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The University of Utah Athletics
Photo by: Hunter Dyke/Utah Athletics
What They're Saying: Duel with the Ducks
10/27/2023 8:00 AM | Football
ESPN's College GameDay comes to town as No. 13 Utah gets ready to face No. 8 Oregon inside Rice-Eccles
SALT LAKE CITY – It was November 20, 2004, when ESPN's College GameDay set showed up for the first time on the University of Utah campus.
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Fans bundled up and braved the cold that morning outside Rice-Eccles Stadium, erupting at show's end when Lee Corso retrieved Swoop's head to indicate his pick for the Utah-BYU game to take place that night. Longtime Utes fans will recall that Corso, Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit then donned sombreros and tossed Tostitos toward the cameras as a prediction that the Utes would be Fiesta Bowl-bound as BCS Busters.
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This Saturday from 7-10 a.m. MT, GameDay will be just up the road at Presidents Circle as Utah welcomes the show to campus for the fifth time in its history and first since 2016. The eyes of the college football world will be on the U; everything fans need to know about College GameDay can be found here.
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It'll lead into a highly-anticipated matchup between No. 13-ranked Utah and No. 8 Oregon, set for 1:30 p.m. in Rice-Eccles and airing on FOX. Not only are the Utes looking to continue the momentum coming off a thrilling win last Saturday at USC, Kyle Whittingham's squad would also like to avenge a 2022 loss to Oregon on the road.
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"There is no weakness, (Oregon is) a complete team," said the Utes' head coach. "Hands down the number one offense in the league as far as yards per game. They're 550 yards per game, or somewhere in that neighborhood. Nearly 50 points per game with a great quarterback and leader, a competitor… They're in the top-third in the league in almost every defensive category. So, no weakness."
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That presents an intriguing matchup on paper; Utah will look to counter Oregon's offensive success with a lockdown defense that averages 295.4 yards allowed per game to rank 14th in FBS. In the confines of Rice-Eccles Stadium the figure is even better at 242.5 yards per game, ranking sixth in the country when you break down teams when playing at home. Defensive end Jonah Elliss continues to anchor that side of the ball with a Power Five-leading 10.0 sacks on the season.
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On offense, the Utes lately have enjoyed the two-way presence of Sione Vaki and the continued progression of quarterback Bryson Barnes. Vaki is averaging 185 scrimmage yards per game over the last two weeks, ranking second in the Pac-12 Conference. Both he and Barnes earned national praise this week as Barnes was name to the Davey O'Brien Great 8, while Vaki was lauded as Paul Hornung Player of the Week. It came on the heels of four Pac-12 weekly awards for various Utes.
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As Utah gets ready to face the Ducks, it was time for the players and members of the coaching staff to visit with the local media.
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WHAT THEY'RE SAYING
Sharrieff Shah | Asst. Coach Cornerbacks/Special Teams Coordinator
On Cole Bishop . . .
We were counting the minutes and just hoping we could play well enough to keep it competitive to a point where he could come back in and help us. Cole does so many things to positively affect the game, the fumble recovery, the big hit, the communication he provides, his comfort and ability to make others feel at ease, just shows the type of player he is.Â
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Alvis Whitted | Asst. Coach - Wide ReceiversÂ
On Sione Vaki . . .
"He came out as a wide receiver and is exceptionally gifted. You can see his skillset on display when he plays. He is an amazing person too, not just an amazing football player. He is willing to do whatever he needs to for the team and that says a lot about him. We are going to continue to use him in ways we can find mismatches and utilize that skill set to help our football team. We knew he could help the offense for quite a while but he is a defensive player. We want to find ways to get guys the ball and space and use their ability. He's done a great job and it's awesome to see."
On Mikey Matthews . . .
"He has football intelligence. He has an ability to learn very fast and he studies. He studies the game, he loves the game and he goes about it the right way. When he got here in the spring he applied himself and the rest is history.Â
On Bryson Barnes. . .Â
"Bryson [Barnes] is a very sharp kid. That position entails being able to manage the offense and he can manage the offense. He has shown that he is capable of making plays for us with the ball in the air or with his legs."
Bryson Barnes | QB | Jr.
On preparing as No. 1 QB . . .
"I feel like I was going to prepare the same way regardless if Cam [Rising] was able to play or not. Knowing his status this week didn't change the way I prepared as I did earlier in the season when he was taking some reps."Â
On Sione Vaki . . .
