Golden Bears face their toughest task in Utah

“It was the first big test for us and unfortunately I played terribly”, Goff said”. “He brings a toughness and a physicality to the defense… he’s exceptional in that regard”, Whittingham said. His ability to make plays with his arm despite the opposing teams keying in on the team’s pass-heavy offense has not slowed him down, even against traditionally defensive-minded teams.

Devontae Booker ran for a season-high 222 yards and two touchdowns and added a team-high 45 receiving yards for the Utes (5-0, 2-0 Pac-12).

Utah’s 30-24 win over California on Saturday was an anxiety factory, one of those fantastically freakish nine-turnover classics that raised blood pressures and flooded Rice-Eccles Stadium with drawn-out tension reminiscent of a Hitchcock script.

Elsewhere, USC and Oregon both lost at home, with the Ducks’ collapse coming in double-overtime.

“We’re pretty beat up”. This is familiar territory for Dykes, who went particularly loose on the reins with Graham Harrell during his time coordinating for Mike Leach at Texas Tech, but for Franklin it’s a first, and the adjustment process has been harrowing, like the parent of a student driver mashing a phantom brake pedal from the passenger seat. “We’ll rest up for a couple days and start getting ready for UCLA”.

The Utah secondary has the challenge of slowing down Goff, who ranks in the top 10 nationally in completion percentage, passing efficiency, passing touchdowns and passing yards. Utah stretched its lead to 30-24 on Phillips’ 39-yard field goal with 12:07 left.

It was a total defensive effort from the Utes in the first half, forcing five total turnovers.

There are a lot of indicators pointing to a cover by Oregon St here, despite the Beavers being just 1-3 ATS on the year so far. Goff hadn’t thrown more than two picks in a game since his debut as a freshman against Northwestern in the 2013 opener.

Punter Tom Hackett punted the ball four times in the game for 203 yards, two of which landed inside of the 20-yard line. But Cal’s defense, which had held up for Utah’s first two drives, was unable to keep an eye on Booker, who flew into the endzone on a 40-yard rushing touchdown – the third lead change of the quarter.

Cal quarterback Jared Goff looks on from the sidelines in the second half Saturday, October 10, 2015, in Salt Lake City. Watson’s second touchdown of the year narrowed the gap to 27-24 with 2:03 left in the quarter.

Faced with a six-point deficit with time winding down, Cal got one last shot at a comeback.

First of all, Utah is NOT a Top 10 team. Washington St is a team with major weaknesses, but they were able to get a nice cover on the road last week against Cal as an underdog at a similar line to what they’ll be this week, and Cal was probably more likely to blow the Cougars out last week than Oregon will be this week. The Buckeyes are followed by No. 2 Baylor, No. 3 TCU, No. 4 Utah and No. 5 Clemson in the AP Poll.

“We feel like we’re the No. 1 team”, Hobbs said.

On this Pac-12 occasion after dark, however, it was Jerry’s son who whizzed balls past his receivers, zipping throws with the velocity of a Nolan Ryan. Furthermore, Utah’s secondary has snatched seven interceptions with sophomore safety Marcus Williams pulling down three, tied for 10 th in the nation.

Goff’s second interception was a very similar play.