Idaho at No. 21 Utah
In spite of their former head coach, Kyle Whittingham, taking off to assume the helm at Michigan the Utes—and their new head coach Morgan Scalley who had been their Defensive Coordinator for ten years—completely steam-rolled the Vandals in front of their 95th consecutive sold-out stadium at Rice-Eccles on the University of Utah’s campus in Salt Lake City. Scoring in double digits in every quarter while holding Idaho scoreless in the first and last, the Utes led 17-0 after one, 31-7 at the half, 45-14 after three, then added three more TD’s while holding the Vandals scoreless in the 4th to easily win it 66-14. The Utah Senior QB Devon Dampier had an efficient and productive outing connecting on 13-of-18 for 176 yards and three TD—1 to Senior WR Braden Pegan and two to Junior RB Wayshawn Parker. Backup QB, Sophomore Byrd Ficklin only hit on 50% of his eight passes, but two were for TD’s—one to H. Andrews and one to Noah Bennee in addition to rushing 8 times for 70 yards. Led by Freshman RB LaMarcus Bell and Junior Wayshawn Parker with a combined 158 yards and a TD each on 19 carries, Utah was an even more devastating force on the ground with six of their players handling the ball three or more times for a combined 364 yards on 49 carries with Sophomore RB Steve Chavez-Soto and Senior WR Braden Pagen also picking up rushing TD’s.
Idaho’s starting QB, Senior Joshua Wood, struggled under the Utah pass defense—only able to connect on 9-of-27 for 111 yards and 1 interception on the third play of the game at their own 25 yard line. Four plays later Utah scored their first TD. On the ground. The vandals were more successful on the ground, rushing 31 times for 106 yards and 2 TD’s—one each by QB Joshua Wood, their leading rusher—and the other by Senior RB Hayden Kincheloe. The Utes completely dominated and game stats with 20 more first downs and over 400 more total yards of offense. And typical for a well disciplined Kyle Whittingham—now Morgan Scalley team—only 1 penalty for ten yards the entire game. Up next, the Utes play host to Arkansas. With the Razorbacks belonging to the SEC, maybe when Utah beats the crap out of them they’ll move up more than one spot on the AP Top-25.
Colorado at Georgia Tech
And we’re off—Colorado Buffaloes Part Deux and I have to say congrats to Coach Prime for trying to right the ship after last year. Talk about a house cleaning—10 coaches fired, including both the Offensive and Defensive Coordinators. 60 new players were added to the team—40 new scholarship players. In 2025 Sanders was diagnosed with high-grade high-risk bladder cancer that ultimately required removal of his bladder and reconstructive surgery. He also previously had two toes removed from his left foot due to blood clots and diabetes. I know a lot of folks have been critical and thought that he was only serious about promoting his son Sheudor and Travis Hunter when he took the job at Colorado, or use their success to promote himself into an NFL job. But I believe after that first year, in spite of his intentions to have a successful program at Colorado, his medical issues hampered his ability both physically and mentally to do that—leading to a very dismal 3-9 record last year. So, I think we should all give him some grace and see what he can do this year now that he’s cancer free and feeling optimistic again.
As I have mentioned before, Colorado has recruited a legit QB in Julian Lewis who could be very successful. His first year in high school he threw for 4,000 yards and 48 TD’s and was MaxPrep’s National High School Freshman of the Year in addition to being a two-time Georgia Gatorade Player of the year in 2023 and 2024. Using a more analytical approach in rebuilding the team this time they have acquired players that have about 7,500 more career snaps than those they lost or got rid of. The need for more immediate results has necessitated bringing in players that will require a shorter developmental cycle. In order to help make Lewis successful Colorado was highly focused on seasoned blockers who can protect their QB. They have brought in a Georgia transfer at left tackle, an experienced center from Houston, and a right guard who followed new Offensive Coordinator Brennan Marion from San Jose State. Not only protecting their QB but the Buffaloes are working towards a more physical style at the line that will create lanes to enable a ground game that was pretty much non-existent last year. On the defensive side they have brought in experience tackles and productive edge rushers to enhance their pressure on the pass. Also following Marion to Colorado is a precise route runner from Texas in Deandre Moore Jr. and WR Danny Scudero who was the nations leading pass receiver last year with 1,291 yards.
