Oregon opponent early scouting report: Utah

An early look at Oregon’s opponents for the 2023 regular season.

Utah

Game date & time: Rice-Eccles Stadium, Oct. 28 (kickoff time to be announced later)

2022 record: (10-4)

Coach: Kyle Whittingham, 19th year (154-74)

Returning starters: 7 offense, 9 defense

Most important returning players: QB Cam Rising, WR Devaughn Vele, TE Brant Kuithe, LB Karene Reid, S Cole Bishop

Most critical departures: RB Tavion Thomas, TE Dalton Kincaid, DE Mohammoud Diabate, DE Gabe Reid, CB Clark Phillips III, S R.K. Hubert

Oregon storylines:

Oregon hasn’t won at Utah since 2016 and had ugly losses at Rice-Eccles Stadium in 2018 and 2021. Utah has won 25 of its last 26 home games with the lone loss coming against USC in an empty stadium to open the 2020 season.

Oregon held Utah to 156 rushing yards last season, second-lowest on the season for the Utes. There is no beating Utah without containing its ground game and that’s both from Cam Rising and the running back corps.

Utah storylines:

• Can Rising’s place in the Pac-12 hierarchy

Caleb Williams, Bo Nix and Michael Penix are all generating more attention than Rising, but if the Utes have another big year it’ll be because of him. How he performs against the best competition will determine where he’s viewed among the league’s quarterbacks this season.

The Utes have won the conference the past two years and been a formidable team for many before that. Their schedule is more difficult this year and coming off a trip to USC the week before this makes for a big challenge, even at home.

The former Ducks and Florida State receiver transferred to Utah to finish his career. The last time Oregon played at Utah Pittman left the program earlier that week.

An Oregon win would mean:

Back-to-back wins over the Utes and winning in Salt Lake City. Projecting the broader implications is harder this many games into the season, but no matter what a win over Utah would be significant to the conference race and any CFP implications.

An Oregon loss would mean:

Another loss at Rice-Eccles. This could range from anywhere from a first loss and not devastating to a second or third and eliminating UO from at least CFP contention.