Page 5 - Lander Barton News Today

Among the pundits praising Utah coach Kyle Whittingham following the USC win was his old boss, former Utah coach Urban Meyer, who’s now back with Fox Big Noon Kickoff

Utah, Cal, Stanford and ASU are also home underdogs this week.

Is there a more creative, innovative, figure-it-out college football coaching staff in America? Utes’ Kyle Whittingham, Morgan Scalley, Andy Ludwig have risen to the occasion.

Here’s what stood out to Sione Vaki’s California high school coach — and what Utah fans are now discovering.

Of the six Pac-12 games in Week 9, five feature home dogs. Is an upset coming?

USC defensive coordinator Alex Grinch hadn’t seen it on video prior to the Trojans’ game against Utah. On Utah’s third play of the game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum — set up by two Ja’Quinden Jackson rushes — quarterback Bryson Barnes threw it to wide-open safety Sione Vaki, who was playing offense, for a 53-yard touchdown pass that put the Utes on the board first. Vaki lined up alongside Barnes in the backfield, then ran a wheel route.

Of the six Pac-12 games in Week 9, five feature home dogs. Is an upset coming?

Will Utah quarterback Cam Rising and tight end Brant Kuithe return for a seventh year? After being announced out for the rest of the season, those conversations will begin soon enough.

Will Lincoln Riley lose a third conference game? Can Arizona State break through? Can Oregon win in Salt Lake City?

Utah defeated USC on Saturday night, 34-32, at the LA Coliseum to move to 6-1 overall and 4-1 in the Pac-12.