Utah, BYU heading toward colossal showdown at Rice-Eccles Stadium

We talked on top of a mountain in late September. We were both putting water in some big tanks for camping. The guy wore a Utes hat, and I asked him what he thought of his beloved Utah football team.

“It’s nice to have a coach who cares more about winning than trying not to lose a game,” said the man.

In a few words, that captures what No. 3 Utah is experiencing this undefeated season: Morgan Scalley’s tough defense and an impressively explosive, multidimensional, aggressive offense that has put opponents on their collective heels.

The high-flying Utes host No. 9 BYU Saturday morning for perhaps the most impactful game in the long, storied rivalry series. A Utes win gives them the inside track to the Big 12 championship game in Arlington and protection of their high CFP ranking. A BYU win keeps all the Cougars’ hopes alive for Arlington and a CFP spot despite the setback at UCF two weeks ago.

A loss by Utah, and the Utes lose their favored margin. A loss by BYU takes almost everything out of their hands for season goals.

This is a remarkable matchup.

Two weeks ago, No. 2 BYU was the hunted. After losing to UCF on the road, they are now the hunters, and an unbeaten No. 3 Utah is the hunted.

BYU is a blue-collar, hard-hat football team. Utah is football’s Usain Bolt, an undefeated cake eater, on top of the world.

Utah’s defense is traditionally true — tough, stingy and physical. On offense, Utah ball carriers break tackles, get yards after contact and convert third downs more frequently than all but two other teams in the country.

BYU’s defense will be by far the toughest the Utes have played this season. But of late, starting with the loss at UCF, the Cougars have failed to tackle, had players out of position and been vulnerable on the edge.

Utah’s offense has the speed. Its stars, like Wayshawn Parker, break tackles and are dynamic in open space.

Conversely, this will be the best, most consistent offensive team Utah’s defense has faced this season — even without star LJ Martin. With Bear Bachmeier at quarterback, the Cougars have a proven leader who is tough to rattle and can keep plays alive. He will need some help from a committee of running backs and must use his receiver weapons efficiently to score on Utah.

As for Bachmeier operating in a clean pocket, BYU’s offense ranks first in tackles for loss allowed, while Utah’s defense ranks 98th in tackles for loss. BYU’s offense is No. 4 in sacks allowed while Utah’s defense ranks 63rd in sacks.

In this rivalry game, Utah has the home-field advantage with a passionate fanbase waiting for the Utes to end BYU’s three-game winning streak.

Utah has the edge in shiny offensive toys. BYU might have an edge in the trenches with size and depth. Both teams want to be physical at the line of scrimmage where bodies clash, and this just might be where this battle is won or lost.

While both teams are expected to elevate for this game, the Cougars should have a higher sense of urgency because their collective backs are against the wall.

The pressure is on both coordinators of each team to get their players to execute at the highest level of the season.

Devon Dampier is exactly the kind of quarterback that BYU showed it struggles with, as proven in the UCF game — a speedy, quick-footed, explosive runner.

This has the making of a classic.

It would be tough to see this as a shootout. If it comes to that, Utah wins.

If this game becomes a defensive struggle, an ugly wrestling match that comes down to a field goal or last-gasp play, BYU might have the edge, because those are the kind of games they’ve won the past three seasons.

As usual, forcing turnovers will likely be the key for the victor.

Both teams will try to keep the ball away from the other.

Roll the dice, flip a coin, turn the wheel.

Let a monkey from the zoo reach into a bottle and pick a color and bring it out — blue or red.

Whichever he holds, he is probably right.

This week’s games

• Texas 24, Missouri 21
• UCLA 31, Minnesota 27
• Baylor 24, Iowa State 21
• Oklahoma State 21, Kansas State 19
• South Carolina 28, Texas A&M 21
• LSU 27, Alabama 24
• Ohio State 28, Oregon 21
• Houston 37, Cincinnati 17
• Washington 24, Penn State 21
• Kansas 33, UCF 24
• Mississippi State 34, Vanderbilt 28
• Boise State 38, Colorado State 17
• Tennessee 27, Kentucky 24
• Notre Dame 34, Miami 31
• Georgia 38, Ole Miss 28
• Iowa 24, Northwestern 21
• Texas Tech 31, West Virginia 27
• Utah State 24, Fresno State 21
• BYU 24, Utah 21

Last week 13-2; overall 106-43 (.711)