Colorado @ Utah preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 26, 2016 ) Utah 22, Colorado 27

The annual border battle between Colorado and Utah will feature some added spice this Saturday night. Both teams enter the regular-season finale with 5-6 overall records and will be fighting for bowl eligibility when they clash in Salt Lake City.

The Utes are hoping to extend their postseason streak to four straight seasons while the Buffaloes are aiming to procure the program’s first back-to-back bowl berths since 2005. Saturday’s loser will not only miss out on the postseason but will finish last in the Pac-12 South Division as both teams enter the contest with identical 2-6 conference records as well. A year ago, Colorado won the South with an 8-1 mark while Utah finished third at 5-4. “There’s a lot at stake for them and for us,” Colorado coach Mike MacIntyre told the school’s website earlier this week. “CU hasn’t been to back-to-back bowl games in 12 years, and our kids know that. … Utah goes to a bowl game every year so they want to keep their tradition going. It’s a big deal for both teams.”

TV: 10 p.m. ET, FS1. LINE: Utah -10.5

ABOUT COLORADO (5-6, 2-6 Pac-12): The Buffaloes have dropped three of their last four but had a bye week last weekend to get in some extra preparation. Quarterback Steven Montez has topped 300 yards passing in each of the last three games and has a trio of 500-yard receivers to throw to in Bryce Bobo (640), Shay Fields (623) and Devin Ross (508), but Colorado’s most potent weapon has been senior running back Phillip Lindsay, who ranks second in the conference in yards from scrimmage (149.6 per game) and is tied for fourth with 14 total touchdowns. Linebackers Rick Gamboa and Drew Lewis are averaging a combined 19.6 tackles per game for a defense which has been gashed for an average of 34.6 points and 495.4 yards in Pac-12 play.

ABOUT UTAH (5-6, 2-6): Coach Kyle Whittingham’s Utes will be trying to shake off last Saturday night’s stunning 33-30 loss at Washington in which the Huskies rallied for 10 points in the final 58 seconds. Quarterback Tyler Huntley rolled up 341 total yards and accounted for a trio of touchdowns in the game and ranks second in the Pac-12 with an average of 302.9 yards of total offense while wide receiver Darren Carrington II has battled through aches and pains of late and ranks third in the conference with 85.4 receiving yards per outing. The Utah defense was without starting defensive end Kylie Fitts and safety Chase Hansen against the Huskies but ranks third in the Pac-12 in yards allowed (357.0) and fourth in points surrendered (24.9).

EXTRA POINTS

1. Utah has won four of the six meetings since both schools joined the Pac-12 in 2011, but Colorado prevailed 27-22 at home in last season’s regular-season finale to wrap up the South Division title.

2. Each of the six Pac-12 meetings between the schools have been one-score affairs with an average margin of victory of 5.3 points.

3. Turnovers have been an issue for Utah, which has given the ball away 24 times – tied for third most in the Pac-12.

PREDICTION: Utah 31, Colorado 23