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The University of Utah Athletics
Friday, November 3
Salt Lake City, Utah
7:30 PM
University of Utah
vs
UCLA
Utah Returns Home to Face UCLA
10/30/2017 10:49 AM | Football
The Game
Utah (4-4, 1-4 Pac-12) hosts UCLA (4-4, 2-3 Pac-12) in its annual Blackout game in Rice-Eccles Stadium on Friday, Nov. 3 at 7:30 p.m. Mountain time. The game will be televised on FS1. Search #UCLAvsUTAH for conversation.
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Blackout
> Friday is the 10th-annual blackout game in Rice-Eccles Stadium and the second time the Utes have hosted UCLA in a blackout game.
> Fans are encouraged to join the team in wearing black attire. Ute blackout merchandise is available at the official Utah Utes' online store at http://www.uredzone.com/Utah-Utes/Promotions/Utes-Blackout-Game?aff=athblckout.
> Utah is 7-2 in blackout games, beating TCU (2008), Wyoming (2009), Oregon State (2011), Cal (2012), USC (2014 and 2016) and Oregon State (2015), and losing to TCU (2010) and UCLA (2013).
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Quick Hits
> Utah has lost its last four games after winning four games to start the season. The last time the Utes lost four straight was in 2013 when they dropped five in a row.
> Utah needs two wins in its remaining four games to become bowl eligible for the fourth-straight year. The Utes have played in 11 bowl games under Kyle Whittingham and he has the best bowl win percentage in NCAA history at 91-percent (10-1).
> The Utes have sold out 48 straight games in Rice-Eccles Stadium since the 2010 season opener, including 45 standing room-only crowds.
> Although Utah trails the series 11-4, the Utes are 3-3 against the Bruins as members of the Pac-12 Conference.
> Two of Utah's three Pac-12 wins over UCLA have been on the road (2014, 2016). The Utes last beat UCLA in Rice-Eccles Stadium in 2011, where UCLA owns a 5-2 advantage.
> Utah is 1-2 against the Pac-12 South this year (beat Arizona, lost to USC and Arizona State) while UCLA is 1-1 (beat Colorado, lost to Arizona).
> Utah and UCLA have played three common foes: Arizona, Stanford and Oregon. Utah is 1-2 against them (beat Arizona, lost to Stanford and Oregon) while UCLA is 1-2 (lost to Arizona and Stanford, beat Oregon).
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Statchat
> Utah leads the nation in field goals made (19).
> Utah leads the nation in punt return defense (-1.00).
> Utah leads the Pac-12 and ranks second in the nation in net punting (44.3).
> Utah is tied for second in the Pac-12 and tied for 10th in the nation in fumbles recovered (9).
> Utah is tied for second in the Pac-12 and tied for eighth in the nation in turnovers gained with 19 (10 INT, 9 FR).
> Utah ranks third in the Pac-12 in pass efficiency defense (109.7).
> Utah ranks third in the Pac-12 total defense (357.9).
> Utah ranks third in the Pac-12 in time of possession (31:43).Â
> Utah ranks third in the Pac-12 in punt return average (11.4).
> Utah ranks third in the Pac-12 in fewest opponent first downs (149).
> Utah is tied for third in the Pac-12 in defensive TDs (2).
See sidebar on page 3 for more Utah rankings.
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In the Huddle
Cody Ippolito, a senior graduate transfer from Arizona, has been playing primarily at tight end for the Utes after joining the team as a linebacker. Ippolito, now listed as a tight end/linebacker on the roster, wears No. 48 as a tight end, which is now his primary jersey number. He wears No. 57 on defense … Senior defensive end Kylie Fitts played for the Bruins in 2013 before transferring to Utah in 2014. Now in his third season starting (including last year's injury-shortened season), Fitts redshirted his first year on campus … Demari Simpkins and Julian Blackmon have been promoted to the No. 1 kick return duo … Tight end Jake Jackson was ejected for targeting in the second half of last week's game and will miss the first half against UCLA … Alani Havili-Katoa (right guard) and Devonta'e Henry-Cole (running back) made their first career starts at Oregon …  Eight true freshmen have played: Javelin Guidry, Tyquez Hampton, Jaylon Johnson, Chayden Johnston; Ali'i Niumatalolo, Noah Rodriguez-Trammell, Bryan Thompson and Orlando Umana … Utah's roster contains 32 players of Polynesian descent.
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Two-Minute Drill
Offensive coordinator Troy Taylor coached from the box for the first time last week at Oregon and will continue to do so. Tight ends coach Freddie Whittingham, the offensive coach in the press box for the first seven games, has moved down to the sidelines … Cornerbacks coach Sharrieff Shah's brother Karim Abdul-Jabbar is the sixth-leading rusher in UCLA history with 3,812 career yards from 1992-95 … Utah's best quarter has been the second, when the Utes are outscoring their foes 70-50. Utah leads in points in every quarter but the fourth, which they trail by a 66-57 count.
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Game Day Activities
The Ute Walk begins at 5 p.m. on the corner of 500 South and Guardsman Way. The first 250 fans to show the promotional text (UtahFB to 53535 to subscribe) will receive free Utah Utes' blackout fan gloves … The Utah ROTC's Ute Thunder cannon blasts the pre-game Cannon Call to notify fans outside the stadium that kickoff is 30 minutes away.
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Outside the Lines
The Kyle Whittingham ESPN700 radio show is Tuesday at 6 p.m. MDT and will be broadcast live from the Smith's on 876 East and 800 South. It is free to the public … Use the hashtag #UCLAvsUTAH all week to follow the conversation on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram … 32 former Utes are on NFL rosters this week. See page 10 for a complete list of current Utes in the NFL.
