News » th. Its draining, but to be honest, its a blast.Juerg

SALT LAKE CITY -- Oregon has represented a bit of a benchmark for No. 11 Utah since the Utes entered the Pac-12 in 2011.The Ducks won the conference three straight times between 2009 and 2011 and again in 2014.They were the reigning champions last year when Utah went into Eugene and upset Oregon 62-20 for its most significant win since joining the league.Now the Ducks (3-7, 1-6 Pac-12) are in the midst of their worst season since 2006 and the Utes are approaching another milestone. Utah (8-2, 5-2, No. 12 CFP) will win the South Division for the first time in school history and play in its first Pac-12 championship game if it wins the final two games of the season, starting Saturday with Oregon.Theres not a chance that well be looking past those guys, Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said. Not a chance at all. Theyre very talented on offense. I mean, theyre Oregon.Theyre going to be wanting to avenge that loss, he added. We went into their house and had a big win. Certainly thats got to be on their mind. ... Were going to get their best shot. We know that and we better be ready.In a role reversal, Oregon is coming in as an underdog. The Ducks are coming to the end of a disappointing season where even winning out would leave them shy of bowl eligibility.The Utes are 13 +-point favorites and some Ducks assistant coaches have talked about using that as motivation.I havent directly said `underdog or really anything in that vein, Oregon coach Mark Helfrich said. Again, we just need to play together and play better. Play the complimentary football we talked a little bit about over the weekend. But whatever can stoke their fire. If that gets the defensive backs ready to go, or gets the defense to play with a chip on their shoulder, great.Things to watch when Utah hosts Oregon:EYES ON FREEMAN: Royce Freeman comes into Salt Lake City as the Ducks No. 2 all-time leading rusher with 3,800 career yards. The junior has run for 599 yards and eight touchdowns this season. He and the Oregon offense will face the No. 2 run defense in the Pac-12. The Utes are allowing just 119.7 yards per game.NO CONCERNS: Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert said the offense doesnt need to do anything special this week against the Utah defense dubbed Sack Lake City. That unit had 11 sacks last week and the Utes are tied for No. 5 in the nation with 35 sacks overall. Defensive end Hunter Dimicks 27 career sacks are one shy of the school record. I dont think Im going to have to be any more aware of them than I am every other week, Herbert said. I dont think its something we need to change dramatically.CUP OF JOE: Utah running back Joe Williams has run for 939 yards in just six games, including 864 yards in the four games since he came out of retirement. He is 61 yards shy of becoming the 13th player in school history to run for 1,000 yards in a season and his 156.5 yards per game put him on pace for a school record.DOUBT: Despite all of the past Oregon success and highly ranked recruiting classes, a 1-6 conference record has taken a toll. Theres certain fragments of guys that you can see arent 100 percent confident, Helfrich said. You cant fake that (confidence). You cant simulate that. The only way that happens is in training, and getting your confidence through true preparation, seeing yourself do it, seeing your teammates doing it and then just repeating it.---More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25---Follow Kareem Copeland on Twitter at www.twitter.com/kareemcopeland . http://www.giantsrookiestore.com/Giants-Shane-Vereen-Jersey/ . Andrew Luck lost his favourite target and the Indianapolis locker room lost one of its most revered leaders when Reggie Wayne was diagnosed Monday with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee that will cost him the rest of the season. http://www.giantsrookiestore.com/Customized/ .com) - The Montreal Canadiens will try to halt their longest losing streak of the season when they host the struggling New York Islanders in tonights clash at the Bell Centre. http://www.giantsrookiestore.com/Giants-Mark-Bavaro-Jersey/ . Perhaps Carroll was so prepared for a break because he believes there is very little the Seattle Seahawks need heading into the off-season. "I dont see anything that we need to add. We just have to get better," Carroll said. http://www.giantsrookiestore.com/Giants-Brandon-Marshall-Jersey/ . Instead of dwelling on the negative, Oates focused on what was good about the clubs recent play. It worked. http://www.giantsrookiestore.com/Giants-Robert-Thomas-Jersey/ . Speaking Thursday on TSN 1050 Thursday, the Leafs GM also touched on the questions surrounding the teams leadership and the struggles of his big-name free-agent signing. “Its not from lack of effort from the coaching staff. Brigham Young plays the 57th-most difficult schedule nationally this season, according to ESPNs Football Power Index. Houstons schedule ranks 75th.Not enough to get your blood boiling as a magnificent lineup of Week 1 games nears its kickoff?Consider, then, the task before BYU, which opens Saturday night at Arizona before September dates with Utah, UCLA and West Virginia.I know when I played at BYU, I would have