What to expect when BYU, Utah take their top-10 rankings into Big 12 showdowns (+predictions)

Successfully fresh off its biggest test, No. 6 Utah takes on Texas Tech-killer Cincinnati. No. 8 BYU, after a week of remedial tackle drills after losing to UCF, will host a struggling Arizona State squad on Saturday.

Utah’s long road test could be a thing. But it won’t.

BYU will improve its tackling because it must.

This is the setting for the Big 12’s two top-10-ranked teams from the state of Utah as the conference race tightens down the stretch, determining who will earn tickets to the league title game in Arlington.

BYU defensive coordinator Kelly Poppinga told reporters this week that missed tackles led to BYU’s first loss of the season at UCF, but he wasn’t going to overreact.

“I’m never a guy that overreacts that way. I think just stay the course. You trust the process.

“We did our tackling drill yesterday, and we did our tackling drill today, and every other coach has done their stuff in their position drills.

“And so, I’m not going to sit here and overreact. I just think it’s something we’ve got to continue to get better at,” he continued. “And I think every team in college football goes through just being able to go through the techniques and fundamentals and not lose that as the season goes on, but get better at everything every day.”

Poppinga said BYU has yet to play its best full game of the season, although the Notre Dame game came close. But even that night, some things could have been improved.

“We have great leadership, great experience and guys who have played a lot of football,” he said. “Kalani (Sitake) wants us to play a full 60 minutes — I think we came close to that in the Iowa State game and there were glimpses in the Notre Dame game and throughout the whole entire season.”

In Cincinnati, the Ute defense will have its hands full with Bearcat running back Tabb Cole, and he’ll be running behind a talented offensive line that will challenge Utah defenders. At the same time, Cincy’s defense will have a huge challenge in slowing down Wayshawn Parker and Ute quarterback Davon Dampier.

Cincinnati head coach Scott Satterfield described Utah’s offense as “extremely talented” and noted that they stretch the defense horizontally from sideline to sideline, creating thin areas.

“They can push the ball down the field in the passing game and ‘just stay on track’ without many negative plays, keeping down-and-distance manageable,” said Satterfield.

The problem for Cincinnati, a place where there was a storming of the field last week after the victory over Texas Tech, is that the Bearcat defense is horrible, among the nation’s worst when it comes to stopping good offenses.

That’s now a recipe for dealing with Kevin McGiven’s offense at home or on the road. Can’t bring a cap gun to a real battle, but that’s all Cincinnati’s defense has to point at Utah’s offensive churn.

This week’s games

• Notre Dame 38, Navy 9
• Arizona 28, Texas Tech 24
• SMU 27, Syracuse 21
• Oklahoma State 24, Iowa State 21
• Michigan 17, Rutgers 9
• Mississippi 31, Auburn 21
• Kansas State 17, Colorado 13
• Georgia 34, Florida 21
• Indiana 24, Minnesota 21
• Northwestern 27, Oregon 21
• TCU 21, Kansas 17
• Utah State 17, Colorado State 14
• Utah 31, Cincinnati 24
• BYU 34, Arizona State 14

Last week: 14-4; overall: 93-41 (.694)