Houston vs. Utah: Everything to Know About the Cougars' Next Opponent
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The No. 14 Houston Cougars will face one of the best teams in the country: the No. 10 Utah Utes.
A win for Houston could mean a chance to make the Big 12 Championship Game. However, a loss would make the path to that game a lot harder.
Here is everything to know about Utah before Oct. 24.
New Coach, Same Performance
The Utes are in their first season with head coach Morgan Scalley, who used to be the defensive coordinator under Kyle Whittingham. The transition to a new head coach has not slowed down Utah's production.
The Utes have outscored their opponents by wide margins, scoring more than 25 points in all of their games.
Devon Dampier Will Be a Problem
Utah quarterback Devon Dampier is currently fourth in the Big 12 with 15 passing touchdowns while averaging 235.3 yards per game. Additionally, he can do it with his legs, as he has 198 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
Dampier is the heart of the offense while running back Wayshawn Parker is a second threat for Utah. He has run for 597 yards and seven touchdowns.
With a backfield that has a quarterback who can pass and run and a running back who is dominant, the Cougars will have trouble containing both threats.
Elite Defense
Scalley's background as a defensive coordinator has turned Utah into one of the best defenses in the conference. The defense averages 14.8 points and 303.2 yards per game, both in the conference's top five.
This becomes a challenge for a Houston Cougar squad that controls the tempo of games with its rushing attack. It averages 220.3 rushing yards per game, which is the fourth-most in the conference.
This could lead quarterback Conner Weigman to throw more in order to get the offense going.
Where Houston Can Attack
Utah has made mistakes that could cost it the game against Houston. Dampier struggled with accuracy and ball security in the second quarter against Kansas, as he fumbled, threw an interception and got sacked three times.
If Houston can pressure Dampier and make him feel uncomfortable, it could tip the game in Houston's favor. Houston has one of the best run defenses in the country, which could limit the number of yards Dampier and Parker gain.
Additionally, Houston must maintain possession to win and to do that, the Cougars need to make Dampier uncomfortable. The Cougars had the ball for 35 minutes against Oklahoma State, making the Cowboys scramble to keep up.
The Cougars have never lost a game to Utah, leading the overall series 5-0 and winning the last meeting in 2024.
According to ESPN, Utah has a 67% chance of winning against the Cougars. The Big 12 race could hinge on Houston winning this game.
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Micah Clay is a staff writer for the Houston Cougars on SI. He is currently a freshman at the University of Houston and majoring in Sports Administration. He also works for The Cougar organization. You can find Clay on his Instagram(@mcjosh_btw_podcast)