BYU football: BYU vs. Utah from an insider's perspective

Utah will lose the game if it fails to stop the run, and if its talented, but inexperienced secondary fail to manage their emotions, resulting in big mistakes and big plays. Turnovers may not doom BYU in this game, but they will certainly hamper the Utes.

Giving up easy points or setting up short fields for the BYU offense will be disastrous, as the Utes will struggle to come back from a serious deficit. Utah linebackers could be exposed in the middle of the field with the BYU passing game, and BYU tight ends could come up big against Utah's young linebackers.

Utah struggled with containment issues against a mobile Utah State quarterback, and Taysom Hill could find room to the outside of the Utah defense and a lack of assignment-sound football on defense could spell big trouble for the Utes.

If the offensive line repeats its Utah State performance against BYU, the Utes can't expect to mount any type of rushing attack, rendering it one-dimensional and having to depend on a passing game that isn't yet established.

Not known to blitz or bring much pressure, BYU typically relies on its front three or four to apply pressure to opposing quarterbacks, and if Utah succumbs to a three- or four-man rush at the line of scrimmage, it could spell a long day for the Ute offense.

If BYU has any measure of success applying pressure with three or four defensive linemen, it would create a worst-case scenario for Utah and potentially open things up for the BYU secondary to have a big day.

Email: bgurney@desnews.com

Twitter: @BrandonCGurney