Friday Night Football Open Thread
Utah Utes visit the Utah State Aggies at 8:00 on ESPN 2
We play Utah in a home and home series in 2014 and 2015 and we've competed with them for a few of their prospects the last 2 seasons so they're definitely worth a look.
A few notes on the Utes:
In 2010 (their last season in the MWC) they went 10-3, spent most of the season ranked in the top 10, only losing to #4 TCU, at Notre Dame, and to #10 Boise State. They had a little bit of rough sledding their first season in the Pac12 in 2011, but didn't play either Stanford or Oregon, and finished with an 8-5 record with notable wins against Todd Grahams Pitt Panthers, dominated BYU, UCLA, and Oregon State, won at Arizona and at Washington State, lost a close 14-23 matchup at USC, and won the Sun Bowl against Georgia Tech in overtime.
2012 is the 8th year of the program under Kyle Whittingham, who replaced Urban Meyer in 2004 as Head Coach, and has been with the program since 1994(!) where he's coached the defensive line, and served as the defensive coordinator. Likely to see a lot of the same players in 2 years, and likely the same scheme since they managed a 4th place finish in the Pac-12 in their inaugural season. Definitely an up and coming program worth looking at.
September 7th, 2012 at 7:25 PM ^
Trying really hard to care about Utah. Nope, it's not working.
September 7th, 2012 at 7:38 PM ^
It's also, I believe, the only football game on tonight.
September 7th, 2012 at 7:44 PM ^
OK, I'm down. But I still wish we could have scheduled USC, Oregon, Stanford, Cal, UCLA, Washington or Colorado instead.
September 7th, 2012 at 7:55 PM ^
UCLA would have been perfect for me.
September 7th, 2012 at 8:44 PM ^
Hey, I've got an idea: Let's schedule USC as our first game of the year. Let's do it in a year where we have a lot of young/new players in key positions, especially on defense. Maybe we could even suspend a player or two for the game. We could even play it in a NFL stadium 2000 miles away, at night.
What could possibly go wrong?
September 7th, 2012 at 8:17 PM ^
Since it is the only game I'm going to enjoy it (beer might supplement my enjoyment further)
September 7th, 2012 at 9:28 PM ^
It's CFB and that's all I need. As much fun as I have switching between games on Saturdays and having multiple TVs running, it's also nice to focus on only one game Thursday and Friday nights. Friday games are usually extremely low key games, but sometimes they're competitive and just fun to watch.
September 7th, 2012 at 7:28 PM ^
Nice write-up, few notes in there I was unaware of. I remember Utah State being a seemingly decent team last year, almost knocking off Auburn in the opener(?). Gooo...Aggies!?
September 7th, 2012 at 7:36 PM ^
If only Utah's Star Lotulelei were on our team.
September 7th, 2012 at 7:40 PM ^
Yeah - outside of that crazy USC game, Utah looked like garbage in the Pac-12 last year, which says a lot. I don't expect them to do much of anything in the conference, but luckily for them they're in the really shitty division.
September 8th, 2012 at 9:29 AM ^
That is why I don't have a lot of respect for Boise State: they are beating the same teams Utah used to beat. Utah's performance last year was a wake-up call for those who really think the "BCS-busters" can perform as well over an entire season of good competition as they can when they only have to "get up" for one or two big games.
September 7th, 2012 at 7:50 PM ^
Tomorrow for the game, do you think I could go tomorrow about an hour or half hour before kickoff and buy a PAIR of cheap scalped tickets? Like say $20 or so each? What is the typical price for a pair of cheap scalped tickets before games like air force? And are there plenty available do you think? Again I appreciate the help, i didn't know where else to look/ ask..
September 7th, 2012 at 8:25 PM ^
September 7th, 2012 at 8:53 PM ^
September 7th, 2012 at 8:03 PM ^
September 7th, 2012 at 8:12 PM ^
Is the head referee the son of Ed Hochuli? Same last name but this ref doesn't have Ed's guns.
September 7th, 2012 at 8:20 PM ^
Who does?
