No. 14 Houston Cougars vs Utah Utes headlines a loaded Saturday night slate when the unbeaten Utes host the Cougars at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City. Utah enters at 6-0 and ranked No. 10, while Houston arrives at 6-1 and ranked No. 14, setting up one of the biggest Big 12 games of the season so far. ESPN’s College GameDay will broadcast from the Utah campus ahead of kickoff, with the three-hour pregame show beginning at 7 a.m. MDT.
Houston Cougars Vs Utah Utes Game Information
- Date: Saturday, Oct. 24
- Time: 10:15 p.m. ET
- Venue: Rice-Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City, UT
- TV: ESPN
- Weather: 52 degrees, 10% chance of precipitation
Why Does This Game Matter For The Big 12 Race
Utah is unbeaten and facing a ranked conference opponent, giving the Utes a chance to strengthen their College Football Playoff résumé before a Nov. 7 rivalry date with BYU. Houston, meanwhile, needs the win to stay in the Big 12 hunt behind No. 2 BYU and No. 8 Texas Tech. A Cougars victory would push Houston into third place in the conference and give the team the tiebreaker over Utah, according to Newsday.
The stakes extend beyond the standings. A Houston win would also spoil what was set up to be a celebration of the 100th consecutive sellout at Rice-Eccles Stadium, Newsday reported.
How Has Utah Looked Coming Off The Colorado Win
Utah survived a scare in its last outing, beating Colorado 27-24 after leading 13-0 at halftime before the Buffaloes scored 17 unanswered points in the third quarter. Quarterback Devon Dampier threw three touchdown passes in that game, and a late defensive stop sealed the victory, according to Deseret News.
Dampier has completed 118 of 172 passes this season for 1,412 yards, 15 touchdowns and four interceptions. Running back Wayshawn Parker has carried the load on the ground with 597 yards and seven touchdowns on 89 attempts, while Braden Pegan leads the receiving corps with 32 catches for 422 yards and six scores. Utah has won five straight games since its season opener and has not lost in six tries.
What Does Houston Bring Into Salt Lake City
Houston’s only loss came at Texas Tech, 28-26, in the second week of the season. Since then, the Cougars have reeled off five straight wins, including a 35-32 decision over Oklahoma State last week. Quarterback Conner Weigman has completed 134 of 198 passes for 1,771 yards with 20 touchdowns against just two interceptions, giving Houston a passing touchdown percentage of 10.7% on the season…