No. 24 Utah and Utah State first played in 1892. It was the first ever athletics contest for Utah State (then Utah Agricultural College) and the first football game against another college for Utah. As far as the records show, neither team had a head coach.
How to watch Utah State vs. Utah on TV or online, plus 3 things to know
One of the oldest rivalries in college football continues Friday night.
Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports
Utah State won, 12-0, and after a 10-year break before the series resumed, the two schools have played almost every year since. The Utes hold a 78-30-4 lead in the all-time series, but Utah State broke a 12-game Utah winning streak in 2012, its first win of the series since 1997, John L. Smith’s last year as head coach of the school. Utah won the last game between the two schools, in 2013, but each of the last two games have been decided by a single score.
Both teams have opened the season 1-0, but in wildly different fashions. Utah shut down Michigan in Jim Harbaugh’s debut, winning by a touchdown and making its way into the Top 25. Utah State squeaked by FCS Southern Utah, 12-9, in its opener, and will be looking for a better performance from quarterback Chuckie Keeton Friday night.
How to watch, stream and listen
TV: 9 p.m. ET, ESPN2. Dave Flemming, Mack Brown and Allison Williams on the call.
Online streaming: WatchESPN.
Spread: Utah favored by 12 points.
Make friends: Get to SB Nation’s team blog chats for this game at Block U (for Utah fans) and Mountain West Connection (for Utah State fans).
Three big things to know
1. Devontae Booker is super exciting. The Utah running back totaled 124 yards of offense on 29 touches against Michigan, slightly below his 140.2 per game average from last season. Booker scored 12 touchdowns for the Utes in 2014 and is one of the focal points for Utah’s offense. Utah State’s defense has been one of the most consistent in the country, and linebacker Nick Vigiil is a player to watch for in this matchup.
2. Chuckie Keeton could be in trouble. Back from injury, Keeton struggled against Southern Utah, completing 16 of 33 passes for 110 yards and an interception. Now he’ll be faced with a fierce Utah defense that lost a lot on the defensive line but still managed to pick off Michigan quarterback Jake Rudock three times. The Utes didn’t manage a single sack against the Wolverines, however, and Keeton’s ability to run could come into play.
3. Utah State needs to turn this around. With some luck, the Aggies could contended for a Mountain West title this year. That didn’t show in Week 1 vs. Southern Utah, and there are so many questions on both sides of the ball right now for Utah State that it’s hard to find too much confidence in the team’s chances to contend. A strong performance against probably the top team in the state would go a long way towards getting the season back on track.
See More:
