Colorado @ Utah preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 23, 2012 ) Utah 42, Colorado 35

It’s a battle to avoid the basement of the Pac-12 South division when sinking Utah hosts struggling Colorado in Saturday’s season-finale for both teams. The teams are tied for last in the South with the Utes having lost five straight games and the Buffaloes dropping four of their last five. A loss would give Utah its worst losing streak since a six-game funk in 2002 while Colorado is wrapping up its eighth consecutive losing campaign.

Utah hasn’t won since a stunning upset of Stanford on Oct. 12 and the school has clinched back-to-back losing seasons for the first time since 1989-90. “It’s a competitive profession and we’re in a competitive league,” Utes coach Kyle Whittingham said at his weekly press conference. “It’s certainly a huge disappointment for me personally and I take it personally. It’s on my shoulder. I’m in charge of this program. There is nowhere to point the finger but right here.”

TV: 2 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network. LINE: Utah -16.5

ABOUT COLORADO (4-7, 1-7 Pac-12): The contest could be the final one for standout receiver Paul Richardson, who has set school marks for receptions (79) and receiving yardage (1,289) and is one touchdown catch shy of the record held by Derek McCoy (11 in 2003). The junior standout missed the entire 2012 season due to a torn Achilles’ tendon and has bounced back from the injury splendidly, ranking third in school history with 152 receptions. Defensively, freshman inside linebacker Addison Gillam (team-best 104 tackles) has been solid even though the unit allows 39.5 points and 475.3 yards per game.

ABOUT UTAH (4-7, 1-7): Adam Schulz makes his third start with Travis Wilson (concussion) out for the season and his 347 yards against Washington State last weekend were the most by a Utes quarterback since Jordan Wynn passed for 362 against San Diego State in 2010. Big-play receiver Dres Anderson (19.7 average on 46 receptions) needs 92 yards to become the seventh player in school history to register a 1,000-yard season. Standout pass rusher Trevor Reilly (86 tackles, 8.5 sacks) plays the final game of a stellar career and he ranks fifth in school history with 20 career sacks.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The schools have split two meetings since joining the Pac-12 with the road team winning both times.

2. The Buffaloes are winless on the road this season with the average of margin of defeat being 35.5.

3. Anderson has six 100-yard receiving games this season to tie the school mark shared by Louis Thomas (1968) and Dennis Smith (1989).

PREDICTION: Utah 35, Colorado 33