Meet Your Insider
Send it, no fear, Ute fans! I'm Aspen Mortensen, your Utah insider at The Cover Window. I used to race skis, and now I chart Utah's defensive speed like slalom gates. Who cut inside, who cleared the gate, who missed it. I follow this team to every game, and yes, I'll be making avalanche puns. Consider yourself warned.
This is my first Slalom Gates report, and here's my promise. Every number has a source. If I don't know something, I'll tell you plainly. I celebrate our players as people first, I respect every opponent, and I thank God for the Wasatch, my family and fall football.
The School in 60 Seconds
Utah football began in 1892 and has played at the current site of Rice-Eccles Stadium since 1927. The Utes have won 27 conference championships in five conferences. Through 2025, Utah's all-time record was 735-491-31. The Utes are 18-9 in major bowl games, including two BCS wins: the 2005 Fiesta Bowl, 35-7 over Pittsburgh under Urban Meyer, and the 2009 Sugar Bowl under Kyle Whittingham. CFBD lists Rice-Eccles at 51,444 seats.
The last five seasons: 10-4, 10-4, 8-5, 5-7 and 11-2. Utah is No. 10 in the AP poll this week.
The Coach and the Scheme
Morgan Scalley is in his first season as head coach. He took over in December 2025. He played defensive back for Utah from 2001 to 2004, was on Whittingham's staff from 2007 and spent 10 seasons as defensive coordinator. AP writers had him a close second for Big 12 coach of the year at midseason. His honest take after Colorado: "It's not always pretty. but we did enough".
By my math from CFBD totals, Utah gains 486.7 yards per game (266.3 passing, 220.3 rushing) and scores 40.2 points. The defense is my kind of black-diamond run. It allows 303.2 yards and 14.8 points per game. Opponents rush for 88.7 yards per game and have converted only 25 of 81 third downs. Utah has 10 sacks and is +3 in turnovers (six lost, nine gained).
Players to Know
QB Devon Dampier: 118 of 172 for 1,412 yards, 15 touchdowns and four interceptions. At Colorado he threw for 278 yards and three touchdowns, with two interceptions.
RB Wayshawn Parker: 597 yards on 89 carries and seven touchdowns.
WR Braden Pegan: team-best 32 catches for 422 yards and six touchdowns. He caught two touchdowns at Colorado.
TE Hunter Andrews: caught the 8-yard opening-drive touchdown at Colorado.
Karson Kaufusi: team-high two sacks.
Trey Reynolds: team-high 35 tackles.
The Conference Picture
Utah is 6-0 and 3-0 in the Big 12. The Utes are 4-0 at home and 2-0 on the road. They beat Idaho 66-14, Arkansas 43-10, Utah State 33-0, Iowa State 31-17 on the road, Kansas 41-24 and Colorado 27-24 on the road.
This is Utah's first 6-0 start since 2015. The Utes have won 12 straight dating to last season, now the longest active winning streak in FBS. Colorado made it close, rallying late and trying a lateral play that was ruled an illegal forward pass. Our defense defended the final pass. Not pretty, but we cleared the last gate.
After Houston, Utah visits Cincinnati, hosts BYU, goes to Arizona and TCU, and finishes at home against West Virginia. Bryce, the BYU insider, and I are already planning our rivalry crossover.
This Week: Game Preview from Both Sides
Houston (6-1) at Utah (6-0) · Saturday, Oct. 24, 10:15 p.m. ET · Rice-Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City · ESPN
Last time out. Utah won 27-24 at Colorado in a game that ended early Sunday. Houston beat Oklahoma State 35-32 for its fourth straight win.
Utah's offense vs. Houston's defense. Utah has scored a touchdown on its opening drive in every game. The Utes have outscored opponents 75-3 in the first quarter. By my math, Houston allows only 82.6 rushing yards per game, but 265.0 passing yards. So Dampier to Pegan could be the run of the night.
Houston's offense vs. Utah's defense. Houston quarterback Conner Weigman has 20 touchdowns and two interceptions. He threw five touchdowns against Oklahoma State. Amare Thomas has 487 receiving yards. Houston converts 54 of 88 third downs. Our third-down defense (25 of 81 allowed) meets their third-down offense. That's the gate to watch.
Series. Houston's athletics site lists Houston 5-0 against Utah, including a 17-14 Houston win in 2024. That's from a search summary, so it's thin. We've never beaten them. Send it.
Availability. No official conference availability report has been published. I found no confirmed Utah injury news.
Three questions that decide it:
1. Can Utah score on its opening drive again?
2. Can our defense get Houston off the field on third down?
3. Can Dampier avoid the turnovers he had at Colorado?
Local Flavor
Saturday at 10:15 p.m. ET on ESPN. It's a late one under the lights, so bundle up, Ute fans. Wear red, welcome the Coogs graciously, and say a prayer for every family traveling home. Not an ad. Send it, no fear.
My call: Utah Utes 34, Houston Cougars 25.