Ute Football Game Against Michigan Will Be Televised On ESPN

Sept. 16, 2002

SALT LAKE CITY -

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Utah (2-1, 0-0 MWC) finishes the non-conference portion of its schedule this Saturday at No. 14 Michigan (2-1, 0-0 Big Ten) ... Kickoff in the 'Big House,' Michigan Stadium, is 12:05 p.m. EDT ... The game will be televised live on ESPN ... Utah is coming off a controversial 23-17 loss at Arizona last Saturday ... Michigan also lost a close road game, 25-23, to then-No. 20 Notre Dame. The Wolverines were ranked No. 7 before the loss ... A win by Utah on Saturday would even the school's record against Big Ten opponents at 7-7 (see Utah vs. the Big Ten) ... In addition to the ESPN telecast, the Utah-Michigan game will be broadcast on KALL 910 (AM) radio and on the Internet (www.kall910.com).

THE BIG HOUSE

Michigan Stadium's official capacity is 107,501. However, an NCAA record 111,575 fans packed the Big House for the 1999 game between Michigan and Ohio State, and the top 10 crowds in the stadium have all exceeded 111,000. Including this year's game against Washington (which drew 111,491 spectators), Michigan has played in front of crowds in excess of 100,000 for 167 consecutive home games, dating back to 1975. Michigan has led the NCAA in home attendance for 27 of the last 28 seasons.

U. FIRST

Utah has never played a school from Michigan, either home or away. The Utes will likely play in front of their largest gathering ever: Their previous record crowd was 93,077 at Tennessee on Sept. 15, 1984-a game Utah lost 27-21.

UTAH VS. THE BIG TEN

Utah is 6-7 all-time against Big Ten football teams. Utah's record against Big Ten schools follows: Illinois (0-1), Indiana (2-1), Iowa (1-0), Michigan (0-0), Michigan State (0-0), Minnesota (1-1), Northwestern (1-1), Ohio State (0-1), Penn State (0-0), Purdue (0-0), Wisconsin (1-2). Utah played Illinois in 1988, Indiana in 1975, 2001 and 2002, Iowa in 1978, Minnesota in 1967 and 1990, Ohio State in 1986, Northwestern in 1927 and 1981, and Wisconsin in 1987 and 1996.

UTES LOSE NCAA LEADER FOR SEASON

Utah will face Michigan without Marty Johnson (5-11, 222, Sr.), the NCAA's leading rusher for the first two weeks. (He averages 202.5 yards per game but is no longer eligible for the NCAA rankings since he has not played in 75 percent of Utah's games). Johnson tore his MCL and lateral meniscus cartilage in the fourth quarter of Utah's game with Indiana on Sept. 7. He underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair the torn meniscus in his right knee on Mon., Sept. 16 and will miss the remainder of the season. The recovery from such a surgery is normally four to six months. Johnson had the best season-opener ever by a Ute against Utah State on Aug. 31, rushing for 176 yards. A week later against Indiana, he was named Mountain West Conference offensive player of the game after rushing for 229 yards, the fourth-best rushing total in Utah history.

JOHNSON WILL SEEK ADDITIONAL ELIGIBILITY

Injured Ute running back Marty Johnson had already planned to appeal for another year of eligibility from the NCAA after this season for medical hardship. He played in just one game in 2002, rushing for 95 yards against Utah State before injuring his ribs and missing the remainder of the season. Now that Johnson's 2002 season has also ended prematurely, the school will apply for two additional years of eligibility for him. The application process can start as soon as the season is over.

LAST WEEK

A badly blown call in the waning seconds of the game cost Utah the tying touchdown and the opportunity to kick a PAT for the win against Arizona in Tucson. With 0:38 remaining, Utah was on the Wildcat 11-yard line and looking to even the score at 23-23. Lance Rice hit Josh Lyman in the back of the end zone for what television replays showed was clearly a touchdown. Instead, the official ruled Lyman did not get his knee down inbounds, waved off the score and Arizona escaped with a 23-17 win. Freshman kicker Bryan Borreson put Utah in position to win the game with his career-long 53-yard field goal with 4:51 on the clock. Until the fourth quarter, Utah's offense sputtered and the Utes finished with just 32 net rushing yards and 204 total yards in their first game without NCAA rushing leader Marty Johnson. Defensive end Jason Kaufusi led the defense with a career game. He had 11 tackles, five tackles for loss, two sacks and two forced fumbles.

