The Cougars have been eagerly awaiting the Utes’ first visit since in four years to LaVell Edwards Stadium, and the quarterback who engineered a spirited comeback that fell just short in the 2015 Las Vegas Bowl matchup, junior Tanner Mangum, returns with the fire he displayed his freshman season.
What’s more, the Utes’ six-game stranglehold on the Cougars was almost halted by a failed two-point conversion attempt last September at Rice-Eccles, and 16 of those red-clad players left for the NFL. Also, the man hired to revive a stagnant program, former BYU fullback and ex-Utah defensive coordinator Kalani Sitake, had brought a new confidence to Provo, and was making inroads on closing the talent gap with his former employer.