College Football Week 4 schedule and predictions

STARKVILLE, MS - SEPTEMBER 16: Mississippi State Bulldogs quarterback Nick Fitzgerald (7) drops back for a pass during a football game between the Mississippi State Bulldogs and the LSU Tigers at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Mississippi on September 16, 2017 (Photo by John Korduner/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

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TEMPE, AZ – NOVEMBER 10: Defensive tackle Lowell Lotulelei #93 of the Utah Utes in action during the first half of the college football game against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Sun Devil Stadium on Novemebr10, 2016 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

No. 23 Utah at Arizona

Kickoff: Friday, Sep. 22, 10:30 PM, FS1

Here’s a Friday matchup in the Pac 12 that’s being slightly underrated. Utah’s a good football team that’s heading on the road to take on Arizona. Utah is undefeated, while Arizona is 2-1, dropping their only game to Houston in a nail-biter. Here are three things to watch, along with a final prediction of the score.

Utah at Arizona: Three Things to Watch:

1. Can Arizona keep running the ball at that rate?

Arizona has been crazy efficient running the ball through their first three games. They’re averaging nearly 328 yards per game on the ground. Their rushing leader this season isn’t even their starting running back — it’s their quarterback Brandon Dawkins.

That’ll be a huge key for their success at home against Utah, if they can run at that rate. Utah’s run defense has been extremely solid, so it’ll be a matchup to watch.

2. Can Utah play well on the road?

This might be too small of a sample size, but on the road, Utah hasn’t been as great of a team as they have been at home. In two games at home, they scored nearly 45 points per game, but on the road it drops to 19.

They’ll be playing the best team they’ve played thus far this season in Arizona, so it’ll be a tough test to see if they can respond.

3. Can Tyler Huntley and Darren Carrington produce for Utah?

The quarterback-receiver duo for Utah has been spectacular through three games. Tyler Huntley has been effective, completing 80 of 111 passes this season and Carrington has been his leading pass-catcher this season.

Carrington has become a major force in the passing attack, so Arizona will have to key in on stopping that duo first.

Prediction:

Utah’s a slight favorite, but ths a coin-flip game. Weird things happen on Friday nights, but I still like Utah to win this game. They’ve played three games in which their talent has been less than the opponent’s, but they’ve managed to win easily. Utah in a close one.

Utah over Arizona, 33-24.

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