KAUFUSI WINS MWC WEEKLY AWARD

Utah junior defensive end Jason Kaufusi was named the Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Week for his career game against Arizona. Kaufusi, a 2001 first-team all-MWC player and the 2000 MWC Freshman of the Year, totaled a career-best 11 tackles vs. Arizona, to go with five tackles for loss (29 yards), two sacks (24 yards) and two forced fumbles. His first sack and forced fumble came on Arizona's first drive and likely saved a touchdown. The Wildcats had reached the Utah 8-yard line when Kaufusi sacked the QB and forced a fumble recovered by Utah.

HEAD COACH RON MCBRIDE

Ron McBride has an 85-58 record in his 13th year as head Ute coach. He has the second most wins of any coach in Utah football history. McBride has won a share of two conference titles (1995 and 1999) and has 10 winning seasons. He has taken the Utes to six bowl games and has a 3-3 bowl record. Utah capped last year's 8-4 season with a 10-6 win over USC in the Las Vegas Bowl on Christmas Day. McBride is 0-0 against Michigan.

MAC AND THE BIG TEN

Utah's 13th-year head coach Ron McBride coached the offensive line at Wisconsin from 1983-84. At Utah, his only head coaching job, McBride is 3-1 against Big Ten schools. He beat Minnesota on the road in 1990, his first year as head Ute coach; lost to Wisconsin in the 1996 Freedom Bowl and beat Indiana the last two years.

SERIES HISTORY

This is the first game between Utah and Michigan.

RUNNING BACK U.

Although Utah's run game took a big hit with the loss of NCAA rushing leader Marty Johnson to a knee injury, the Utes have earned a reputation as a running back factory under Head Coach Ron McBride. Last year's Utes finished 12th in the nation in rushing offense (218.9 ypg) and the leading rusher off that team, Dameon Hunter, is currently with the Baltimore Ravens. Other Ute running backs who have made the NFL during McBride's era include1999 all-pro running back Jamal Anderson (Atlanta), 2000-01 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Mike Anderson (Denver) and Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala (Pittsburgh).

UTAH VS. RANKED TEAMS

The last time Utah played a ranked team was on Nov. 17, 2001 against No. 8 Brigham Young. Utah lost a late lead and the game 24-21. The highest ranked team Utah has ever beaten was No. 12 Colorado State (45-31) on Oct. 22, 1994. Utah would also beat No. 15 Arizona in the Freedom Bowl and No. 20 ranked BYU in 1994, a season in which the Utes went 10-2 and had a final A.P. ranking of No. 10 (No. 8 USA Today/Coaches')-both school bests. Other ranked teams Utah has beaten are No. 19 BYU in 1999 (20-17) and No. 20 Kansas in 1996 (45-42).

GRIDBITS

Utah does not have any Michigan players on its roster ... Michigan is the third straight BCS team on Utah's 2002 schedule (the Utes have already played Indiana and Arizona) ... All-time Ute record is 532-396-31. The Utes are 246-128-10 at home, 15-8 in Rice-Eccles Stadium (1998-on) and 286-268-21 in road/neutral games.

UTAH BY THE NUMBERS

Utah's best quarter is the fourth, when it has scored 25 points. Its worst quarter is the first (10 points) ... 41 of Utah's 66 first downs have come on the ground ... Utah rushers are averaging 5.3 yards per rush to their opponents' 1.4 yards per carry ... Utah has scored 9 touchdowns this year, while opponents have scored 4 ... Opponents have gotten inside Utah's 20-yard line just 6 times and have 1 touchdown to show from inside the "red zone."

RUNNING BACKS' NOTEBOOK

> Senior running back Marty Johnson (5-11, 222) led the nation in rushing after two games (202.5 yards per game), but is out for the season after undergoing knee surgery on Sept. 16. Johnson tore his MCL and lateral meniscus in the fourth quarter of Utah's 40-13 win over Indiana on Sept. 7.

