Kansas vs Utah kicks off Saturday night in Salt Lake City with No. 12 Utah looking to stay unbeaten against a Jayhawks team coming off its most lopsided win in nearly six decades. The Utes (4-0, 1-0 Big 12) host Kansas (2-2, 0-1 Big 12) at Rice-Eccles Stadium, and the matchup pits two of the conference’s top defenses against each other.
Utah leads the Big 12 in scoring defense, allowing just 10.3 points per game, while Kansas leads the league in total defense at 244.8 yards allowed per game. Both programs have built their identities this season on stopping the run, with Utah surrendering 84.0 yards per game on the ground and Kansas allowing 100.0. The game marks the sixth all-time meeting between the two schools, with Utah holding a 3-2 series edge and Kansas winless against the Utes since 1951.
Kansas Vs Utah Game Information
- Date: Saturday, Oct. 10
- Time: 10:15 p.m. ET
- Venue: Rice-Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City, Utah
- TV: ESPN
- Series: Utah leads 3-2; Kansas has not beaten Utah since 1951
By The Numbers
- Scoring offense (per game): Utah 43.3, Kansas 36.0
- Total yards (per game): Utah 491.3, Kansas 496.8
- Passing yards (per game): Utah 265.5, Kansas 242.8
- Rushing yards (per game): Utah 225.8, Kansas 254.0
- Third-down conversion rate: Utah 54.17%, Kansas 42.86%
- Turnover differential: Utah +1, Kansas 0
- Sacks (season total): Utah 11, Kansas 6
- Records: Utah 4-0 (1-0 Big 12), Kansas 2-2 (0-1 Big 12)
Utah’s offense has outscored opponents by a wide margin through four games, and the Utes have scored at least 30 points in 10 straight games, an active FBS-leading streak, according to CBS Sports. Kansas counters with a slightly higher per-game total yardage figure, though its turnover differential sits at even compared to Utah’s plus-one mark.
Utah Utes Outlook
Utah enters off a bye week following a 31-17 win over Iowa State on Sept. 26, part of a 4-0 start that includes wins over Idaho, Arkansas and Utah State. Quarterback Devon Dampier leads the Big 12 in passing efficiency at 172.2 and ranks second in completion percentage at .703, completing 71 of 101 passes for 896 yards, nine touchdowns and one interception on the season.
Running back Wayshawn Parker has carried the load on the ground with 328 yards and five touchdowns on 50 attempts, while receiver Braden Pegan has caught 17 passes for 264 yards and four scores. Utah’s defense has allowed just 10.3 points per game, the stingiest mark in the Big 12, giving the Utes a clear advantage if that unit performs to its season average against a Kansas offense that has shown explosiveness in recent weeks.
Kansas Jayhawks Outlook
Kansas arrives in Salt Lake City riding its largest margin of victory against an FBS opponent since 1968, having beaten Middle Tennessee 55-0 last Saturday. The Jayhawks posted their first shutout since 2008 in that game, holding Middle Tennessee to just 138 yards of total offense while piling up a school-record 706 yards on the other side of the ball, according to Sports Illustrated…