September 7th, 2012 at 8:34 PM ^
Hochuli resides in the Phoenix metropolitan area with his wife Cathie.[9] They have six children and ten grandchildren.[2] Of the six, Shawn Hochuli played college football at Pomona College[11] and is following his father's profession as an official, currently working college football,[12] Arena Football League,[13] and arenafootball2 games.
Looks like you can add FBS to his resume as well.
September 7th, 2012 at 8:36 PM ^
After the intentional grounding call, he is clearly his father's son.
September 7th, 2012 at 9:13 PM ^
That's funny stuff. I'm not watching the game, but I can definitely see one being able to diagnose a ref as a Hochuli via Intentional Grounding as being an absolute give-a-way attribute!
September 7th, 2012 at 8:21 PM ^
BLOCKED
September 7th, 2012 at 8:22 PM ^
That was quite a block by Utah State, but to be fair, it was a near-perfect arc in the wrong direction on the kick. It was almost as if the Utah kicker stood there for a second - "Now, where the hell did it go?"
September 7th, 2012 at 8:25 PM ^
Im trying really hard to get into this game....
September 7th, 2012 at 8:29 PM ^
September 7th, 2012 at 8:30 PM ^
she fine doe
September 7th, 2012 at 8:31 PM ^
Samantha Steele is flawless and about a 1,000,000% upgrade over Erin Andrews. She's better looking and doesn't seem to have the snotty attitude EA had.
September 7th, 2012 at 8:35 PM ^
Does anyone else think "Chuckie Keeton" should win some sort of an award for Best Old School QB Name?
That being said, it's not every day you see the punter get called for intentional grounding.
September 7th, 2012 at 8:48 PM ^
It's a name straight out of an 80's movie which = AWESOME
September 7th, 2012 at 8:37 PM ^
The ref sounds like a total tool
September 7th, 2012 at 8:51 PM ^
The ref is awesome! He sounds just like his dad who is the coolest ref in the history of refs!
September 7th, 2012 at 8:39 PM ^
September 7th, 2012 at 8:41 PM ^
Utah State's uniforms, especially their helmets, are pretty damn cool looking. And in games I don't care about I always root for the team with cooler uniforms to win, so go Aggies I guess.
September 7th, 2012 at 8:42 PM ^
Utah doesn't exactly have the best athletes, but their talent level is a lot higher than that of Utah State. Nevertheless, USU's option game has been very effective so far.
I trust Michigan's coaches to avoid a similar fate tomorrow.
September 7th, 2012 at 8:45 PM ^
remember USU is playing at home and it is a rivalry game
September 7th, 2012 at 8:47 PM ^
This is the Utah defense that will face USC in October in Salt Lake City. I sense a fair number of "sad puppy" moments for Utes fans during that game if this is the team that comes to that game, up to and including the inability to actually execute a kick as they just displayed.
September 7th, 2012 at 10:00 PM ^
I'll take USC and the spread (surely 21.5 on the road)
September 7th, 2012 at 8:45 PM ^
September 7th, 2012 at 8:52 PM ^
Go Aggies.
September 7th, 2012 at 8:53 PM ^
They are a decent team, i wouldnt say up and coming because as everybody knows they had some good years with brian johnson at QB, and a few talented receivers. I have a good friend who played rugby for Utah (Michigan connection, he was team mates with Houma's brother on the rugby team there) and they usually play pretty good defense, it will be interesting to see how the transition to the Pac12
September 7th, 2012 at 9:00 PM ^
shut up jemele
September 7th, 2012 at 9:49 PM ^
Not even watching right now but still support this sentiment.
September 7th, 2012 at 9:03 PM ^
After a holding penalty and a sack and a fumble recovered by the Aggies, the Utes are apparently in some sort of death struggle to maintain positive offensive yards.
September 7th, 2012 at 9:04 PM ^
HOLD ONTO THE DAMN BALL!!!!
September 7th, 2012 at 9:14 PM ^
September 7th, 2012 at 9:23 PM ^
Thank you sir.
September 7th, 2012 at 9:26 PM ^
Thanks for sharing your music.
September 7th, 2012 at 9:14 PM ^
Joining the huddle then leaving==illegal substitution!
September 7th, 2012 at 9:24 PM ^
Would appreciate anyone's help