Utah-Colorado Preview Capsule
No. 21 Utah (7-3, 5-3 Pac-12) vs. Colorado (5-5, 2-5), 1:31 ET (Pac-12 Network)
Line: Utah by 7.
Series record: Colorado leads 32-29-3.
WHAT'S AT STAKE?
Closing in on the Pac-12 South division title for the Utes, who are 5-2 against Colorado since both schools joined the conference in 2011, ending a 49-year dormancy for the series. The Buffaloes are out to salvage a season that started 5-0 before star sophomore Laviska Shenault Jr. (toe) got hurt and missed a month. With the slide threatening to keep the Buffs from becoming bowl eligible (they have to beat Utah or win at Cal next week), coach Mike MacIntyre finds his seat getting warmer by the day.
KEY MATCHUP
Shenault, who was the nation's leading receiver before getting hurt, against Utah's secondary led by sophomore CB Jaylon Johnson. He has 34 tackles and team-best three interceptions, and a Utes linebacking corps led by leading tackler Chase Hansen.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Utah: Redshirt freshman QB Jason Shelley won his first career start last week, completing 18 of 31 passes for 262 yards. He also rushed for both of Utah's TDs in a 32-25 win over Oregon. ... Junior RB Armand Shyne rushed for career-high 174 yards on 26 carries against Ducks in his first start since 2016. ... Senior K Matt Gay was named the conference's specialist of the week on Monday for his record-setting game against Oregon in which he went 6-for-6 on field goals and tied a school record with 20 points.
Colorado: Shenault caught 10 passes for 102 yards and added an 18-yard run in his return to the lineup last week. ... QB Steven Montez tries to rally from a 31-7 loss to Washington State in which only two of 13 drives lasted more than 2 minutes. ... ILB Rick Gamboa will start his 48th game Saturday. ... TB Travon McMillian has made the most of his graduate transfer season. He had a 64-yard burst last week that preceded his 3-yard TD run for the Buffaloes' only points.
FACTS & FIGURES
This is the 500th game in Folsom Field history. ... Utah's starting QB, Jason Shelley Jr., was a second cousin to the late Rashaan Salaam, Colorado's Heisman Trophy winner in 1994. ... Buffaloes gunner Daniel Arias has forced a school record 11 fair catches. Colorado has tracked that stat since 1987. ... Until Utah's 34-13 win last year, the renewed series featured six one-score games. ... MacIntyre is 1-5 against Utah. Utes coach Kyle Whittingham is 5-2 against Colorado.
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