Game week finally arrives for Utah Football

In this strange year, the Utes are finally entering into a game week. At this same time last year, the Utes just went on the road to knock off Washington, and now they are looking at game No. 1, where they would normally be going down the homestretch.

The Utes will be taking on Arizona Saturday afternoon at 2pm on ESPNU, in front of empty stands at Rice-Eccles Stadium. There are a lot of questions that will be answers on that day, namely who is the starting quarterback, and what does the defense look like?

Here’s the depth chart that the program released today.

There has already been one curve ball with Bronson Boyd entering the transfer portal Monday night, and he was listed on the depth chart. With QB, there has been murmurs out there that Cam Rising may be the one trotting out onto the field to open the game. I’m really interested to see how the running back group shakes out on Saturday.

This could be a high scoring game, depending on how the defense for the Utes shakes out and clicks in this game. The Utes have opened as 14 point favorites, and since there is almost no home field advantage, outside of maybe some cold, this will be fascinating to watch.

Here are some notes from the official release:

THE GAME

The University of Utah (0-0) will take on the Arizona Wildcats (0-0) to kick off the 2020 season on Saturday, Nov. 7 inside Rice-Eccles Stadium. The game is set for a 2 p.m. MT kick on ESPNU. Search #GOUTES and #UBOYZ on social media for conversation about Utah Football this season.

UTES AT HOME

Utah is currently 98-35 (.736) all-time in Rice-Eccles Stadium (1998-present). Utah is 70-24 during the Kyle Whittingham era in Salt Lake City, including three undefeated home seasons in 2008 (6-0), 2009 (6-0) and 2019 (7-0). Utah has won 11 consecutive home games and 13 of their last 14 at RES. It is the longest home winning streak since winning 21 in a row (second-longest in school history) from 9/15/07 to 10/23/10.

NUMBERS TALK

• Utah’s game against Arizona will be the 46th all-time meeting between the Utes and Arizona.

• With a win, Utah will have won 13-straight season openers, dating back to 2008.

• With a win, Utah will have won five straight against Arizona.

• After Utah’s game against Arizona, the Utes will have played in 82 games in the Pac-12.

• After Utah’s game against the Wildcats, Kyle Whittingham will have coached in 196 games as the head coach of the Utes.

QUICK HITS

• Utah is 76-49-1 all-time in season openers. Utah last lost a season opener against Oregon State in 2007.

• The last time the Utes opened the season against an opponent from the Pac-12 was in 2007 against Oregon State.

• 2020 will mark the fourth time that the Utes have opened the season against Arizona, holding a 2-1 record against the Wildcats in the first game of the season in 2005 (W, 27-24), 2000 (17-3) and 1953 (28-7).

• Utah enters week one receiving votes on both the AP and Coaches polls. Prior to the season starting, Utah landed at No. 22 in the Preseason AP Top 25.

• Utah’s preseason ranking by AP is the second-highest preseason AP Poll rank the Utes have received since 2015 after being voted No. 14 in 2019.

• The Utes have either been ranked or received votes in the last six AP Preseason polls, finishing the year ranked or receiving votes in four of those years. The Utes surpassed their preseason AP rankings in 2016 (P rank: 30th, FR: 23rd) and 2015 (P rank: 30th, FR: 17th)