• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Johnson, Utes look for revenge against Oregon State

Sep 30, 2008 - 11:22 PM Oregon State (2-2) at (15) Utah (5-0), 9:00 pm EDT

SALT LAKE CITY (Ticker) -- Last fall, Oregon State threw Utah's promising season into disarray. The 15th-ranked Utes hope to return the favor Thursday night when the teams face off in a non-conference tilt.

In last year's season opener, the Beavers derailed the Utes' early season chances with a 24-7 victory - and the trouble did not stop there. Utah starting quarterback Brian Johnson was knocked out of the game after the first half with a separated shoulder, and starting tailback Matt Asiata broke his leg in the first quarter.

Those losses - the game and the personnel - all but ended the Utes' chances at the national prominence many expected of them going into the season.

This year, Utah (5-0) has avoided any early pitfalls and is once again garnering national attention.

But it was Oregon State that stole the spotlight last week, pulling off the upset of the year with a 27-21 victory over then-No. 1 Southern California - a squad many predicted would roll to a national championship.

The Utes can take the Beavers down a peg this Thursday behind Johnson, who ranks 15th in the nation in completion percentage (69.2) and 22nd in quarterback efficiency (152.81). The senior leads an offense that is averaging 38.4 points per game.

Asiata has teamed with senior Darrell Mack to form a punishing ground game, with the two combining for 639 rushing yards and nine touchdowns this year.

Oregon State also has a solid ground game behind freshman Jacquizz Rodgers, who has piled up 296 yards and four touchdowns over the last two games.

Oregon State, however, faces a Utah squad that has had a great deal of success against BCS teams in recent years. Among teams from non-BCS conferences, Utah is tied with Fresno State for the most wins against BCS opponents with 14 victories since 2000.

The Utes have won six of their last nine games against Pac-10 Conference foes and four in a row at home, including last year's 44-6 rout of UCLA.