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Utah (4-4, 1-4 Pac-12) hosts UCLA (4-4, 2-3 Pac-12) in its annual Blackout game in Rice-Eccles Stadium on Friday, Nov. 3 at 7:30 p.m. Mountain time. The game will be televised on FS1. Search #UCLAvsUTAH for conversation.
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Blackout
> Friday is the 10th-annual blackout game in Rice-Eccles Stadium and the second time the Utes have hosted UCLA in a blackout game.
> Fans are encouraged to join the team in wearing black attire. Ute blackout merchandise is available at the official Utah Utes' online store at http://www.uredzone.com/Utah-Utes/Promotions/Utes-Blackout-Game?aff=athblckout.
> Utah is 7-2 in blackout games, beating TCU (2008), Wyoming (2009), Oregon State (2011), Cal (2012), USC (2014 and 2016) and Oregon State (2015), and losing to TCU (2010) and UCLA (2013).
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Quick Hits
> Utah has lost its last four games after winning four games to start the season. The last time the Utes lost four straight was in 2013 when they dropped five in a row.
> Utah needs two wins in its remaining four games to become bowl eligible for the fourth-straight year. The Utes have played in 11 bowl games under Kyle Whittingham and he has the best bowl win percentage in NCAA history at 91-percent (10-1).
> The Utes have sold out 48 straight games in Rice-Eccles Stadium since the 2010 season opener, including 45 standing room-only crowds.
> Although Utah trails the series 11-4, the Utes are 3-3 against the Bruins as members of the Pac-12 Conference.
> Two of Utah's three Pac-12 wins over UCLA have been on the road (2014, 2016). The Utes last beat UCLA in Rice-Eccles Stadium in 2011, where UCLA owns a 5-2 advantage.
> Utah is 1-2 against the Pac-12 South this year (beat Arizona, lost to USC and Arizona State) while UCLA is 1-1 (beat Colorado, lost to Arizona).
> Utah and UCLA have played three common foes: Arizona, Stanford and Oregon. Utah is 1-2 against them (beat Arizona, lost to Stanford and Oregon) while UCLA is 1-2 (lost to Arizona and Stanford, beat Oregon).
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Statchat
> Utah leads the nation in field goals made (19).
> Utah leads the nation in punt return defense (-1.00).
> Utah leads the Pac-12 and ranks second in the nation in net punting (44.3).
> Utah is tied for second in the Pac-12 and tied for 10th in the nation in fumbles recovered (9).
> Utah is tied for second in the Pac-12 and tied for eighth in the nation in turnovers gained with 19 (10 INT, 9 FR).
> Utah ranks third in the Pac-12 in pass efficiency defense (109.7).
> Utah ranks third in the Pac-12 total defense (357.9).
> Utah ranks third in the Pac-12 in time of possession (31:43).Â
> Utah ranks third in the Pac-12 in punt return average (11.4).
> Utah ranks third in the Pac-12 in fewest opponent first downs (149).
> Utah is tied for third in the Pac-12 in defensive TDs (2).
See sidebar on page 3 for more Utah rankings.
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In the Huddle
Cody Ippolito, a senior graduate transfer from Arizona, has been playing primarily at tight end for the Utes after joining the team as a linebacker. Ippolito, now listed as a tight end/linebacker on the roster, wears No. 48 as a tight end, which is now his primary jersey number. He wears No. 57 on defense … Senior defensive end Kylie Fitts played for the Bruins in 2013 before transferring to Utah in 2014. Now in his third season starting (including last year's injury-shortened season), Fitts redshirted his first year on campus … Demari Simpkins and Julian Blackmon have been promoted to the No. 1 kick return duo … Tight end Jake Jackson was ejected for targeting in the second half of last week's game and will miss the first half against UCLA … Alani Havili-Katoa (right guard) and Devonta'e Henry-Cole (running back) made their first career starts at Oregon …  Eight true freshmen have played: Javelin Guidry, Tyquez Hampton, Jaylon Johnson, Chayden Johnston; Ali'i Niumatalolo, Noah Rodriguez-Trammell, Bryan Thompson and Orlando Umana … Utah's roster contains 32 players of Polynesian descent.
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Two-Minute Drill
Offensive coordinator Troy Taylor coached from the box for the first time last week at Oregon and will continue to do so. Tight ends coach Freddie Whittingham, the offensive coach in the press box for the first seven games, has moved down to the sidelines … Cornerbacks coach Sharrieff Shah's brother Karim Abdul-Jabbar is the sixth-leading rusher in UCLA history with 3,812 career yards from 1992-95 … Utah's best quarter has been the second, when the Utes are outscoring their foes 70-50. Utah leads in points in every quarter but the fourth, which they trail by a 66-57 count.
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Game Day Activities
The Ute Walk begins at 5 p.m. on the corner of 500 South and Guardsman Way. The first 250 fans to show the promotional text (UtahFB to 53535 to subscribe) will receive free Utah Utes' blackout fan gloves … The Utah ROTC's Ute Thunder cannon blasts the pre-game Cannon Call to notify fans outside the stadium that kickoff is 30 minutes away.
Â
Outside the Lines
The Kyle Whittingham ESPN700 radio show is Tuesday at 6 p.m. MDT and will be broadcast live from the Smith's on 876 East and 800 South. It is free to the public … Use the hashtag #UCLAvsUTAH all week to follow the conversation on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram … 32 former Utes are on NFL rosters this week. See page 10 for a complete list of current Utes in the NFL.
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Players Mentioned
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OL
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