Utah may be ranked 18th in the conference but rankings are nothing once teams take the field.
And that includes going up against a higher ranked opponent in Oregon, which many came to see since they are touted to be one of the teams possibly contending for the Pac-12 title.
Sad to say, it was a shocker of sorts and the Utes ended up making a statement that they plan to pull off some surprises for this season. And all that started with a 62-20 thrashing of the Ducks over in Autzen Stadium which comes a bit of a surprise for some folks who were looking for an Oregon victory.
Credit goes to Utah quarterback Travis Wilson who simply shone for the Utes. He and running back Devontae Booker made life miserable for the Ducks as they showcased some of their plans for this season.
"It's unreal," Wilson would say later, the eye black on his face faintly smeared. "A win like this is definitely something to really soak in and something to really celebrate. It was awesome to soak in the whole feeling and to get a win in their stadium was huge."
The Utes' defense was simply poetry in motion, forcing the Ducks three punts on their first three drives. But it wasn’t all about the highly regarded defense of Utah. They did flourish on the offensive end as well.
But when the smoke cleared, it was the final score (62-20) that really sent shockwaves in the conference, the Ducks worst loss since 2003 where they lost to Arizona by 45 points.
Was it a case of simply playing perfectly with a bit of luck? Well the Utes get a chance to prove themselves on Oct. 24 when they face Arizona State and UCLA at the Rice-Eccles Stadium.
If they pass those teams, then it would be safe to say that Utah is for real.
From the looks of it, the Utes integral cog is shaping up to be Wilson. As long as the quarterback stays healthy and orchestrates the passing game of the Utes to the letter, it won’t be surprising to find Utah as serious contenders to the Pac-12 title.
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