Three Takeaways From Utah's Loss To Oregon State

Utah suffered their first loss of the season on Friday night against Oregon State

Author:
Kevin Borba
Publish date:
Sep 30, 2023 6:46 PM EDT

For the first time this season, the No. 10 ranked Utah Utes suffered a loss.

They hit the road and went on up to Corvallis to take on No. 19 Oregon State who was fresh off a loss of their own against No. 16 Washington State. Unlike the fact that this was their first loss of the season, it was their fifth straight game missing about a dozen players due to injury.

Notable names like quarterback Cam Rising, running back Ja'Quinden Jackson, and tight end Brant Kuithe among many others were out and their absence was felt. The Utes' offense failed to amass over 200 yards of offense, and the defense, while they played well, was unable to withstand the Beavers' offense.

Here are my three biggest takeaways from the 21-7 loss for Utah.

The Bye Week Came At The Perfect Time

Utah Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham looks on from the sideline in the second quarter against the Oregon State Beavers at Rice-Eccles Stadium. — © Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

In a sense, this doesn't have much to do with the game but it also has everything to do with where Utah is right now in their season. In a Pac-12 conference that's as tightly contested as it is this year, Utah needs a week off more than anyone in the country. They were already down a handful of players and saw more get banged up on Friday. The bye week gives the Utes a chance to not only not get any more beat up, but provide an opportunity for players like Rising and Kuithe to return. The past few weeks have taken a lot for Utah, so these 14 days before the next game could be the difference between Utah bouncing back against Cal or continuing to struggle.

Utes' Defense Can Only Do So Much

Sep 29, 2023; Corvallis, Oregon, USA; Oregon State Beavers wide receiver Anthony Gould (2) reaches for a pass as Utah Utes safety Stone Vaki (28) defends during the first half at Reser Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports — Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

The Utah defense put up a huge fight even though the score may not indicate as such. They racked up three sacks, 13 tackles for a loss, while adding three pass breakups. For Utah to get in the game or even win on Friday, they needed the defense or special teams to come up with a score because the offense couldn't. Outside of the fake tush push, the Utes' defense was making it fairly difficult for Oregon State to run the ball. The defense may benefit from the bye week in terms of rest more than the offense simply because they've been needed to carry the load.

Utah Cannot Continue On Without Rising

Sep 9, 2023; Waco, Texas, USA; Utah Utes quarterback Cameron Rising (7) on the sidelines following a Utah Utes touchdown against the Baylor Bears during the second half at McLane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-USA TODAY Sports — Raymond Carlin III-USA TODAY Sports

Both Nate Johnson, and Bryson Barnes who went down with an injury against the Beavers did their best, and it's truly impressive that Utah is 4-1 at this point. However, if Utah truly has a chance at competing for their third straight Pac-12 title and maybe even the playoff, they need Cam Rising to return. There is nearly a 20-point differential in the games he starts compared to the ones he doesn't, and neither Johnson nor Barnes have shown enough to instill faith that they can get the Utes through their remaining Pac-12 gauntlet. The offense cannot get things going in the passing game, and has scored just seven touchdowns against teams not named Weber State. With the timing of the bye week, Utes' fans are hopeful that it's enough time for Rising to return. If he is unable to come back for the Cal game, his debut would be against USC which would be a huge ask from him. Obviously, Cal is no slouch, but having some time to shake off the rust would be huge.

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