Arkansas vs. Utah prediction, what to watch for College Football Week 2

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The Utah Utes gets its first real test of the season Saturday night at Rice-Eccles Stadium.

The Utes are coming off a dominant 66-14 win over Idaho, while Arkansas enters 1-0 after beating North Alabama 31-14 in Ryan Silverfield’s first game as head coach.

Arkansas won comfortably in Week 1, but did not execute the way they would have liked to against an FCS opponent.

The Razorbacks finished with 415 yards on 84 plays, but ran for only 148 yards on 49 carries, allowed three sacks, and turned the ball over three times.

KJ Jackson threw for 267 yards and three touchdowns, but also threw an interception and lost a fumble.

Defensively, Arkansas looked much better. The Razorbacks held North Alabama to 153 yards of offense and just 40 rushing yards, so this should be a much better test for Utah than Idaho was.

Three Keys

Attack the Arkansas offensive line

Arkansas’ offensive line did not look good in Week 1.

The Razorbacks averaged just 3.0 yards per carry against North Alabama and allowed three sacks against an FCS defensive front.

Utah needs to make that a problem again.

Get Arkansas behind the sticks, make Jackson uncomfortable, and force that offensive line to hold up in obvious passing situations.

If Utah controls this matchup, it puts the defense in a really good spot.

Contain KJ Jackson

Jackson is the guy Utah has to worry about offensively.

The 6-foot-4, 225-pound lefty threw for 267 yards and three touchdowns against North Alabama and can make plays with his legs when things break down.

The biggest thing is keeping him contained.

Utah cannot create pressure and then let Jackson escape for easy yards.

Make him stay in the pocket and work through Utah’s coverages.

Make him earn it.

Rice-Eccles at night should only make that tougher.

Win the turnover battle

Arkansas turned the ball over three times in Week 1.

Jackson threw an interception, lost a fumble, and the Razorbacks lost another fumble as well.

Utah was the complete opposite against Idaho, forcing two early turnovers and not giving the ball away once.

That needs to carry over.

Win the turnover battle, and Utah should control this game.

What to Watch

Does Utah's offense keep rolling?

Utah could not have done much more offensively against Idaho.

The Utes finished with 633 yards, 364 on the ground and 269 through the air.

Now I want to see how much of that carries over against a much better defense. Keep using Dampier's legs, get Wayshawn Parker going, and keep attacking downfield.

Utah needs to keep spreading the ball around to their weapons in the wide receiver room like Devon did in week 1.

Utah’s offensive line

This is probably the biggest thing I am watching Saturday.

Utah ran for 364 yards and did not allow a sack against Idaho despite playing without Keith Olson and Isaiah Garcia.

Now the competition jumps. Can Utah still move people in the run game? Does Dampier have time? Can this group hold up against an SEC defensive front?

We should learn a lot more about this group Saturday.

Can Utah get off the field?

Arkansas was really good on third down against North Alabama.

The Razorbacks converted 10-of-17 third downs and held the football for more than 41 minutes.

Utah cannot let that happen. Get Arkansas into third-and-long, get off the field, and give Dampier and this offense chances to take control.

Recruiting weekend

Utah will have a loaded group of recruits in Rice-Eccles Stadium Saturday night against Arkansas:

★★★★ ATH Gaige Weddle

★★★★ OT Toa Feinga

★★★★ WR Dennis Tua’one

★★★ WR Cash Taiese

★★★ WR Kamil Pelovello

★★★ QB Ace Amina

★★★ ATH Owen Leishman

★★★ EDGE Takeshi Savery

OT Ty Westenberger

DL Tupu Aaitui

CB Kyran Majors

Lots of talent will be on the sidelines watching this one. It's important Utah puts on a show.

Prediction

Arkansas is obviously a much bigger test than Idaho.

The Razorbacks have SEC size, a talented quarterback, and a defense that looked good in Week 1.

But the offensive line struggled, Arkansas allowed three sacks, and the Razorbacks turned it over three times.

I think Utah's defensive front will cause problems, and eventually Dampier and the offense will create enough explosives to pull away. Arkansas hangs around early. After that, Utah takes over.

Prediction: Utah 41, Arkansas 17.