Dominating opponents on both sides of the ball is becoming a trademark for Utah.
The No. 15 Utes (3-0) travel to Ames, Iowa, to battle Iowa State on Saturday, having outscored their first three opponents 142-24. Utah has an average margin of victory of 39.3 points through three games this season.
One area where the Utes have made strides to enable such domination is run defense. Through three games, Utah is allowing just 75.0 yards per game on the ground – second fewest among Big 12 teams. This marks a dramatic reversal from last season when Utah allowed 181.2 rushing yards per game (108th in FBS).
That improvement has only accentuated Utah’s offensive efficiency. The Utes rank 11th in FBS and third among Big 12 teams in total offense at 518.0 yards per game. Utah is also ninth nationally in scoring offense, while leading the Big 12 with 47.3 points per game.
“I like the efficiency from the quarterbacks,” Utah coach Morgan Scalley said. “I like the improvement in the defensive run game. I’m very pleased with the effort, the culture showing up on the field, guys blocking downfield.”
Devon Dampier’s continued development as a passer has helped the Utes score at least 30 points in an FBS-leading nine straight games. Dampier is second in the Big 12 in passer rating (178.5), while throwing for 690 yards, seven touchdowns and one interception through his first three games.
“He’s done a lot of work on his own with (quarterbacks coach Ryan) Gunderson (and offensive coordinator Kevin) McGiven on studying this offense and being able to recognize defense,” Scalley said.
Iowa State has the defensive mettle to make Utah work a little harder to move the chains.
The Cyclones (2-1) mirror the Utes in terms of stinginess with surrendering points and rushing yards. They are allowing only 11.0 points per game and 83.3 yards on the ground per contest. Iowa State has not allowed an opponent to gain 100 yards rushing in its last four games dating back to last season.
Generating rushing yardage, on the other hand, has been a breeze for the Cyclones. Aiden Flora is enjoying a breakout season in the backfield. Flora is tied for the Big 12 lead in rushing at 109.3 yards per game and ranks fourth in yards per rush (8.6). He is also a playmaking threat on special teams, averaging 20.8 yards per punt return.
Passing continues to be an Achilles’ heel for the Cyclone offense. Jaylen Raynor is dead last bottom among Big 12 quarterbacks in passing yards (434) and second to last in completion percentage (55.8%). Raynor completed 64.7% of his passes against Bowling Green last week, but he also only threw for 133 yards, a touchdown and an interception.
“We need to be able to pass the ball better than what we did when he was in there,” Iowa State coach Jimmy Rogers said. “There’s no question about that.”
This game, the Big 12 opener for both teams, is the seventh meeting between Iowa State and Utah. The Cyclones hold a 5-1 lead in the all-time series and won the last matchup 31-28 in 2024 at Utah.
