What You Need To Know: Buffs At Utah

COLORADO BUFFALOES (4-7, 3-5 Pac-12)

at UTAH UTES (8-3, 7-1)

KICKOFF:  Friday, 2:05 p.m. (MT), Rice-Eccles Stadium (51,444)

TV, RADIO: The game will be televised by Fox with Joe Davis  (play-by-play) and Brock Huard (color). The radio broadcast will be carried by KOA (850 AM, 94.1 FM) with Voice of the Buffs Mark Johnson and Gary Barnett in the booth and Bob Pesavento on the sidelines. KOA's coverage begins at noon with the pregame show.

ON THE INTERNET: The game can be heard on the internet at CUBuffs.com, and www.850koa.com in the Denver-Boulder metro area. Live statistics will also be available at CUBuffs.com.

THE COACHES: Colorado head coach Karl Dorrell is in his second year at the Buffs' helm. Last year's Pac-12 Coach of the Year, Dorrell is 8-9 at CU and 43-36 overall as a head coach. 

Utah is coached by Kyle Whittingham, who is in his 17th year with the Utes. He is Utah's all-time winningest coach with a 142-69 record. 

Dorrell is 1-2 all-time against Utah (0-1 at CU, 1-1 at UCLA). Whittingham is 8-2 against the Buffs.

THE SERIES: The two teams have met 67 times in their long history — the first meeting took place in 1903 — and they have evenly split the games, 32-32-3. Utah has an 18-14-2 edge in Salt Lake City and has won the last four meetingss.

WHAT'S AT STAKE: A victory would give the Buffs their first two-game win streak since last season and would give CU some momentum heading into the offseason. The Utes have already clinched the Pac-12 South and will play in the Pac-12 championship game, but every win will help their bowl standing and national rankings.

LAST OUTING: The Buffaloes collected four turnovers to negate a big statistical edge by Washington in a 20-17 win over the Huskies in Boulder last week. Utah crushed then-No. 3 Oregon last week, 38-7, in Salt Lake City.

TEAM LEADERS: Colorado quarterback Brendon Lewis has thrown for 1,456 yards and 10 touchdowns this year and just three interceptions. Tight end Brady Russell leads the team in receptions with 23 for 295 yards and RB Jarek Broussard is the Buffs' leading rusher with 661 yards.

Defensively, linebackers Quinn Perry and Nate Landman (who has not played the last four games) are tied for the team lead in tackles with 52 each. DE Carson Wells has 14.5 tackles for loss, including 5.5 sacks. Isaiah Lewis and Mark Perry each have two interceptions.

For Utah, quarterback Cameron Rising has thrown for 1,930 yards and 14 touchdowns with just two interceptions, and he is 7-1 as a starter this season. RB Tavion Thomas has rushed for 836 yards and 17 touchdowns and TE Brant Kuithe has 41 catches for 487 yards and five touchdowns. WR/return specialist Britain Covey has 39 catches for 336 yards and has returned 22 punts for 384 yards and two touchdowns.

Defensively, linebacker Devin Lloyd has been in on 90 tackles with 21 for loss, including seven sacks. He also has three interceptions. Defensive lineman Mike Tafua has 8.5 sacks.

KEY MATCHUP: Colorado linebackers vs. Utah RB Thomas. The Buffs have to prevent Thomas from picking up big yards at the second level. If they can contain him and force Utah into some third-and-long situations, they'll have a chance to give CU's offense some extra possessions..

UP NEXT:  The Buffs open the 2022 season at home next Sept. 3 against TCU.

Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu