No. 17 Utah vs. Utah State: Week 3 college football preview

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Utah couldn't have asked for a better start to the Morgan Scalley era.

The Utes are 2-0, have outscored Idaho and Arkansas 109-24, and have looked like one of the better teams in the country through the first two weeks. Now comes one final nonconference test before Big 12 play begins.

Utah State comes to Rice-Eccles Stadium on Saturday afternoon for the first meeting between the two programs in Salt Lake City since 2015.

Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m. MT on FOX.

Don't let the 0-2 record completely fool you.

Utah State opened the season with an ugly 29-17 loss to Idaho State, but the Aggies responded by going into Husky Stadium and taking ranked Washington down to the final play in a 16-14 loss.

There are some real problems with this Utah State team, especially offensively, but Bronco Mendenhall’s group showed last week that it can make a game ugly and hang around.

Utah State’s defense has talent

This is probably the first thing Utah fans need to know about the Aggies.

Utah State is allowing just 298.5 yards per game through two weeks. The Aggies have given up only 98 rushing yards per game and 3.1 yards per carry.

That defense is the biggest reason Utah State nearly pulled off the upset in Seattle.

Washington finished with 356 total yards, was held to 16 points, and went just 6-of-17 on third down. The Aggies kept giving their offense opportunities even as the turnovers piled up.

Linebacker Harrison Taggart has been right in the middle of it. The former Corner Canyon standout and BYU/Cal transfer leads Utah State with 13 tackles through two games.

Up front, Utah State has also shown it can create negative plays. Carson Tujague, Asher Cunningham, James Jennette and Mataira Brown have all recorded sacks.

This is not a defense Utah should overlook.

Utah needs to establish the run

Washington could not consistently run the football against Utah State.

The Huskies finished with just 107 rushing yards on 33 carries. Utah State also finished with five tackles for loss and two sacks.

That makes Saturday another good test for Utah’s offensive line, which has been one of the best units in the country so far this season.

Wayshawn Parker and the other backs in the room will not need to break huge runs every possession, but Utah has to stay ahead of the sticks consistently.

If the Utes can get the run game going, everything else opens up.

Stay ahead of the sticks

Washington went just 6-of-17 on third down against Utah State.

That is a big reason the Aggies kept the game close despite turning it over three times and being outgained.

Utah cannot continually put itself in third-and-8 and third-and-10.

That is where Utah State’s front becomes dangerous and where Mendenhall can start getting creative with pressure.

The Utes were 5-of-9 on third down against Arkansas and have done a good job keeping the offense in manageable situations through two weeks.

That has to continue.

Avoid the negative plays, stay on schedule, and make the Aggies defend everything.

Pressure the quarterback

Utah State’s biggest problem offensively has been turnovers.

The Aggies have already thrown seven interceptions in two games.

McCae Hillstead threw three in the opener against Idaho State before missing the Washington game with a forearm injury. Virginia transfer Grady Brosterhous stepped in against Washington and gave the offense some life, throwing for 196 yards and two touchdowns while adding 81 yards on the ground.

But he also threw three interceptions.

Jireh Moe, Karson Kaufusi and the defensive front were all over Arkansas last week, and another strong performance up front could force Utah State back into the same mistakes that have killed them through two games.

Utah has been aggressive defensively. The Utes bring pressure from different places, stunt the defensive line, and make things difficult to diagnose before the snap. That has worked.

But Bronco Mendenhall is a smart football coach, and Utah State will have a plan. They have watched the film. They know how aggressive Utah wants to be. Make Utah State prove it can block Moe, Kaufusi, and the front four first.

Brosterhous is also mobile. He is actually Utah State’s leading rusher through two games with 116 yards, so constantly creating openings with aggressive pressure could give him opportunities to escape and make plays with his legs.

Who can hurt Utah?

Utah State does have some weapons. Eli Wood has been the Aggies’ most consistent receiver through two games with 12 catches for 143 yards and two touchdowns. Javon Robinson is the explosive one to watch.

Robinson has six catches for 131 yards, including a 78-yard touchdown against Washington. He is averaging nearly 22 yards per catch and has shown he can change a game with one play.

Running back Javen Jacobs has 77 yards on 26 carries, and Utah State as a team is averaging only 3.2 yards per rush.

The Aggies still have not scored a rushing touchdown this season.

That is a brutal matchup against a Utah defense allowing just 83.5 rushing yards per game and 2.8 yards per carry. The Utes should own the line of scrimmage here and have their way with the Aggies.

Don’t give Utah State life

Utah is the better football team. They have more weapons, elite quarterbacks, and through two weeks, Utah has been dominant on both sides of the ball. But Utah State just showed what happens if you let them hang around.

The Aggies were outgained by Washington, lost the turnover battle 3-0, and held the ball for less than 25 minutes.They still had a chance to win on the final play.

Utah cannot give them that same opportunity. Establish the run. Stay ahead of the sticks. And when the turnovers come, take advantage of them.

Utah State has not beaten Utah in Salt Lake City since 1997. Saturday should be another opportunity for Utah to take care of business before the real grind begins.

Iowa State is waiting next week.