TCU (3-3, 1-2 Big 12) is set to take on Utah (4-2, 1-2) this Saturday at 10:30 p.m. ET, with the game being broadcast on ESPN. The odds at BetMGM indicate that Utah is favored by 6.5 points. Historically, Utah holds a slight advantage over TCU, leading the series 5-3.
The stakes are high for Utah, who is eager to break a two-game losing streak that has severely dampened their hopes of contending for a Big 12 championship in their inaugural season in the conference. This matchup will be the first encounter between these two teams since 2010. Meanwhile, TCU has also been struggling recently, having secured only one victory in their last four outings.
A crucial element of the game will be the performance of Utah’s offense, which has relied heavily on senior running back Micah Bernard. Bernard has been impressive this season, averaging 112.7 rushing yards per game. This poses a challenge for TCU, as their defense has had trouble stopping the run, allowing an average of 180.2 rushing yards per game, which ranks them 15th in the Big 12.
In terms of individual players to keep an eye on, TCU’s senior cornerback JaTravis Broughton will be facing his former team on Saturday. Broughton spent five seasons at Utah, where he started 29 games in 47 appearances, tallying five pass breakups during TCU’s last three away games this season.
On the other hand, for Utah, Isaac Wilson will take the helm as the starting quarterback after Cam Rising suffered a lower leg injury against Arizona State, ending his season. Wilson has shown promise with his ability to make plays but has had his share of inconsistency, throwing five interceptions and completing just 56% of his passes in three starts so far.
When looking at some interesting facts, it’s worth noting that Utah leads the Big 12 in several defensive categories, including first downs defense (13.0), third down conversion defense (26.7%), and time of possession (34:58). TCU quarterback Josh Hoover has consistently performed well, completing at least 20 passes and throwing two or more touchdown passes in nine consecutive games—marking the longest such streak by a Big 12 quarterback since 2011. Hoover is currently ranked third nationally in both passing yards (2,077) and passing touchdowns (16). Additionally, Bernard ranks second in the Big 12 with an impressive average of 6.36 yards per carry and has achieved four 100-yard rushing games this season, accumulating a career-best total of 676 rushing yards so far.
Interestingly, TCU and Utah have a shared history, having competed together in the Western Athletic Conference (1996-98) and the Mountain West Conference (2005-10). During their time in the WAC, Utah emerged victorious in both matchups against the Horned Frogs, while they split their six meetings in the MWC.