(Red) Week 6 - Utah (3-1) vs. CSU (3-2) Preview

Utah is 4-0 under Coach Kyle Whittingham after bye weeks as head coach. I really do not expect that trend to change this year. Colorado State comes back home for their homecoming game after a tough loss (for the MWC as well) at the hands of perennial power... Idaho? They did lose 31-29 on the road. They gave up over 300 yards passing and over 100 yards receiving to 2 receivers. They also had a problem on third down, converting only 5-13 on the day while allowing Idaho to convert 50% of their third downs as well as a forth down. So they couldn't stay on the field when they needed and they couldn't get a stop when they needed. Not exactly a good day for the Rams.
If those stats hold true for the next game the Utes should do well. Utah right now is ranked #1 in the conference in total yards averaging over 430 yards a contest. Colorado St is giving up almost 350. CSUs run defense does seem rather stout at averaging about 2.8 yards a rush. However Utah is going to be the fastest team CSU has seen to this point, with a very mobile QB. I think the Utes may meet resistance rushing up the guy but I don't see them having any problem getting to the outside with Eddie Wide, Shaky Smithson, as well as T-Cain. I do see Terrence Cain having a big day through the air however because of the speed of the wide outs, David Reed and Jereme Brooks in particular. Cain is completing 60 percent of his passes on the season, and that is with a really bad Oregon game hurting his stats. So he is efficient with the ball, and he only has 4 picks up to this point. His favorite passes, the slant passes, should be there all day long. I do expect to have CSU game plan for this but I do think Utahs athletes are just to much for the CSU defensive backfield.
On defense Utah has the best third down defense in the country at about 19% conversion against them. CSU struggled with third downs last week against Idaho so I expect the strength of the Utah defense to capitalize on getting off the field and some 3 and outs. They are also starting to make plays with turnovers. They have something like 7 or 8 turnovers in the last 2 games. So the defense is stiffening and playing very well right now. The Utes are also leading the conference in pass efficiency defense. So even with the corners struggling with some routes the Utes have done a good job of getting to the QB and making them shorten their reads. CSUs QB Stucker has a 54% completion percentage so not a huge threat through the air, however he does have the capability to go deep from time to time. CSUs O line is the most experienced in the country so that is a big plus for them. I think the speed of the Utah rush has to get to them to really make Stucker flustered, and I do expect the Utes to make him beat them. They will eliminate the run, which they are doing a great job of right now.
Overall since it is homecoming I do think CSU puts up a fight and they don't want to lose 3 in a row and I expect it to be rather close because Steve Fairchild is a really good coach. But the athletes for Utah are just to good for CSU and Utah is gelling nicely in very positions.

Utah 31 CSU 17