loved the opportunity to play this schedule, said first-year BYU coach Kalani Sitake, whose Cougars visit Michigan State and Boise State and host Mississippi State in consecutive October weeks.Houston takes center stage Saturday against third-ranked Oklahoma (noon ET, ABC). The reigning American Athletic Conference champion on Sept. 15 visits league rival, and fellow Big 12 hopeful, Cincinnati, which dispatched Miami last year in a similarly placed Thursday night game on ESPN.Were trained for chaos, Houston linebacker Steven Taylor said. We feel like were trained for anybody and anyone who comes our way.For BYU and Houston, widely considered to sit among the top candidates this year for Big 12 expansion, the importance of their high-profile, early season games extends no further than this fall. Despite the immediate challenges ahead, players and coaches at both schools said they view the tests of 2016 only as a method to measure these teams -- not as a Big 12 audition.No, second-year Houston coach Tom Herman said, because Ive been told by the people in charge that it isnt [an audition], and I trust them.BYU and Houston expressed interest this summer, among more than a 20 programs, in Big 12 membership after the leagues board of directors in July tasked commissioner Bob Bowlsby to explore options in growing the 10-team conference.For the Big 12 to evaluate Houston on its performance Saturday at NRG Stadium, Herman said, would be extremely short-sighted.I think that decision, Herman said, has to be very long-term, far-sighted vision.Not that it will stop fans and media this month -- and until Bowlsby moves forward -- from using the performances of BYU, Houston, Cincinnati and others to form beliefs on the viability of potential Big 12 additions.In fact, Houstons 2015 success, no doubt, greatly boosted its public perception as an expansion candidate. It finished 13-1 and ranked No. 8 after a Peach Bowl win over Florida State.Were still the same, disrespected, little old American Conference team with a giant chip on our shoulder, Herman said.The primary objective this season of Houston players remains to defend their league title.If we beat Oklahoma on Saturday, [AAC commissioner] Mike Aresco is not going to jog out to the 50-yard line and hand us the American championship trophy, Heerman said.ddddddddddddNever in discussing their goals did the Cougars set out to earn an invite to the Big 12.We dont let any outside influences, chatter, noise, any of that stuff, infiltrate our culture, Herman said. Our kids have done a great job of insulating themselves from all of that chatter, because at the end of the day, thats all it is.Taylor, the senior linebacker, offers another description for that chatter and noise.Theyre demons, he said, trying to distract the Cougars from their tasks at hand.Theres no future if we dont take care of the present, Taylor said.Its much the same story for the Cougars at BYU, accustomed to a difficult schedule. Last year, BYU, an FBS independent, played Nebraska, Boise State, UCLA and Michigan in the first month of the season.The normalcy of this upcoming lineup of Power 5 foes, according to senior receiver Mitchell Juergens, eliminates concern that BYU players might respond to this schedule as if something greater than usual was at stake.To create benefits for years to come, Juergens said, what it comes down to is how we play each week. Wed play harder teams if we could.The thing that I learned most from last year was how much of a mental game it is. Youve got to be strong. It takes 100 percent focus. It takes a lot of mental strength. Its draining, but to be honest, its a blast.Juergens, a 24-year-old former walk-on among five siblings in his family to attend BYU, wants badly to leave a strong legacy at the school.Every day, Juergens said, I count my blessings, because Im living a dream.If BYU earns a Big 12 invite -- because of its September success or not -- his class will be long remembered.Sitake played fullback for four seasons at BYU, concluding in 2000. The former Utah and Oregon State defensive coordinator said he noticed a sense of urgency from among his players because of three straight games against Pac-12 foes this month.I look at it as an opportunity for our players to see where our programs at, Sitake said. It doesnt prepare you for anything if you feel like any game is already a guaranteed win.Needless to say, not much of anything feels like a guarantee at BYU -- in the present or future. Sitake and his players simply dont have time to think about their Big 12 candidacy.I know others may think that, but our programs focused on this year and just respecting the process that we have, the 40-year-old coach said, respecting our seniors and their leadership. Were focused on our team and the things were trying to get done here -- the things we can control.I think itll all work out the way its supposed to. Cheap Jerseys China NFL Jerseys China NFL Jerseys Wholesale Discount Basketball Jerseys Cheap NHL Jerseys Authentic Cheap Baseball Jerseys Free Shipping Cheapest College Jerseys Sale Cheap Football Jerseys China Nike NFL Jerseys Canada Wholesale NHL Jerseys From China MLB Jerseys Outlet Canada Wholesale NBA Jerseys Canada Store Cheap Soccer Jerseys China Cheap Authentic Jerseys Canada ' ' '