total offense against Stanford was the most by a Utah team since 2018 (587 vs. Weber State).
• Utah’s 45-point margin of victory against Stanford tied for the largest in a Pac-12 road game for the Utes and is the second-largest overall in a Pac-12 game.
• Utah’s 440 yards of total offense in the first half against Stanford was the first 400-yard half for the Utes since 2013 (424 yards vs. Weber State in the first half).
• Utah scored touchdowns on all four of its second half possessions against No. 18 Arizona State on Oct. 16 with all four series equaling at least 67 yards.
• Utah’s 42 points against USC on Oct. 9 were the most the Utes have scored against the Trojans in the Coliseum.
• Utah’s 38 points against No. 3 Oregon on Nov. 20 was the most by the Utes all-time against an AP top 10 opponent.
• The 38 points Oregon gave up against Utah was the most by the Ducks since 2020 when they lost to Oregon State, 41-38.
QUARTERBACK ROOM
This year’s quarterback room is comprised of two four-star recruits, including starter Cameron Rising.
• Sophomore Cameron Rising, the No. 8 pro-style QB in the nation out of high school, transferred to Utah from Texas in 2019, earning the starting job in 2020 before suffering a season-ending injury 16 plays into the first game (vs. USC). He has played in 13 career games at Utah with 11 starts.
• The Texas connection continued for the Utes in the offseason with Longhorns transfer Ja’Quinden Jackson joining Utah this spring as well. The 6-2, 229-pound freshman QB was a high school All-American and was rated the No. 2 overall recruit in the state of Texas. He played in his first collegiate game against Washington State, scoring a two-yard rushing touchdown in the second quarter.
• Bryson Barnes, a walk-on from Milford, Utah, is in his second season with the team, seeing action on the final drive in Utah’s win against Colorado this season. He was a three-time all-state quarterback at Milford HS, also winning a state championship in baseball. He grew up raising and showing 12,000 pigs in a barn in Southern Utah.
ON THE LINE
Utah’s offensive line has turned into a consistent unit for the Utes this season with Utah ranking 13th in the FBS (1st in the Pac-12) in rushing offense (216.1), also ranking sixth in the FBS in sacks allowed per game (0.92).
• Utah has five games this season with zero sacks allowed and it is the seventh time since 1996 Utah has finished the season with less than 15 sacks allowed.
• The Utes have only allowed five sacks during Pac-12 play and hadn’t allowed one in an FBS-leading 151 consecutive pass attempts until the second quarter against Arizona.
• Junior Nick Ford has started at every position on the offensive line during his career at Utah and is one of just two active FBS linemen that has achieved the feat (Brandon Council, Auburn).
• Ford has earned Pac-12 Offensive Lineman of the Week twice for his performances against Arizona State and UCLA, also earning his second-straight All-Pac-12 first-team nod.
• Sophomore Braeden Daniels, who earned Pac-12 Offensive Lineman of the Week against Stanford and All-Pac-12 second-team, has been consistent on the line, adding versatility similar to Ford. He has played in 34 games with 28 starts (18 at LG, 10 at RT).
• Senior Bamidele Olaseni earned second-team All-Pac-12 and Sporting News All-America in 2021 after starting 10 games at left tackle. He has accepted an invitation to play in the East-West Shrine Bowl.
HEADING THE DEFENSE
Morgan Scalley is in his 14th year at Utah and sixth as defensive coordinator in 2021. He also continues to coach the safeties, a role he has held since 2008. Living and breathing the R.S.N.B. culture— relentless, smart, nasty, ball-hawks—and battling through injuries at multiple positions in 2021, it’s been a next-man-up mentality for Utah that has helped the squad retain its well-established reputation as one of the top defenses in the country.
• Utah enters the Rose Bowl allowing 315.4 yards of offense per game, a Pac-12 best and No. 8 of all Power Five programs. In six of 13 games to date, Utah opponents have been held under 315 total yards, including three matchups against teams in the final CFP rankings (San Diego State and both games vs. Oregon).
• Of all teams to represent the Pac-12 in the Rose Bowl since Utah joined the league in 2011, this year’s Utes rank second in total defense. Only Washington in 2018 (306.2 yards allowed) clocked in lower, with former Husky and current Ute Brandon McKinney starting at safety in the Rose Bowl that year—ironically enough vs. Ohio State.
• Utah’s opponents have struggled of late against the league’s top rush defense, which clocks in at 120.1 yards per game this season and has seven performances under 100 yards on the ground. It includes four sub-100-yard games in the five games since Nov. 5.
• That continues a trend unsurprising to those within Pac-12 circles, as Utah has led the conference in rushing defense in four of Scalley’s prior five seasons as defensive coordinator, including three straight (2016, ‘18, ‘19, ‘20). Across all of FBS football, the Utes finished in the top-15 in 2018, ’19 and ’20.
• Utah has produced no fewer than five tackles for loss in each game this season—and averaged six stops behind the line of scrimmage in going a perfect 3-0 versus ranked opponents. The Utes have logged 13-plus TFLs twice this season: in wins over Washington State (Sept. 25; 13) and Stanford (Nov. 5; 15). Utah’s 15 TFL at Stanford were the most by a Pac-12 team since 2018.
• Getting off the field on third down has also been a strength for the Utes, especially during conference play when Pac-12 foes converted just 36.2% of the time. It led the league by more than a full percentage point (Arizona State—37.6%). Overall on the season, opponents are moving the chains at just a 37% clip, third-fewest in the Pac-12 and No. 28 in the Power Five.
• Arguably Utah’s best showcases of ‘R.S.N.B.’ football have been against ranked opponents. Most recently in the wins over Oregon (ranked No. 3 in the regular season and No. 10 in the Pac-12 title game), Utah pitched first-half shutouts in both games and surrendered just one touchdown per night.
• The Utes’ defense was particularly effective on third down vs. Oregon. Between the regular season (1-for-6) and championship (0-for-5) matchups, Oregon was held to a combined 1-for-11 during the first half on third-down conversions and was outscored 51-0 in that time.
• In another top-20 triumph, Oct. 16 over 18th-ranked Arizona State, it was again a display of complimentary football on both defense and offense. Utah’s defense held the Sun Devils to just 97 yards (3.7 yards/play) in the second half, resulting in two ASU punts, a blocked field goal and the end of the game, all the while the Utah offense chewed the clock and scored 28 unanswered points to take the comeback victory.
• Since Scalley took over coordinator duties in 2016, nine Utes have earned postseason All-American honors on the defensive side of the ball.
THE KICKING GAME
Just as a theme of depth emanates across the rest of the Utah squad, the Utes’ specialists are no different, aided by the kicking duo of freshman Jordan Noyes and sophomore Jadon Redding. Both walked on to the team in 2020 and ’19, respectively.
• Redding, a returning All-Pac-12 first-team selection, has seen action in 11 games this season. The former walk-on turned Lou Groza Award Watch List honoree connected on a career-long 50-yard field goal in the Pac-12 Championship Game, sending the Utes into the halftime locker room with an exclamation point. It was the second time a player had made a 50-plus yarder in the league title game, with the other being a 53-yard field goal off the leg of former Ute Matt Gay in 2018.
• It reset Redding’s previous career-long of 47-yards, which he made in the pouring rain at BYU (Sept. 11). He is 7-of-9 in his career on attempts of 40-plus yards.
• He is currently 108-of-110 on PATs in his career, placing Redding seventh in the Utah record book in career PAT percentage (.981).
• Noyes has been the lead Ute on kickoffs the last three games, averaging 62.4 yards on his 17 attempts during that time. Twenty-nine of his 62 kickoffs have gone for touchbacks this season.
