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The University of Utah Athletics
Utah Football Team Will Host Air Force On Thursday
9/19/2005 12:00 AM | Football
Sept. 19, 2005
SALT LAKE CITY - Buy Tickets Here
> Utah (2-1, 0-1 MWC) hosts Air Force (2-1, 1-1 MWC) in an ESPN-televised game on Thursday, Sept. 22 at 5:30 p.m. MDT ... Utah is 2-0 at home this season, with non-conference victories over Arizona (27-24) and Utah State (31-7) ... Tickets for Utah games can be purchased online at www.Utahtickets.com, at the Rice-Eccles Stadium box office, or by phone at 581-UTIX.
> Utah's school-record win streak, which ranked second in the nation behind USC, was halted at 18 games with last Thursday's overtime loss at TCU (23-20). Utah also saw its record for most consecutive road/neutral victories stop at 11.
> Utah goes into the Air Force game on a nine-game home win streak, which is tied for fifth in school history. Utah's last loss in Rice-Eccles Stadium was to New Mexico on Oct. 25, 2003.
> History says this will be a close game. From 1994-2003, the average margin of victory in the Utah-AFA game was just four points. In 1995 and 2001, the difference was a single point. Utah's 14-point win last year required a come-from-behind effort (see page two for more on the series and last year's game).
LAST WEEK
Utah's school-record 18-game win streak was snapped in overtime against TCU, 23-20, in Ft. Worth. Utah appeared on its way to another victory after a 1-yard keeper by Brian Johnson put the Utes up 17-7 at the 10:10 mark in the third quarter. But the offense stalled after that, going scoreless in the fourth quarter and settling for a 34-yard Dan Beardall field goal in overtime. TCU, which tied the score with a 10-point third quarter, won the game on a 4-yard touchdown pass in overtime. Utah running back Quinton Ganther was held to 47 rushing yards--68 below his average. Quarterback Brian Johnson also had mixed results--connecting with freshman Brent Casteel for 77 yards--but throwing his first pick of the year and finishing the night 15 of 30 passing for 208 yards. Linebacker Joe Jiannoni had a big night for the defense, making nine tackles, including one for a loss.KYLE STYLE
Kyle Whittingham (2-1) made history in his first game as head coach when he helped Utah break a 75-year-old school win streak record with a victory over Arizona. He and his team extended the record streak to 18 games a week later against Utah State. Named head coach on Dec. 8, 2004, Whittingham has been a member of the Ute staff since 1994, when he coached the defensive line for Utah's 10-2 Freedom Bowl champion team. He was promoted to defensive coordinator a year later--a position he held until his promotion to head coach. In his 11 years as a Ute assistant, the program compiled an 86-41 record and played in six bowl games (winning five). He served as co-head coach at the 2005 Fiesta Bowl, helping to lead Utah to a 35-7 victory over Pittsburgh. The Ute defense recorded 14 top-20 statistical rankings during Whittingham's 10 years as the coordinator. Utah led the league in scoring defense in four of the last six years (placing second the other two).TOONE IN
Utah senior linebacker Spencer Toone has been a thorn in Air Force's side during his career. In 2003, it was Toone's block of a 50-yard AFA field goal attempt that sent the game into its first overtime in Colorado Springs. Utah went on to win 45-43 in triple overtime and Toone finished with 10 tackles, at the time a career high. In last year's win over the Falcons in Salt Lake, Toone led the Utes with 14 tackles--a new career best.GRIDBITS
Since Mountain West Conference play began in 1999, Utah has opened its conference season 0-1 two previous times, with both losses coming to Air Force (2000 and 2002) ... Utah's next victory away from Rice-Eccles Stadium will mark its 200th road win ... Utah is 13-1 at home since the start of the 2003 season ... Utah's win over Arizona in the season opener was its fourth straight against the Pacific 10. Since 1990, Utah is 12-12 against Pac-10 opponents ... Utah is 4-7 on ESPN ... Utah had won four straight ESPN-nationally televised games prior to last week's loss at TCU. Since 2003, the Utes had beaten California, Oregon, Texas A&M and Arizona in ESPN-televised contests ... The Utes have made at least one national television appearance in the last 15 years.
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