Keeping quarterbacks healthy is once again a dilemma for No. 12 Utah as it heads into its final regular-season home game against Kansas State on Saturday in Salt Lake City.
Starting quarterback Devon Dampier has been battling an ankle injury for at least a month. Dampier’s availability for the Utes on Saturday is still unknown. The junior already missed one game this season and his mobility has been noticeably limited in other recent games when he’s played.
“Day-by-day is (the way) we’re taking it, and that’s the best answer I can give you,” Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said, noting that Dampier is a physical runner by nature and his style of play takes a toll on his body.
Unlike last season, an injured quarterback hasn’t sent the Utes (8-2, 5-2 Big 12) into a downward spiral. Byrd Ficklin has flourished as Dampier’s understudy, keeping the offense humming with his speed and playmaking abilities.
Ficklin earned Big 12 Freshman of the Week honors after running for 166 yards and two touchdowns in Utah’s 55-28 victory over Baylor last week. He scored on runs of 67 yards and 74 yards against the Bears. His knack for ripping off big runs has Ficklin leading all Big 12 players with 9.4 yards per carry.
“He’s maturing and becoming more seasoned every single week,” Whittingham said. “He has not had a game where he was inserted where the stage was too big. He has responded every single time he’s been in the game.”
Ficklin’s emergence, coupled with dynamic running from Wayshawn Parker, have given Utah a running attack that is absolutely shredding one opponent after another. The Utes lead the Big 12 with 278.4 rushing yards per game. Utah has 380 or more rushing yards in two of its last three games.
Matching Utah’s potent offense will be a tall task for the Wildcats.
Kansas State (5-5, 4-3) needs a win in one of its two final games to get bowl eligible. The Wildcats moved to the brink of bowl eligibility with a 14-6 win over Oklahoma State on Saturday in Stillwater, Okla., where they forced five turnovers.
Moving the chains hasn’t been easy for Kansas State this season. The Wildcats are averaging 354.9 yards per game against fellow Big 12 teams, which ranks 13th in the league. And it only gets harder with them facing the Utes without top receiver Jayce Brown after he suffered a season-ending injury against the Cowboys.
Utah is allowing averages of only 15.6 points and 327.3 yards in 10 games this season.
Still, Kansas State coach Chris Klieman is 3-1 as a double-digit underdog in Big 12 play since 2019. Utah is a 17.5 point-favorite on Saturday.
“Maybe this is a challenge that comes at the right time,” Klieman said. “Maybe we can go carefree and just go and play really good football.”
This is the first meeting between these schools. Kansas State is 0-5 all-time in the state of Utah, with four losses to BYU and a setback to Utah State.
