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Utah-Wyoming Preview

Oct 12, 2010 - 8:31 PM By NOEY KUPCHAN STATS Writer

No. 23 Utah (5-0) at Wyoming (2-4), 6:00 p.m. EDT

After putting up its highest point total since 1983 last week, Utah looks keep rolling when it faces defensively challenged Wyoming - the team the Utes victimized in that lopsided game 27 years ago.

The No. 11 Utes try to open 6-0 for the second time in three years when they visit the Mountain West rival Cowboys on Saturday night.

Utah (5-0, 2-0) pounded Iowa State 68-27 on Saturday, racking up 593 yards of offense and scoring on all nine trips into the red zone. The Utes, averaging 49.0 points on the season, recorded their highest-scoring effort since beating Wyoming 69-14 in 1983.

Jordan Wynn, who leads the MWC with a 163.0 passer rating, went 23 of 31 for a season-high 325 yards and two touchdowns. Shaky Smithson had 261 all-purpose yards and pushed his punt return yardage total to 444 - best in the nation.

Reggie Dunn took back a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter - just moments after the Utes had blocked an extra-point try - and Joe Phillips made four short field goals.

"Special teams gave us a big lift. Shaky Smithson was tremendous in the return game. Reggie Dunn is electrifying when he has the ball in his hands," Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said.

The Utes also rushed for more than 200 yards for the second consecutive game. All of that likely spells trouble for Wyoming, which is allowing an average of 471.0 yards of offense - fifth worst in the FBS - and 251.2 yards on the ground, second most in the country.

The Cowboys (2-4, 0-2) continued to have trouble against ranked teams last week, falling 45-0 to then-No. 5 TCU. The defeat was Wyoming's third of the season to a top 5 opponent, with those losses coming by a combined 130-13.

The Cowboys have dropped 13 straight to ranked opponents - three of those coming against Utah.

Wyoming didn't have quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels last week due to an undisclosed injury, but he has been cleared to play against Utah, coach Dave Christensen said.

Carta-Samuels, whose five interceptions in five games this season match the total he threw in 13 games last year, said he's anxious to return.

"People are going to see a new level of enthusiasm from me," he said. "I'm excited to get back to work and win some games."

Dax Crum started in Carta-Samuels' place against TCU and was 11 of 17 for 116 yards with an interception.

Wyoming is last in the FBS in offense at 240.7 yards per game and in rushing yards with 69.2. The Cowboys are tied for 118th out of 120 FBS teams with 12.5 points a contest.

"We haven't done a good job, and the statistics don't lie," said Carta-Samuels, who threw for 121 yards and an interception and was sacked five times during a 22-10 loss to then-No. 19 Utah on Oct. 31.

Wyoming will be facing a Utes team that's giving up an average of 15.6 points.

Despite his team being a heavy favorite, Whittingham is trying to keep his team focused on the task at hand.

"We have got to go about our business as we always do with the same preparation and the same mentality," he said. "There is no difference to our approach."

Utah has won nine of the last 10 matchups with Wyoming - four of five at Laramie - and leads the series 50-31-1.