> Johnson rushed for 229 yards against Indiana, the fourth-best rushing game in school history. He rushed 28 times, averaged 8.2 yards per carry and had 2 touchdowns against the Hoosiers.

> Johnson had the best season opener ever by a Ute running back against Utah State on Aug. 31 (176 yards).

> Senior running back J.R. Peroulis (6-1, 207) has replaced Johnson as the starter and is averaging 76.3 yards per game. The Arizona State transfer, Utah's fastest RB (4.46 40-sprint time), had a career-high 118 yards against Indiana. He is averaging 5.7 yards per carry.

> Edwin Benton (5-10, 206, Jr.) and juco transfer Brandon Warfield (6-0, 200, Jr.) are co-backups this week. Benton has 14 rushes for 66 yards (4.7 ypc) in three games. He can also play fullback. Warfield, who expected to redshirt this year, has 6 rushes for 12 yards, all against Arizona.

QUARTERBACKS' NOTEBOOK

> Junior quarterback Lance Rice (6-2, 203) has started since the last three games of his freshman year and is 12-6 as Utah's starter. This year, Rice has completed 49-of-96 pass attempts for 441 yards (147.0 ypg) and 5 TDs. He has not thrown an interception.

> Rice's 172 passing yards against Arizona is his most this year.

> Brett Elliott (6-3, 194, So.), in his first year as Utah's backup QB, got his first taste of NCAA competition against Indiana on Sept. 7. Elliott replaced Rice in the fourth quarter. He did not attempt a pass and rushed twice (-1 yard).

RECEIVERS' NOTEBOOK

> Senior receiver Josh Lyman (6-0, 197) is Utah's leading receiver with 15 catches for 145 yards and 2 TDs. Lyman, who is averaging 48.3 yards per game, has a season-best 66 yards vs. USU.

> Senior Paris Jackson (6-3, 216) is Utah's second-leading receiver with 7 catches for 59 yards (8.4 ypc) and 2 TDs.

> Sophomore Travis LaTendresse (6-1, 191, So.) got his first Division I start against Indiana and caught 1 pass for 9 yards. In his first NCAA game against USU, the Linfield College transfer caught 3 passes for 40 yards.

> Senior Devin Houston had a career game vs. Arizona, catching 4 balls for 62 yards to lead all Utes.

OFFENSIVE LINE NOTEBOOK

> Senior offensive lineman Jordan Gross (6-5, 306) made the preseason all-MWC team and is an All-America candidate. He starts at left tackle but is equally adept at guard. He is on the "Watch List" for the Rotary Lombardi Award.

> Gross has 29 de-cleaters this year, for an average of 9.7 per game. His season-best was 10 de-cleaters against both Utah State and Indiana. Gross has not allowed a sack this year.

> Junior center Dustin McQuivey (6-3, 294) sprained his right MCL against Utah State and missed the last two games. He should be available for this week's game at Michigan. McQuivey is on the Rimington Trophy "Watch List," which awards the nation's best center.

> Sophomore Max Petersen (6-3, 286) started in McQuivey's place against IU and Arizona.

DEFENSIVE LINE NOTEBOOK

> Senior defensive tackle Garrett Smith (6-3, 297), a 2001 first-team all-MWC and 2002 preseason all-MWC defender, has started 34 regular season games for Utah. On the "Watch List" for the Outland Trophy and the Rotary Lombardi Award, Smith has 8 tackles, 2 tackles for loss and 3 pass breakups this year.

> Junior defensive end Jason Kaufusi (6-3, 250), a 2001 first-team all-MWC and 2002 preseason all-MWC defensive end, was named MWC Defensive Player of the Week for his career game against Arizona. Kaufusi had a career-high 11 tackles, including 5 tackles for loss and 2 sacks against UA. He also forced 2 fumbles.

> For the season, Kaufusi is tied for second on Utah's tackle charts with 15 and leads the team with 6.5 tackles for loss and 3 sacks. He also has a pass breakup and 2 forced fumbles. He is on the Rotary Lombardi Award "Watch List."

