The Pac-12′s football scheduling rotation cheated fans of the Utah Utes, considering how Stanford’s Christian McCaffrey never played in Salt Lake City during his three-year career as a Cardinal running back.
But here comes Bryce Love.
The occupants of the seats (and standing room) Saturday night at Rice-Eccles Stadium will be treated to the performance of Love, who already has rushed for more than 1,000 yards this season. McCaffrey’s only appearance against the Utes came at Stanford in 2014, when he carried the ball eight times for 77 yards in a double-overtime loss.
The average college football fan probably is much less concerned about the opportunity to see a visiting star than wanting the home team to provide some thrills and win the game. Yet a big part of the attraction of Utah’s Pac-12 membership to me is having brand-name programs and Heisman Trophy candidates come to town.
The week before the Utes faced McCaffrey in 2014, they hosted Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota, that year’s Heisman winner. The week after beating Stanford, Utah allowed 218 yards rushing to Arizona’s Nick Wilson in a 42-10 loss.
The question going into Saturday’s game is whether Love can come anywhere near the 200-yard mark against Utah’s proud defense.
Much of the discussion this week has focused on why Stanford would be the oddsmakers’ favorite over a 4-0 Utah team. Two reasons: Love’s relentless running and the anticipated absence of Utes quarterback Tyler Huntley due to a shoulder injury. Those factors make Saturday’s matchup even more interesting, with the Utes trying to stop Love and Troy Williams making the first start of his senior season after quarterbacking Utah to a 9-4 record last year.
Wilson’s 218-yard effort In 2014 included a 75-yard run. Long runs are a major element of Love’s game. Stanford’s recent victory over UCLA is a good example. Four of his runs — of 27, 32, 30 and 69 yards — accounted for 178 yards. He gained 85 yards on his other 26 carries, including 30 yards on his first nine attempts of the game.
“He is unbelievable,” Utah cornerbacks coach Sharrieff Shah said. “He can make you miss in a very short space, and he’s a powerful kid. Then he gets to the second level, and it’s just dangerous. You’d better take him low and hold on with everything you’ve got because a strong kid, a very powerful kid.”
Shah’s cornerbacks will be vital in run support against Stanford, and he’s happy to have “a unit that enjoy tackling,” after missed tackles on the perimeter were “glaring” in recent seasons, he said.
When McCaffrey’s effort included a 37-yard run in 2014, Stanford and Utah were tied 7-7 after regulation, and the Utes won 20-17 in the second overtime. This game should be higher-scoring — more like the Utes’ 30-24 win over California in a 2015 homecoming game. The Bears, with quarterback Jared Goff, featured a much different offensive scheme in an entertaining game. In his own way, Love should make Utah’s 2017 homecoming contest memorable as well.