After notching a much needed win in their return to the friendly confines of Autzen Stadium this past Saturday, the Ducks will head back out on the road this week to play their third game away from home in the last four weeks. On deck for Oregon this Saturday is Utah, who for the time being sits atop the Pac-12 South division standings given their tiebreaker advantage over co-leaders USC and Arizona.

Prior to last week’s loss at Arizona State, the Utes were one of the conference’s hottest teams with wins over their previous four opponents (Stanford, USC, Arizona, and UCLA) which was boosted by newfound offensive aptitude. However, all of that momentum could be coming to screeching halt after Utes quarterback Tyler Huntley broke his collarbone in the third quarter versus the Sun Devils. Huntley’s replacement, true freshman Jason Shelley, would attempt to rally Utah but ultimately fell short in his efforts, completing just 4 of 11 passes for 59 yards and one interception.

Still, even without the services of Huntley, the Utes represent the toughest road challenge the Ducks will face between now and the end of the regular season, and arguably toughest challenge they’ll face overall. With both sides eager to make the most of their remaining games, it’s safe to expect some fireworks in Salt Lake City this Saturday.

Below, WFOD offers up its Utah primer…

Utah Utes

2018 record: 6-3 overall, 4-3 in conference
Last game: 38-20 loss at Arizona State
Ranking: Unranked
All-time record vs. Oregon: 9-22
When and where to watch: Saturday, Nov. 10 at 2:40 p.m. (Pacific), Pac-12 Networks

Items of note:

• The Ducks will be looking for their third straight win in Salt Lake City, where they are 9-5 all-time. Oregon has won eight of the last 10 meetings in the series.
• Oregon’s last appearance in Salt Lake City in 2016 was a coming out party of sorts for Justin Herbert. In that game, Herbert connected on 30-of-43 passes for 324 yards, while all four of his touchdowns (3 passing and 1 rushing) came in the second half, which included the game-winner to Darren Carrington with two seconds remaining.
• Utah heads into Saturday’s game against Oregon with a 1-2 record against the Pac-12 North. Utah has a win over Stanford and losses to Washington and Washington State.
• The Utes have sold out 55 straight games in Rice-Eccles Stadium since the 2010 season opener, including 52 standing room-only crowds.

Five Utah names you should know:

5. Sean Barton (LB)

The Utes are hardly a major power on the recruiting trail, but there’s no questioning their ability to churn out high level talent on defense. Since taking over the Utah program from Urban Meyer in 2004, head coach Kyle Whittingham has made defense the program’s calling card, and in 2018, that truism is alive and well. One of the ringleaders of the Utes’ defense is senior linebacker Sean Barton. At 6-foot-2 and 230 pounds, Barton is a tackling machine from his inside linebacker position, where he ranks second on the team and 11th in the Pac-12 in total tackles (72). Though he’s only started 18 career games, Barton has been a defensive mainstay for the Utes during his tenure. In fact, his most productive performance to date came against Oregon in 2016 when he tallied an astounding 20 tackles, the most by a Ute defender since 1991.

4. Britain Covey (WR)

There are a number of individuals responsible for the offensive revival in Salt Lake City, but a player who has played a central role its revitalization is sophomore wide receiver Britain Covey. Regarded as a Freshman All-American in 2015, Covey left the program to take a two-year LDS mission to Chile before returning to the team this past spring. Despite the layoff, however, Covey has hardly skipped a beat operating as the team’s top pass catching option. Though he only has one touchdown this season, Covey ranks seventh in the Pac-12 in receptions (50) and 12th in receiving yards (555) working out of the slot. In addition to being an outstanding receiver, Covey is also an accomplished return man, as he currently ranks second in the Pac-12 in punt return yards (195). With Huntley sidelined for the rest of the season, it’s hard to imagine Covey’s production not being directly impacted, though he remains a dangerous offensive weapon nonetheless.

3. Bradlee Anae (DE)

Utah has developed a reputation for molding premier talent along the defensive line over the years, and this season is no different, as junior defensive end Bradlee Anae is primed to become the next great at the position. After playing sparingly in 2016, Anae enjoyed a breakout season in 2017, as the Laie, Hawaii native ranked tied for second in the conference in forced fumbles (3), fourth in fumble recoveries (2), and seventh in sacks (7.0) with his 10.0 tackles for loss also leading all Ute defenders. Now in his third year with the program, Anae is arguably playing the best football of his career. Not only does Anae rank second in the Pac-12 in sacks (6.0) through nine games, but he’s once again amongst the conference’s best in registering tackles behind the line of scrimmages, residing tied for 10th with 8.5 tackles for loss. At 6-foot-3 and 254 pounds, Anae may be slightly undersized, but he’s an athletic and disruptive force that will keep Oregon’s offensive line busy this Saturday.

2. Chase Hansen (LB)

Another one of Utah’s unsung defenders, senior linebacker Chase Hansen may just be one of the Pac-12’s best all-around defenders. His partnership with Sean Barton at the second level of the Utes’ defense is one of the best in conference, if not the country. Following a 2016 season in which Hansen earned honorable mention All-Pac-12 honors, his 2017 campaign was limited to only eight games due to injury. Now healthy in 2018, Hansen is proving he’s 100 percent worth of All-Pac-12 first team recognition. Hansen not only leads the Utes in tackles (75) but he’s amongst the best in the conference in tackles for loss, ranking second with 15.5. In addition to that, he also ranks second on the team in sacks (4.0) and interceptions (2). Having played quarterback and safety at different points during his collegiate career, it’s safe to say that Hansen has found a home as Utah’s rover linebacker.

1. Zack Moss (RB)

It’s not often that Floridians will find their way all the way to Utah, but for the Utes in the case of Zack Moss, it’s a game-changing twist of fate. As good as Britain Covey is and as good as Tyler Huntley was prior to his season-ending injury, Moss is the offensive engine for Utah. Coming off an impressive sophomore campaign that saw him rush for 1,173 yards and 10 touchdowns, the Miami area native has taken his game to a whole new level as a junior. At 5-foot-10 and 215 pounds, Moss is a chiseled specimen out of the backfield and the epitome of a workhorse running back. Through nine games, Moss has already eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark (1,092) in addition to surpassing his rushing touchdown total from a year ago (11), which ranks him third and tied for second in the conference in those respective categories. The Ducks have struggled mightily against some of the Pac-12’s top running backs of late, which means Moss could be in for a big day against this fading defense.