SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Surging Utah has won eight straight games, giving the fifth-ranked Utes a shot at snagging a spot in the four-team College Football Playoff. But one final hurdle remains: Friday night’s date with No. 13 Oregon in the Pac-12 Championship Game in Santa, Clara, Calif.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, ABC. LINE: Utah -6.5
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Since a 30-23 loss at USC on Sept. 20, Utah has won by an average of 29 points and finds itself back in the Pac-12 title game for the second straight season following last year’s hard-fought, 10-3 loss to Washington. “The unfinished business mantra is something our returning seniors adopted,” Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said Monday at his weekly news conference. “It wasn't anything that was manufactured by the coaching staff. It is basically saying that we got there last year to the championship game, and we weren't able to get the win. We get another chance this year and the message is that we need to try to finish and win the whole thing.” The North Division champion Ducks are playing in their third Pac-12 title contest - and first since 2014 - but could’ve been in Utah’s position, vying for a spot in the CFP if not for a 31-28 upset loss at Arizona State on Nov. 23. “I’m excited for everybody (getting back to the conference championship game),” third-year Oregon coach Mario Cristobal said at his Monday news conference. “At the same time, we’re very hungry because we feel like (our) trajectory continues to go up and up and up.”
ABOUT UTAH (11-1)
This time around in the championship game, the Utes will have their two best offensive players in quarterback Tyler Huntley and running back Zack Moss after both missed the loss to Washington because of injuries. Huntley has started all 12 games and leads the Pac-12 in completion percentage (75.5) and passing efficiency (188.6 rating) with a 16:2 touchdown pass-interception ratio while Moss is pacing the conference in rushing (113.3 yards per game) and rushing touchdowns (15). Linebacker Devin Lloyd (76 total tackles) and defensive end Bradlee Anae (12.5 sacks) anchor one of the nation’s most formidable front sevens with the defense surrendering the third-fewest points (11.3) and total yards (2412.6) in the country, and boasting the stingiest run defense (56.3 yards).
ABOUT OREGON (10-2)
The Ducks are led by senior quarterback Justin Herbert, who has thrown for 3,140 yards, 31 TDs and only five interceptions, but enters the title game off two of his worst outings of the season - tossing a pair of costly picks in the loss to Arizona State and throwing for a season-low 174 yards in the regular-season finale against Oregon State. Talented tight end Jacob Breeland was lost midway through the season, but Herbert still possesses a solid supporting cast in wide receivers Johnny Johnson III, Jaylon Redd and Juwan Johnson, who have combined for 119 receptions, 1,510 yards and 17 TD grabs while tailback C.J. Verdell ranks fifth in the conference with 80.3 rushing yards per outing. Led by linebacker Troy Dye (67 total tackles) and safety Jevon Holland (four interceptions), the Ducks’ defense trails only Utah in the Pac-12 in scoring, and total and rushing defense.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Huntley and Moss missed the 2018 regular-season meeting, but host Utah still prevailed 32-25. Oregon, though, has won four of the six meetings overall since the Utes joined the Pac-12 in 2011.
2. TE Brant Kuithe has been Huntley’s top target this season with 29 receptions for 550 yards and six TDs and is coming off one of his best games of the season with two scoring grabs in the Utes’ 45-15 rout of Colorado in Saturday’s regular-season finale.
3. Cristobal said C Jake Hanson and LB Dru Mathis, who sat out the victory over Oregon State, were back practicing fully early this week and will play Friday.
PREDICTION: Utah 27, Oregon 24