LINEBACKERS' NOTEBOOK

> Senior linebacker Sheldon Deckart (6-2, 240), a returning first-team all-MWC selection and Utah's leading tackler a year ago with 86, is currently tied for second on the team with 15 tackles. He also has 2.5 TFLs, 1 sack and 1 pass breakup. He was named to the preseason all-conference team and is on the "Watch List" for the Bronko Nagurski and Rotary Lombardi awards.

> Senior linebacker Brooks Bahr (6-4, 228, Sr.), a former walk-on now in his second year as a starter, has 15 tackles, tied for second on the team. Bahr has a bachelor's degree in biology and is in his second year in the MBA program at the U. He was a 2001 Verizon Academic All-District selection with a 3.95 GPA.

DEFENSIVE BACKS' NOTEBOOK

> Junior free safety Antwoine Sanders (6-2, 200, Jr.), a preseason all-conference selection, has 11 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 interception (vs. USU) and 1 pass breakup. Sanders led Utah in interceptions a year ago with 4.

> Junior defensive back Arnold Parker (6-2, 210) is the fastest player on the team (4.39 40-sprint time) and a preseason all-conference selection. Parker has 13 tackles and 2 pass breakups from his position at left corner. He played strong safety last year.

> Senior Cody Weight (5-11, 186), Utah's starting right corner, has 11 tackles and leads the MWC with 2 interceptions (16th in the nation). He also has 2 pass breakups.

> Strong safety Dave Revill (5-11, 203, Jr.) is Utah's leading tackler with 21. He has 3 tackles for loss, 1 sack and 1 fumble recovery. His 10 tackles vs. Arizona was a career high.

SPECIAL TEAMS' NOTEBOOK

> Redshirt freshman kicker Bryan Borreson ranks second in the league and 10th in the country in field goals per game (2.0). He was named MWC Special Teams Player of the Week after making 4-4 field goals and 4-4 PATs against Indiana on Sept. 7. His 4 field goals tied the school record, a feat last achieved in 1995. He became the first U. kicker named MWC Player of the Week since Daniel Pulsipher did it three times in 1995.

> Borreson made a career-best 53 yard field goal against Arizona, tied for the fourth-longest in school history. He also had a 50-yard FG against Indiana and is now 2-2 in attempts from 50 yards or longer.

> Borreson is 6-8 in field goals and 8-9 in PATs. He has made his last 6 field goal attempts. He had one PAT blocked against USU.

> Senior punter Brian Lewis has 19 punts for 732 yards, an average of 38.8 yards per punt. Lewis, whose long punt this year is 61 yards vs. Arizona, has placed 4 punts inside the 20.

> Lewis also handles kickoffs for Utah and has 11 touchbacks on 18 kickoffs.

> Lewis's 10 punts against Arizona is tied for third all-time at Utah in a single game.

> Bo Nagahi leads the MWC and is ranked 12th in the nation in kickoff returns, averaging 30.0 yards per return. All 3 of his kickoff returns came against Arizona (for 120 yards).

> Morgan Scalley is Utah's leader in punt returns with 7 for 79 yards (11.3 yards per return).

LAST TIME THEY MET

Utah and Michigan have never played against each other in football.

MCBRIDE SAYS

"That was a terrible way to lose last Saturday, but we have to play forward, not backwards. We have to show the kids ways to improve, get the game behind us and move on. I was really proud of our team because we handled the adversity and fought back to give ourselves the opportunity to win. We controlled the fourth quarter and made plays to win the game. The defense got some turnovers and we made a great block of that field goal.

"We know that our kids are going to play hard for fourth quarters and fight through everything. They had every opportunity to soften up against Arizona and they didn't. You can find a way to beat good teams if you just go on to the next play and keep playing football.

"We have to sustain our blocks better and we have to get our run game back on track. We may have to shake some things up in terms of the offensive game plan.

"It will be a great challenge playing Michigan and we're looking forward to it. Michigan will be the best team we've played and I thought Arizona was a very good team. This game will be a good lesson to see how we bounce back."

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