Although Georgia Tech missed a field goal on their first possession of the game and then fumbled the ball away on their next, Colorado was unable to capitalize in the first quarter—being held to a couple of punts and a turn-over on downs. After holding the Yellow Jackets to a three-and-out to start the 2nd Qtr Colorado took the ball, after a short punt and return, and found the end zone five plays later on a 5 yard running TD by Junior RB Micah Welch. Georgia Tech would tie it up on their next possession with a punt return for TD by Senior WR Rahkeem Smith and then make it a 10-7 game on a field goal after forcing the Buffaloes to punt on their next possession. Six consecutive punts after that would take us into the half and all the way through the 3rd Qtr. Colorado had an opportunity in the 4th Qtr to tie it up but had their field goal attempt blocked. Six minutes later the Yellow Jackets would be successful on theirs from 29 yards out to make it a 13-7 game. With much less than two minutes left Colorado’s Lewis completed three passes in a row, followed by a 16 yard run, and what turned out to be the game winning 20 yard TD pass to Senior TE Charlie Williams giving the Buffaloes a 14-13 lead with less than 40 seconds left. If you watched all of Colorado’s first season with Coach Prime you know there always has to be some last minute drama. The kickoff resulted in a touchback and the Yellow Jackets starting from their own 25 but a 42 yard pass completion on their very first play moved it all the way down the field to the Colorado 33 yard line. After an incompletion, two three yard pass connections would take it down to the Buffalo 27 yard line with three seconds left on the clock. Sitting 4th and 4 and the game on the line Georgia Tech lined up for a field goal. But Tennessee transfer and now Colorado’s Defensive Back Boo Carter was having none of it and blocked the game winning attempt. I’m sure the sold-out Buffalo faithful will be giving their team and Boo Carter specifically a rousing welcome in their home opener this coming Saturday against Weber State.
Morgan State at Arizona State
You would think after losing their talented QB Sam Leavitt to LSU and the coach everyone loves to hate—Lane Kiffin—that the Sun Devils would have lost a big part of their firepower. Man, you sure couldn’t tell it in this 70-7 scorching of Morgan State. After losing Leavitt, Arizona State enticed Kentucky’s Cutter Boley to come through the transfer portal and all I can say is wow! Before I get to that let’s look at how effective Arizona State was on the ground. Seven different players collectively rushed three or more times each for a combined 249 yards with Senior RB’s Marquis Gillis and Kyson Brown, along with Junior RB’s David Avit and Jason Brown Jr., all accounting for a TD each. But the real show was in the air as QB Cutter Boley connected on over 75% of his passes for 387 yards and six TD’s—two to both Senior WR Reed Harris and Sophomore RB Grayson Rigdon, one to Senior Wide Receiver Omarion Miller, and one to Sophomore TE AJ IA.
The Sun Devils led 28-7 after the 1st Qtr and 49-7 at the break having scored four TD’s in the 1st Qtr and three in the second. They didn’t let up after the half either, holding the Bears scoreless the rest of the way while putting up another three TD’s in the 3rd Qtr to lead 70-7 going into the final period. It was such a rout the opposing coach, Damon Wilson, had the referee approach Kenny Dillingham and ask if they could go ahead and shorten the final period by ten minutes which they did. Of course, as does happen very often in the preseason schools agree to play above their level in order to help the school’s athletic budget and overall university funding across the board. Sometimes that turns into an embarrassment for the team paying the bill, but not this time. Morgan State got paid $600K for that beating and one only hopes that in addition to helping out other athletes competing on underfunded teams on their campus that they also uncovered aspects of their game that can be improved upon moving forward. We’ll find out this next week if the Sun Devils are actually anywhere near this good as they’ll hit the road to take on No. 8 Texas A&M.
Northern Arizona at Arizona
Northern Arizona didn’t get paid as much as Morgan State, but at $550K they didn’t get paid that much less either for taking on the Wildcats at Casino del Sol Stadium in Tucson this past weekend. And like–but not exactly like the Sun Devils—Arizona had no problem dispensing with their opening day competition to the tune of 35-7. The Wildcats scored a TD in every quarter—two in the second—while holding the Lumberjacks scoreless through three and leading 28-0. Arizona scored first in the 4th Qtr at the end of a six play 32 yard drive set up by an interception of the Northern Arizona QB at the end of the 3rd Qtr to make it a 35-0 game. The Lumberjacks finally got a score up on the board but they needed help from Arizona to make it happen. After turning the ball back over to the Wildcats just four plays into their first possession of the 4th Qtr, Northern Arizona would sack and then intercept the Sun Devils backup Sophomore QB Sawyer Anderson and take it all the way to the house to make it 35-7 with almost eleven minutes left to play. Arizona’s backups had the ball for nine more minutes over two possessions in the period and held Northern Arizona to a three-and-out without ever scoring again.
For the Wildcats, Senior QB Noah Fafita connected on 23-of-30 for 279 yards, two TD’s and no interceptions while also rushing 5 times for 24 yards. Sophomore WR Giovanni Richardson led the receiving corps with 113 yards on 9 receptions. But it was Senior WR Tre Spivey and Junior Brandon Phelps who picked up a TD each. In a RB-by-committee approach Arizona rushed collectively 35 times for 206 yards with Senior RB’s Kedrick Reescano and Antwan Roberts Jr. picking up three TD’s—two and one respectively. The Arizona defense picked up five sacks, eleven tackles for loss, and five passes defensed. Arizona led in first downs, 20-8; passing yards, 331-200; and rushing yards, 206-minus 7. Northern Arizona’s Junior RB Quran Gossett did pick up 20 yards on 11 carries but due to their Senior QB Ty Pennington losing 28 they ended up in minus territory. In the air he was 15-of-26 for 180 yards and one interception without finding the end zone. Just like their cross-town rivals, it gets a lot tougher from here on out as the Wildcats hit the road to take on No. 14 BYU this coming Saturday.