UteZone’s #TeamFun guide to Utah football vs. Arkansas

As Urban Meyer used to say, the best thing about being 1-0 is having the opportunity to go 2-0. 1-0 was never going to be much of a question for this Utah football team, as FCS Idaho did their best to put up a fight, but gave up nine (NINE!!!!) Utah touchdowns as they fell 66-14. This week, the challenge is immensely greater, as Arkansas comes to Utah to bring their brand of SEC football to Rice-Eccles stadium. As UteZone is all about #TeamFun, we’re here every week to give you ideas to help you enjoy your football watching experience even more. We only get 121 of these a year, so make them count. Let’s dive into our recommendations to make Utah’s 8:15 pm MT kickoff especially enjoyable. #TEAMFUN MATCHUP OF THE WEEK Braden Pegan vs. Joker Johnson OR Cedric Jefferson vs. Quincy Rhodes, Jr. We’re going to step back into the “old days” of Utah football where every depth chart was dominated by the dreaded “OR.” There are two matchups that look particularly intriguing in this game. The first is Pegan – who lived up to every bit of the hype that surrounded him after his transfer against Idaho – vs. Johnson, who graded out as Arkansas’ top cornerback in week one. Pegan is a technician when it comes to running routes and is excellent at using his size to make life difficult against defenders. Johnson is a physical and aggressive corner and wants to prove he’s up to the challenge. On the other hand, Rhodes, is far and away Arkansas’ best player. He’s an NFL caliber pass rusher that played limited reps in week one due to an undisclosed injury. His status this week is unknown, but he’s the kind of player that can make a difference by himself. He also primarily lines up on the left side – which means Jefferson is the one that will draw the challenge of stopping him. If Jefferson can neutralize Rhodes, Utah’s chances for a win grow significantly. The Utes will need both players to win their matchups if they want to walk away victorious. DRINKING GAME OF THE WEEK Arkansas sophomore KJ Jackson is making his third career start in Salt Lake City. He played reasonably well against an overmatched FCS team in week one. The stakes and talent level grow significantly for him in week two. Utah’s prospects at a win rest largely on the Utes’ ability to make life difficult for Jackson. Utah was one of the best pass defenses in the country a season ago, and they made life a living hell for Idaho quarterback Joshua Wood in week one. With so much at stake for how the Utes can handle the Hawgs’ quarterback, we might as well look for ways for Ute fans to join in the fun. For every incompletion, take a sip. For every sack, finish your drink. For every forced turnover, finish your drink and slam another. If the Ute defense has a big day, you’ll have extra fun. Whether your vice of choice is caffeine or booze, join along with the Utah pass rush (as long as you stay reasonably responsible – don’t get sloppy or make your heart explode). WHAT TO GNOSH FROM THE TAILGATE (OR YOUR COUCH) It’s a UteZone #TeamFun tradition to tie the gameday meal to the opponent’s mascot. For once, the Utes play a team with a mascot that is unequivocally delicious. And make no mistake, you, dear reader, should take advantage of that. There are so many amazingly delicious things that you can do to a pig. Between bacon, roasting the whole pig (Polynesian style), lechon (Cuban style), ham, pulled pork, char siu, al pastor tacos, chicharrones, carnitas, ribs (whether they’re Kansas City, North Carolina, or anywhere else in the pig loving south style), pork chops, pork loin, pork medallions, ham hocks (and every delicious kind of soup or soul food that uses them), jamon, tonkatsu, schnitzel, sausages, meatballs, and more (forgive me for sounding like the pig loving version of Bubba from Forrest Gump) your options for porky goodness are nearly endless. Whether you’re tailgating, watching from home, or out at your favorite sports bar, eat that delicious swine and maybe share some of your best bites with those magnificent Razorback fans that inspired such a tasty meal. So drink up, dig in, and share what you’re doing at your own tailgates on the UteZone VIP message boards. #TEAMFUN LOCK OF THE WEEK Something deep in my gut tells me that this is going to be the Wayshawn Parker game. Yes, Arkansas’ defense looked solid against the run in their opener against Directional Alabama. That said, we’ve been waiting for the game where the Utes really turned to Wayshawn to carry a heavy load. Since arriving at Utah, Wayshawn has only had four games at Utah where he’s had more than 15 touches in a single game (Cincinnati, Baylor, Kansas State, and Nebraska). Given the fact that he’s such a big play threat, that trend will likely need to change for the Utes on Saturday. Although a Utah win is largely dependent on the play of quarterback Devon Dampier, if Utah wants to cover the spread and win comfortably, they’ll need Wayshawn Parker to show what he can do. We think Wayshawn gets his 20+ carries, hits 100 yards rushing, and has the national breakout game that Ute fans have been waiting on. There you have it, Ute fans. This is a big one for Morgan Scalley and crew. We still don’t know what kind of team Arkansas will end up having this season, but when you get an SEC team to visit your house, you have to take advantage of the opportunity. Be loud, have fun, and we’ll see you in the stadium.