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The University of Utah Athletics
No. 12 Utah to Break for Bye Week
10/20/2008 12:00 AM | Football
Oct. 20, 2008
Complete Release in PDF Format 
> No. 12 Utah (8-0, 4-0 MWC) has a bye this week. Utah's next game is on Saturday, Nov. 1 against New Mexico (4-4, 2-2 MWC) in Albuquerque. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m. MT in University Stadium. The game will be televised live on The Mtn. Radio is KALL 700 AM.
> Utah is ranked No. 11 in the first BCS standings, issued on Oct. 19. The Utes were ranked No. 12 by the Associated Press, USA Today Coaches' and Harris polls, and were No. 8 in the computer rankings. The latter three determine the BCS standings. See pages 3-4 for more on this week's national rankings.
> Utah heads into a bye week with an 8-0 record--just the fourth 8-0 start in school history (also accomplished in 1930, 1994 and 2004). Should Utah beat New Mexico on Nov. 1, it would mark just the second time a Utah team has started the season 9-0. The 2004 Utes finished the season with a 12-0 record.
> Utah leads the series with New Mexico by a 30-17-2 count, but it's all tied up in Albuquerque, 12-12-1. For more on the series, see page 2.
> Louie Sakoda was named a 2008 Midseason All-America place kicker by CBSSports.com and Rivals.com on Oct. 15. Defensive end Paul Kruger made the CBSSports.com Midseason All-America team.
> Senior Brian Johnson has tied the school record for most wins by a starting Ute quarterback with 21. Johnson, who is 21-7 as the starter, matched the record set by Alex Smith (21-1 in 2003-04).
BCS BEATERS
Since 2000, Utah has more wins against BCS schools (15) than any non-automatic qualifying BCS team. Utah is 15-10 against BCS teams since 2000 (10-3 since 2004). Since the BCS began in 1998, Utah is tied for the most wins (16) against BCS teams by a non-BCS team. For more, see page 4.
LOS-TO LOBOS
Utah's history against New Mexico as a ranked team has been spotty. In 1994, Utah was 8-0 and ranked No. 8 (Coaches) and No. 9 (A.P.) when it lost at New Mexico, 23-21. In 2003, a 6-1 Ute team with wins over Cal and No. 19 Oregon, had just broken into the national rankings (No. 23 Coaches, No. 24 A.P.), only to lose to the Lobos 47-35. The No. 14 Utes broke the jinx in 2004 when they improved to 5-0 with a 28-7 win over UNM in Albuquerque.
GOOD BYE
As the head coach, Kyle Whittingham is 3-0 coming off bye weeks. Utah's byes have all been at approximately the same time in his four years, falling on Oct. 29, 2005, Nov. 4, 2006, Nov. 3, 2007 and Oct. 25, 2008. Wins after the bye weeks came against Wyoming in 2005 (43-13) and 2007 (50-0), and Colorado State in 2006 (35-22).
U OF LOU
Utah's All-America punter/kicker Louie Sakoda has been busy rewriting the school record book this season. Sakoda has set Utah career marks for most points scored (266), field goals (50), punts (219) and punt yards (9,249). The scoring record had stood since 1932, while the punting records dated back to 1969. In addition, Sakoda's 10 MWC Player of the Week honors is the most by a special teams player and tied for the most in league history at any position. See pages 10-12 for more on Sakoda.
LAST WEEK
Utah's offense erupted for 49 points against Colorado State in a 49-16 win in Rice-Eccles Stadium on Oct. 18. The Utes, who scored on their first drive when Brian Johnson found Freddie Brown for a 32-yard touchdown pass, piled up a season-high 549 yards of total offense. Led by backup quarterback Corbin Louks' career-high 109 rushing yards, the Utes also produced a season-best rushing game with 327 net yards. Everyone from the offense got into the act, with Johnson throwing for 185 yards and two touchdowns, Louks scoring on touchdown runs of 21 and 69 yards, receivers Brown (78 yards) and David Reed (73 yards) having career days, and running back Matt Asiata scoring two touchdowns. Utah's defense got tough after giving up a touchdown on its first series and held CSU to three points in the second half. Stevenson Sylvester had nine tackles, a forced fumble and a pass breakup and CSU converted on just 3-of-15 third down attempts.
KYLE STYLE
Fourth-year Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham is 32-14 overall and 3-0 in bowl games. He is 6-3 against BCS schools. Since he joined the staff as a Ute assistant in 1994, Utah has won nearly 70-percent of its games (118-55). Utah has played in nine bowl games during Whittingham's tenure--winning eight. Prior to becoming Utah's head coach in 2005, he spent one season as the defensive line coach and 10 years as the defensive coordinator.
OUTSIDE THE LINES
Ute head coach Kyle Whittingham has a day of interviews scheduled in the ESPN studios in Bristol, Conn., on Oct. 21 ... The Utes are on a record pace for home attendance, averaging 45,274 through four games. Three crowds have exceeded the seating capacity (45,017) of Rice-Eccles Stadium, including 45,599 against Oregon State--the third-biggest attendance ever for a Utah home game.
INSIDE THE HUDDLE
Nose tackle Kenape Eliapo is expected to return to action after the bye week. Eliapo broke his foot in the season-opener against Michigan and has missed the last seven games. He was the starter before the injury ... 18 different players have scored a touchdown for Utah this year. Utah has scored touchdowns by rushing (20), receiving (14), punt return (1), interception return (1) and fumble return (2) ... Six Utes have completed a pass this year: quarterbacks Brian Johnson (137-208), Corbin Louks (3-5) and Chad Manis (3-4); receiver Jereme Brooks (1-1); punter/kicker Louie Sakoda (1-1) and running back Matt Asiata (1-1) ... Two true freshmen have played in games: OL Tony Bergstrom and DT Sealver Siliga. Six redshirt freshmen have played, including starting nose tackle Derrick Shelby.
WATCHING THE SCOREBOARD
Utah, which is out-scoring its opposition in every quarter, has scored 35% of its points (108) in the second stanza. Utah's best defensive quarter has been the third, when it has allowed just 12 points in eight games ... Utah leads the league and is fifth in the nation in fourth down conversion success (80%). The Utes have converted on 8-of-10 fourth down tries ... Utah ranks fifth in the nation in time of possession (33:02) ... Utah is 16th in the nation in red zone offense, scoring on 31-of-34 (91.2%) of its trips inside the 20.
Players Mentioned
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