TODAY: UTAH AT STANFORD
Records: Utah 5-3, 4-1 Pac-12; Stanford 3-5, 2-4 Pac-12
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m., Stanford Stadium
Radio: KNBR 1050 AM
Television: FS1
Series history: Utah leads the all-time series 5-4, including a 3-1 record against Stanford coach David Shaw. The Utes are 4-0 all-time at Stanford. In the most recent meeting, visiting Utah won 40-21 in 2018.
Storylines: The Pac-12 South leader faces the last-place team in the Pac-12 North. Utah scored a season-high 44 points against UCLA to go 3-0 against the other South contenders, having already beaten Arizona State and USC. Stanford has lost three in a row since its upset win over Oregon and now must win three of its last four just to reach bowl eligibility. … Cardinal QB Tanner McKee was listed as questionable. Junior Jack West and option QB Isaiah Sanders are expected to play if McKee is unavailable. West is 0-3 as a starter at Stanford, while Sanders hasn’t attempted a pass this season. … All three of Utah’s losses have been on the road (BYU, San Diego State, Oregon State), though by a combined total of just 19 points.
Matchup to watch: Utah running game vs. Stanford run defense. Utah is second in the Pac-12 in yards per rush and RB Tavion Thomas ran for four TDs last week against UCLA, tying the school record, as the Utes ran for a season-high 290 yards. Stanford is 120th out of 130 FBS teams in rushing defense.
Injuries/Absences: WR Michael Wilson and TE Bradley Archer should play tonight. DB Salim Turner-Muhammed and Ethan Bonner are probable, WRs John Humphreys and Elijah Higgins are questionable, and RB/PR Casey Filkins and TE Lukas Unger are out.
Stats that matter: Utah is 4-1 since Cameron Rising was named the starting QB. … QB Tanner McKee has four of Stanford’s nine rushing TDs. … Benjamin Yurosek has 3 straight games with at least 90 receiving yards, the first Stanford tight end in at least the last 25 years to accomplish that feat. … Utah currently leads the Pac-12 and ranks ninth in the FBS in fewest penalties (35). … Stanford is 3-0 when winning the turnover battle and 0-4 when having more turnovers than its opponents. … Utah hasn’t allowed a sack in the past three games.