"During the summer he would be working DB drills and we would ask him to come run some routes with us after we heard what he did in high school. The guy was electric and we all joked that we needed him on the offensive side of the ball. Just to see him out there now and the things he does is unreal."
On his relationships with teammates . . .
"It feels great knowing my teammates have confidence in me. With how everything has panned out this season, having that trust between me and my teammates is all that really matters."
Ja'Quinden Jackson | RB | So.Â
On his performance against USC. . .
"I felt like I really didn't have my best game. That's why we have this week, to correct things and get better. We have another great team coming in here and we have to lock and load and get ready for it."
On Bryson Barnes. . .
"We knew his breakout game was coming. It was just a matter of time. I'm happy for him and he'll just keep going. He has a lot of grit in him and he'll run through you."
On Oregon's defense . . .
"They are athletic. They are big and strong and we have a lot of work to do this week to fix some mistakes. We will take it a day at a time to get right."
On Utah's coaching staff . . .Â
"We have an incredible coaching staff. The plays they come up with just shows how smart they are."
Sione Vaki | S | So.
On how his high school experience set him up for success . . .
"I had great coaches that trained me to be an athlete and believed in me. I'm grateful for the coaches I have here right now that also believe in me to do the same thing."
On his preference of offense or defense . . .Â
"I'm just here to help the team. That's pretty much it. I love defense but I love offense as well. I'm not surprised at the success I've found on offense. The coaches put me in the right positions. They make the right play calls and trust me enough to put the ball in my hands and let me make some plays. "
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FOLLOW US!
To get an inside look at the Utah Football program during its journey through the 2023 season, follow the Utes on social media along with visiting www.UtahUtes.com.
Twitter:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â @Utah_Football
Instagram:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â @UtahFootball
Threads:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â @UtahFootball
Facebook:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Utah Football
TikTok:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â @Utah_Football
UP NEXT
The Utes return to Rice-Eccles Stadium for their MUSS Appreciation Game on Saturday, Oct. 28 when they host the No. 8 Oregon Ducks. The game is set for a 1:30 p.m. MT kick, airing on FOX.
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Fans bundled up and braved the cold that morning outside Rice-Eccles Stadium, erupting at show's end when Lee Corso retrieved Swoop's head to indicate his pick for the Utah-BYU game to take place that night. Longtime Utes fans will recall that Corso, Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit then donned sombreros and tossed Tostitos toward the cameras as a prediction that the Utes would be Fiesta Bowl-bound as BCS Busters.
Â
This Saturday from 7-10 a.m. MT, GameDay will be just up the road at Presidents Circle as Utah welcomes the show to campus for the fifth time in its history and first since 2016. The eyes of the college football world will be on the U; everything fans need to know about College GameDay can be found here.
Â
ÂThe @UUtah is the place to be this weekend! Come be a part of the show and watch LIVE! ??
— Utah Athletics (@utahathletics) October 26, 2023
Friday
? @PatMcAfeeShow 10am-1:15pm
? College Football Live 1:30-2pm
Saturday
? @SportsCenter segments begin at 5:45am
? @CollegeGameDay 7-10am
? @Utah_Football vs ORE 1:30pm
All the… pic.twitter.com/jlZ61kRGYc
It'll lead into a highly-anticipated matchup between No. 13-ranked Utah and No. 8 Oregon, set for 1:30 p.m. in Rice-Eccles and airing on FOX. Not only are the Utes looking to continue the momentum coming off a thrilling win last Saturday at USC, Kyle Whittingham's squad would also like to avenge a 2022 loss to Oregon on the road.
Â
"There is no weakness, (Oregon is) a complete team," said the Utes' head coach. "Hands down the number one offense in the league as far as yards per game. They're 550 yards per game, or somewhere in that neighborhood. Nearly 50 points per game with a great quarterback and leader, a competitor… They're in the top-third in the league in almost every defensive category. So, no weakness."
Â
That presents an intriguing matchup on paper; Utah will look to counter Oregon's offensive success with a lockdown defense that averages 295.4 yards allowed per game to rank 14th in FBS. In the confines of Rice-Eccles Stadium the figure is even better at 242.5 yards per game, ranking sixth in the country when you break down teams when playing at home. Defensive end Jonah Elliss continues to anchor that side of the ball with a Power Five-leading 10.0 sacks on the season.
Â
On offense, the Utes lately have enjoyed the two-way presence of Sione Vaki and the continued progression of quarterback Bryson Barnes. Vaki is averaging 185 scrimmage yards per game over the last two weeks, ranking second in the Pac-12 Conference. Both he and Barnes earned national praise this week as Barnes was name to the Davey O'Brien Great 8, while Vaki was lauded as Paul Hornung Player of the Week. It came on the heels of four Pac-12 weekly awards for various Utes.
Â
ÂStacked ??https://t.co/LjjCm1Txq8 pic.twitter.com/IxGdr2WdhK
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) October 23, 2023
As Utah gets ready to face the Ducks, it was time for the players and members of the coaching staff to visit with the local media.
Â
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING
Sharrieff Shah | Asst. Coach Cornerbacks/Special Teams Coordinator
On Cole Bishop . . .
We were counting the minutes and just hoping we could play well enough to keep it competitive to a point where he could come back in and help us. Cole does so many things to positively affect the game, the fumble recovery, the big hit, the communication he provides, his comfort and ability to make others feel at ease, just shows the type of player he is.Â
Â
Alvis Whitted | Asst. Coach - Wide ReceiversÂ
On Sione Vaki . . .
"He came out as a wide receiver and is exceptionally gifted. You can see his skillset on display when he plays. He is an amazing person too, not just an amazing football player. He is willing to do whatever he needs to for the team and that says a lot about him. We are going to continue to use him in ways we can find mismatches and utilize that skill set to help our football team. We knew he could help the offense for quite a while but he is a defensive player. We want to find ways to get guys the ball and space and use their ability. He's done a great job and it's awesome to see."
On Mikey Matthews . . .
"He has football intelligence. He has an ability to learn very fast and he studies. He studies the game, he loves the game and he goes about it the right way. When he got here in the spring he applied himself and the rest is history.Â
On Bryson Barnes. . .Â
"Bryson [Barnes] is a very sharp kid. That position entails being able to manage the offense and he can manage the offense. He has shown that he is capable of making plays for us with the ball in the air or with his legs."
Bryson Barnes | QB | Jr.
On preparing as No. 1 QB . . .
"I feel like I was going to prepare the same way regardless if Cam [Rising] was able to play or not. Knowing his status this week didn't change the way I prepared as I did earlier in the season when he was taking some reps."Â
On Sione Vaki . . .
"During the summer he would be working DB drills and we would ask him to come run some routes with us after we heard what he did in high school. The guy was electric and we all joked that we needed him on the offensive side of the ball. Just to see him out there now and the things he does is unreal."
On his relationships with teammates . . .
"It feels great knowing my teammates have confidence in me. With how everything has panned out this season, having that trust between me and my teammates is all that really matters."
Ja'Quinden Jackson | RB | So.Â
On his performance against USC. . .
"I felt like I really didn't have my best game. That's why we have this week, to correct things and get better. We have another great team coming in here and we have to lock and load and get ready for it."
On Bryson Barnes. . .
"We knew his breakout game was coming. It was just a matter of time. I'm happy for him and he'll just keep going. He has a lot of grit in him and he'll run through you."
On Oregon's defense . . .
"They are athletic. They are big and strong and we have a lot of work to do this week to fix some mistakes. We will take it a day at a time to get right."
On Utah's coaching staff . . .Â
"We have an incredible coaching staff. The plays they come up with just shows how smart they are."
Sione Vaki | S | So.
On how his high school experience set him up for success . . .
"I had great coaches that trained me to be an athlete and believed in me. I'm grateful for the coaches I have here right now that also believe in me to do the same thing."
On his preference of offense or defense . . .Â
"I'm just here to help the team. That's pretty much it. I love defense but I love offense as well. I'm not surprised at the success I've found on offense. The coaches put me in the right positions. They make the right play calls and trust me enough to put the ball in my hands and let me make some plays. "
Â
FOLLOW US!
To get an inside look at the Utah Football program during its journey through the 2023 season, follow the Utes on social media along with visiting www.UtahUtes.com.
Twitter:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â @Utah_Football
Instagram:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â @UtahFootball
Threads:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â @UtahFootball
Facebook:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Utah Football
TikTok:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â @Utah_Football
UP NEXT
The Utes return to Rice-Eccles Stadium for their MUSS Appreciation Game on Saturday, Oct. 28 when they host the No. 8 Oregon Ducks. The game is set for a 1:30 p.m. MT kick, airing on FOX.
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Players Mentioned
QB
/ Football
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/ Football
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