#19 Utah Football Hosts #20 USC in Blackout Game

10/20/2014 12:00 AM | Football

Oct. 20, 2014

Utah Athletics on Twitter
Utah Athletics on Facebook
Utah Athletics on YouTube
Utah Athletics on Instagram

Utah Football on Twitter
Utah Football on Facebook
Utah Football on Instagram

Buy Tickets

Complete Release in PDF Format

Quotes from Coach Whittingham's Weekly Press Conference

THE GAME

> No. 19/19 Utah (5-1, 2-1 Pac-12) hosts No. 20/21 USC (5-2, 4-1).
> Saturday, Oct. 25, 8:00 p.m. MT, Rice-Eccles Stadium.
> Nationally televised on FOX Sports 1.

BLACKOUT

> Saturday is the seventh-annual Blackout game in Rice-Eccles Stadium.
> The Utes will wear black uniforms. Fans are also encouraged to wear black.

TOP 20

> Utah is ranked No. 19 in both the A.P. and the USA Today Coaches' polls.
> Utah is in the top 20 for the third-straight week.
> No. 19 is Utah's highest A.P. ranking since Nov. 7, 2010 (No. 15).
> Saturday's game is the first time both Utah and its opponent have been ranked since the 2010 Las Vegas Bowl.

MIDSEASON ALL-AMERICANS

> Punter Tom Hackett, 1st team CBSSports.com, ESPN, Phil Steele
> Punt returner Kaelin Clay, 1st team CBSSports.com, Phil Steele
> Defensive end Nate Orchard, 1st team CBSSports.com, 2nd team Phil Steele
> Kicker Andy Phillips, 2nd team SI.com, 3rd team Phil Steele

NO. 1 IN THE NATION

> Utah leads the nation in total sacks (33) and sacks per game (5.5).
> It is the third-straight week Utah has been ranked No. 1 in sacks.
> Utah leads the nation in tackles for loss per game (10.2).
> Utah leads the nation in net punting (44.27 yards).

EXTRA SPECIAL TEAMS

Utah leads the nation in net punting (44.27 yards) behind Midseason All-American Tom Hackett, who ranks third nationally and first in the Pac-12 in punt average (47.1). Of Utah's 37 punts, just nine have been returned (for a total of 23 yards) ... Kaelin Clay is the only player in the country this season with three punt returns for touchdowns and four total returns (1 kickoff) for a touchdown. He ranks fourth in the nation in punt return average (20.1). Utah ranks No.7 in the nation in punt return average (17.31) and No. 3 in kick return average (27.82) ... Utah is ranked sixth in the nation in punt return defense (2.56) and seventh in kickoff return defense (15.88) ... Andy Phillips, a two-time Lou Groza Star of the Week, ranks second in the country in 40+ yard field goals (9-of-11) and is 13-of-15 overall. Phillips ranks sixth in the nation in scoring (10.8 ppg).

STATCHAT

Punter Tom Hackett has placed 18 of his 37 punts (48.6%) inside the 20-yard line and has 12 punts inside the 10-yard line ... Devontae Booker's 229-yard rushing game against OSU is the tied for the fifth-best single-game mark in school history. Booker is averaging 187.7 rushing yards in the last three games since he became the lead back ... Nate Orchard's 10.5 sacks is the most by a Ute in a season since John Frank had 13 in 1999 and the sixth-most in school history. Orchard ranks No. 2 nationally in sacks per game (2.2) and total sacks (10.5) ... Utah ranks second in the Pac-12 in rushing defense (114.2 ypg) and scoring defense (21.7) ... Utah is also second in the conference in rushing offense (210.7 ypg) ... Utah ranks 11th nationally in turnover margin (1.0 average, 11 gained/5 lost). Utah's five turnovers lost is tied for fourth-fewest in the country ... Utah's 10 sacks against UCLA is tied for the most by any team in a game this season and the most against an FBS team ... See sidebar on page 3 for more Utah rankings.

TWO MINUTE DRILL

At 5-1, Utah is off to its best start since winning its first eight games in 2010. Utah's 2-1 conference start is its best since joining the Pac-12 in 2011 ... Utah is 3-0 on the road with wins at Michigan, UCLA and Oregon State ... Utah is 4-2 in blackout games, beating TCU (2008), Wyoming (2009), Oregon State (2011) and Cal (2012), and losing to TCU (2010) and UCLA (2013) ... Utah has played to 28-straight sellouts in Rice-Eccles Stadium extending back to the 2010 season-opener against Pittsburgh.

IN THE HUDDLE

Devontae Booker was named the Athlon Sports National Player of the Week for his 229-yard, three touchdown game against Oregon State, while Andy Phillips was a Lou Groza Star of the Week ... Travis Wilson will start at quarterback against USC. Wilson (4-1) started the first five games before relieving Kendal Thompson (1-0) in the second half last week at Oregon State ... Midseason All-Americans Tom Hackett, Nate Orchard, Kaelin Clay and Andy Phillips were also first-team Midseason Pac-12 Conference by Phil Steele. Making the Phil Steele Midseason all-Pac-12 second team were running back Devontae Booker, offensive tackle Jeremiah Poutasi, defensive end Hunter Dimick and linebacker Jared Norris ... 11 true freshmen have played: Christian Drews, Jameson Field, Andre Godfrey, Wallace Gonzalez, Boobie Hobbs, Lowell Lotulelei, Nick Mika, Monte Seabrook, Marcus Williams, Tavaris Williams and Kenric Young ... True freshman who have started are Lotulelei at defensive tackle and Godfrey at free safety.

OUTSIDE THE LINES

The Kyle Whittingham radio show is Tuesday at 6 p.m. MDT on ESPN700. The show will be broadcast live from the Desert Edge Brewery at Trolley Square and is free to the public ... Utah's helmets for USC will bear pink ribbon decals on the back in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month ... Members of the Crimson Club Athletic Fund's Scholarship Circle will be honored at halftime ... The pre-game Ute Walk starts at 5:30 p.m. on the corner of Guardsman Way and 500 South. The first 100 text line participants will receive a Utah wall decal. To sign up for the Utah football promotional text line, text "UtahFB" to 53535.