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Is Oregon State a must-win game for Utah?

trent wood
·3 min read
Oregon State defensive backs Josiah Johnson stands on the field during game against Washington State, Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023, in Pullman, Wash. The Beavers host the Utes Friday night.

On the surface, the idea that No. 10 Utah has a must-win game against No. 19 Oregon State tonight seems absurd.

After all, at 4-0 the Utes are undefeated, have a top-11 defense nationally (tied with UCLA for No. 9 in the FBS) and has wins over three Power Five opponents, including a ranked Florida team, a then-ranked UCLA team and a road win at Baylor.

All this without star quarterback Cam Rising too. Not to mention the many other Utes that have missed time this season.

Plus, Utah has yet to enter the real deciding portion of its schedule, when it will play three top-10 teams — USC, Oregon and Washington — during a four-week span. Go undefeated during the span and Utah will all but be assured of another trip to the Pac-12 title game.

A must-win game in late September sounds a bit absurd.

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And yet, according to ESPN’s Bill Connelly, the Utes’ Pac-12 title hopes (and more) hinge on the outcome of tonight’s game against the Beavers.

In his preview of the top-25 clash between the Utes and Beavers, Connelly made it clear that in his mind, the Utes “need to find a way in this one,” or a third straight Pac-12 title may be out of reach.

“A loss to Oregon State will decimate Utah’s margin for error in the Pac-12 (or even CFP) race,” Connelly writes. “... This is a By Any Means Necessary game for the Utes. They’ve won four of their past five one-score finishes, and they’ll need to find a way in this one if they want to survive their upcoming gauntlet and give themselves a shot at a third straight Pac-12 title.”

Can Utah defeat Oregon State? Of course. Utah’s defense may well end up being the best of the Kyle Whittingham era, which is saying something.

Speaking of Whittingham, the coach is in the middle of arguably the best coaching job of his career.

But, the Beavers appear to be the most significant test for Utah thus far this season, with last weekend’s 38-35 loss at unbeaten Washington State the team’s only blemish.

Utes on the air

No. 10 Utah (4-0)
vs. No. 19 Oregon State (3-1)
Friday, 7 p.m. MDT
Reser Stadium
TV: Fox Sports 1
Radio: ESPN 700/92.1 FM

“They’re (Oregon State) still a top-20 team with one of the nation’s best run games — Damien Martinez and Deshaun Fenwick: 171.3 yards per game and 7.3 yards per carry — and a defense that combines lots of tackles for loss with solid big-play prevention,” Connelly writes. “Utah’s run defense is the best OSU has faced, but the Utes allow plenty of the type of havoc plays the Beavers seek.”

Is Utah-Oregon State a must-win game? That is an unanswerable question this early in the season, with two complete months of football remaining.

But at this point in the 2023 season, it does have the appearance of a game that could make or break Utah’s season, as far as postseason goals are concerned.