Coaches don’t expect repeat of blowout in Pac-12 title game

Oregon went to Salt Lake City astir 2 weeks agone ranked 3rd by the College Football Playoff committee with its sights acceptable connected a nationalist championship.

Utah did much than play spoiler. The Utes blew retired the Ducks 38-7 to extinguish the Pac-12 Conference’s lone anticipation of making the last 4 and securing a playoff spot.

Now they conscionable again astatine 5 p.m. Friday astatine Allegiant Stadium successful the Pac-12 Championship with the victor going to the Rose Bowl. Both coaches importune what happened Nov. 20 is irrelevant erstwhile trying to decipher what mightiness hap successful the rematch.

“We made a clump of plays successful that crippled against Oregon a mates weeks agone that don’t mean squat close now,” Utah manager Kyle Whittingham said. “They don’t care, and they’re not going to person immoderate interaction connected this game. So we’ve got to spell retired and marque plays. That’s what it ever comes down to.”

The Pac-12 rubric crippled was successful Santa Clara, California, for six years earlier it was scheduled to determination to Las Vegas successful 2020 erstwhile COVID-19 pandemic hit. So the league moved past year’s crippled to the location tract of the league’s apical team, with Southern California serving arsenic big successful a 31-24 nonaccomplishment to Oregon.

The league pushed its two-year declaration with Las Vegas back a year, truthful Allegiant besides volition big the 2022 game.

After that year, it remains to beryllium seen wherever the crippled volition beryllium played. Strong attendance this twelvemonth and adjacent surely would assistance Las Vegas’ statement to clasp the championship. An estimated attendance for this crippled wasn’t made available.

“Vegas is simply a batch person to Salt Lake than Eugene, Oregon, truthful we anticipation we outnumber them,” Whittingham said. “The summons sales, from what I understand, are going truly well. So if we person a flimsy home-field advantage, that would beryllium a large positive.”

Friday’s assemblage volition ticker a crippled that oddsmakers judge volition beryllium overmuch person than the regular-season blowout. No. 14 Utah (9-3) is favored by 2½ points implicit No. 10 Oregon (10-2).

“I deliberation there’s ever carryover (from the erstwhile meeting), there’s ever retention, but it is simply a marque caller game,” Oregon manager Mario Cristobal said. “There’s ever going to beryllium thing extra. There’s going to beryllium a wrinkle. There’s going to beryllium an adjustment. There’s going to beryllium a antithetic look. There’s going to beryllium a antithetic play, a scheme, immoderate it whitethorn be.”

The Utes travel to Las Vegas having won 8 of their past 9 games. That blistery agelong began erstwhile they turned to sophomore backmost Cameron Rising, who transferred from Texas successful 2019. He has thrown for 2,109 yards and 17 touchdowns, with conscionable 3 interceptions.

Utah is successful its 3rd Pac-12 Championship, but the Utes are seeking their archetypal title. A triumph would beryllium Oregon’s 3rd consecutive title and 5th overall.

“We’ve shown that we’re a accordant program,” Cristobal said. “Consistent successful we accidental what we’re going to do. Consistent successful that we validate our goals. Consistent successful the mode our players are processing and going connected to the NFL. Those things talk truly loudly.”

Contact newsman Mark Anderson astatine manderson@reviewjournal.com. Follow @markanderson65 connected Twitter.