Utah @ Arizona State preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 17, 2015 ) Arizona State 18, Utah 34

Utah is part of a three-team battle for the Pac-12 South title and the No. 12 Utes have no margin for error as they enter Thursday's road contest at Arizona State. The Utes are in third place behind Colorado and USC and a loss to the Sun Devils would all but erase their division title hopes.

Utah still has a contest with first-place Colorado on the slate so winning to keep pace or catch the Buffaloes remains paramount but coach Kyle Whittingham has cautioned his players not to look ahead. "You have to take them one at a time," Whittingham said at a press conference. "All the focus is on ASU. It's great to be in the hunt come November and our guys understand that." Arizona State dropped three consecutive games and four of its past five, and expects to have sophomore quarterback Manny Wilkins in the lineup. Wilkins has been plagued with ankle and shoulder injuries and missed two of the last four contests, and missed most of one of the other games.

TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1. LINE: Utah -5.5

ABOUT UTAH (7-2, 4-2 Pac-12): Senior running back Joe Williams (758) has rushed for 683 yards in the past three games since ending his early season retirement and is taking pressure off of junior quarterback Troy Williams, who is completing only 54.6 percent of his passes. Troy Williams passed for 1,888 yards and nine touchdowns against five interceptions and senior wideout Tim Patrick is his favorite target with 29 receptions for 501 yards and five scores. Whittingham said the Utes expect to have the services of standout junior free safety Marcus Williams (three interceptions, two fumbles) after a two-game injury absence to aid a unit led by senior defensive end Hunter Dimick (seven sacks).

ABOUT ARIZONA STATE (5-4, 2-4): The return of Wilkins (1,421 yards, six touchdowns, five interceptions) provides a boost to the stagnant passing attack as leading receiver Tim White, a senior, hasn't found the end zone despite team-best totals of 47 receptions and 573 yards. Junior tailback Demario Richard has a team-best 532 rushing yards and is expected back after missing the last game because of injury. The Sun Devils have been horrid on defense while allowing 36.6 points and 513.6 yards per game - 124th among the 128 FBS teams in the nationl - but junior outside linebacker Koron Crump is having a solid season with a team-best nine sacks.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Utes recorded a 34-18 victory over Arizona State last season to break an 11-game losing streak in the series as the Sun Devils hold a 20-7 edge.

2. Sun Devils senior K Zane Gonzalez is 20-of-21 on field goals this season and his 93 career field goals are the most in FBS history.

3. Utah's 23 takeaways (15 interceptions, eight fumbles) tie for most in the nation with Memphis.

PREDICTION: Utah 34, Arizona State 26