Statistically Speaking: Utah vs. North Dakota

The long wait is finally over. The depth chart has been parsed in every different direction, controversies have risen up, been dissected, and subsided. Every minute of practice and word of interviews has been picked through with a fine-toothed comb. Now we get to leave that all behind. Now, finally, we get to watch some Utah football.

In the season's first game, the Utes welcome North Dakota to Rice Eccles. A highly-touted FCS program, North Dakota will come in eager to derail the Utes' season and make their mark on the FBS. It's always a long shot, but the Fighting Eagles have put together all the pieces they can to make it happen.

This was a loaded team in 2016, and they return almost every key player. They signed a handful of rated recruits to join their ranks, and no doubt have designs on a special season and a Big Sky crown.

In 2016, the Fighting Hawks adopted a run-heavy, grinding strategy that was mirrored by an aggressive, attacking defense. North Dakota ran the ball 65% of the time, and racked up 28 sacks and 80 tackles for a loss. They minimized turnovers and took advantage of their opportunities, ultimately outscoring their opponents by a comfortable margin despite unimpressive yards per play numbers.

Sound like a Kyle Whittingham coached team you know? There are strong parallels between these two teams, although the gap in talent presented by a P5 contender compared to an FCS powerhouse is large enough to render the ending of this game nearly a foregone conclusion.

Still, Utah fans should adjust their expectations a little. This isn't a game Ute fans should expect to win by six or more touchdowns. Instead, look for the Utes to be tested a little bit by a team that wants nothing more than to knock off a Power 5 contender. You should still expect to see a comfortable win and plenty of time from the team's second string, but an epic blowout is likely not in the cards.

The Utes' primary objective is going to be stifling the run game and flexing their new offensive muscle a little bit. They project to be able to accomplish both of those goals.

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