Arizona’s Grant Jerrett guards Utah’s Jason Washburn in the second half. Photo by Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports

The Arizona Wildcats hadn’t allowed any opponent to record a double-double this season until Utah center Jason Washburn did it Saturday at McKale Center.

Washburn had 17 points and 11 rebounds as Arizona held on for a 60-57 victory.

Washburn didn’t enter the season with any accolades to speak of, but the 6-10, 242-pound senior was brilliant as the Utes opened conference play in Arizona this week. He had 19 points and 18 rebounds in an overtime loss at ASU on Wednesday.

“I would be really surprised if he doesn’t play in the NBA,” said Arizona coach Sean Miller.

“I don’t think a couple of years ago he would have been that. He’s agile. He can score. He was one of the best players on the court, if not the best player.”

Washburn had 15 of his points after halftime on Saturday as Utah fought back from a 10-point second-half deficit. He is averaging 10.4 points and 6.1 rebounds this season.

Freshman forward Jordan Loveridge matched Washburn with 17 points — 13 in the first half. He also earned praise from Miller, who took the opportunity to throw a challenge at his freshman big men Kaleb Tarczewski, Brandon Ashley and Grant Jerrett.

“Jordan Loveridge, we had no answer for him in the first half,” Miller said. “I thought he gave his own team confidence by scoring like he did. …

“Freshmen eventually cross a line when they are no longer freshmen, and they’re just players. Jordan Loveridge is a heck of a player. It didn’t matter that he was a freshman. We have a couple of guys who have to play better right now, and I’m not just pointing to the freshmen but across the board.”

While Ashley sparked Arizona early, scoring the team’s seven points, his defense was lacking. Jerrett missed all four of his shots from the field and was scoreless in 16 minutes. Tarczewski pulled down nine rebounds but was only 2 of 8 from the field.

* * *

Arizona out-rebounded Utah 38-27, marking the 10th time in 14 games that the Wildcats have had a double-digit edge on the glass.

The problem Saturday was that while UA had 18 offensive rebounds, it managed a scant 10 second-chance points. Lots of missed shots from right around the hoop.

“You get 18 second shots and only 10 points, something’s wrong,” Miller said. “I mean, that’s hard to do. You almost have to get an offensive rebound and fall out of bounds (for that to happen).

“We have to get offensive rebounds and put it back in and get fouled, kick it out. We can’t get an offensive rebound and get nothing out of it.”

* * *

Arizona shot 36.2 percent (21 of 58) against Utah, its second-lowest percentage of the season. Starting guards Nick Johnson and Mark Lyons combined to go 5 of 23.

The Cats’ worst shooting night came at Clemson, when they hit 35.5 percent (22 of 62).

* * *

Saturday’s game marked the second consecutive season in which Arizona has struggled against Utah at McKale Center. The Utes led by 13 in the first half last season and led 33-25 at halftime before getting hot in the second half and winning 70-61.

Utah hasn’t won a conference game away from home since winning at New Mexico on Feb. 19, 2011, when it was a member of the Mountain West.

Dear Zona Zoo, Keep Calm And Beardown …. Sincerely Yours, “The Cardiac Cats”

— Kevin Parrom (@KevinParrom3) January 6, 2013

Utah’s John White IV has rushed for 348 yards and six touchdowns in the past six games. Photo by Scott Olmos-US PRESSWIRE

Arizona will try to improve its bowl positioning tonight at Utah, while the Utes try to claw into the postseason picture.

The Cats, bowl-eligible at 6-4, have no guarantee of landing one of the spots in the Pac-12′s seven contracted postseason destinations. With a couple of losses to end the regular season, they likely will have to rely on landing a spot in another bowl, somewhere, that has an unexpected opening.

As for 4-6 Utah, if it doesn’t beat Arizona and Colorado, its season is over.

“The variables are cut way down; it’s just do or die,” coach Kyle Whittingham said in the Salt Lake Tribune. “But we’re still alive. If we don’t win, there goes the chance of bowl hopes. We’re fully focused, and we know the scenario.”

Utah’s desperation and motivation on Senior Night are definitely things that could impact the outcome when the teams kick off at 8 p.m. (ESPNU). Here are three others:

1. Utah running back John White IV

Slowed early this season by injury, White has had three consecutive 100-yard rushing games, including a season-high 142 yards last week at Washington. He ran 27 times for 109 yards and two scores last year against Arizona.

“He’s a very fast guy and shifty,” Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez said.

“I think he’s one of the best backs in the Pac-12. He’s extremely explosive. He’s not real big but he’s not small. He’s a strong runner and has great explosiveness. He’s a really great football player.”

Arizona is giving up 187.2 yards per game on the ground and is facing a big, physical Utah offensive line. The Utes’ first-stringers have a combined 97 career starts.

As UA linebacker Jake Fischer said this week: “We really expect Utah to come out and run the ball down our throat.”

Yes, White could have a huge night.

2. Utes QB Travis Wilson

The Utes have gone through three starting quarterbacks this season, settling on true freshman Travis Wilson, who will make his sixth start tonight. Wilson, who arrived on the Utes campus in the spring, took over for Jon Hays, who had taken over for the injured Jordan Wynn.

Wilson is 6-6, 230 pounds.

“I think he is their future,” Rodriguez said. “He is a big, athletic guy that has a good arm and can run. I think they see him as a guy that can be the face of their offense for the next three years.”

In that light, it’s interesting that quarterback recruit Brandon Cox de-committed from Arizona last month and pledged to Utah.

Anyway, while Wilson’s youth and inexperience seems to work in Arizona’s favor … not so fast. Young quarterbacks haven’t had trouble solving Arizona’s defense. Consider:

–Oklahoma State true freshman QB Wes Lunt completed 37 of 60 passes for 436 yards, with four touchdowns and three interceptions.

–Oregon redshirt freshman Marcus Mariota was 20 of 35 for 260 yards, with two touchdowns and one interception.

–UCLA redshirt freshman Brett Hundley was 23 of 28 for 288 yards, with three TDs and no interceptions.

3. Playing on the road

Arizona is 0-3 on the road this season, which Rodriguez chalks up to playing teams that simply have been better. He won’t change his process or anything else he does to prepare for road games.

The three teams Arizona has played on the road — Oregon, Stanford and UCLA — are all ranked and are a combined 16-1 at home. The Utes are 4-1 at home, losing only to USC.

“We will win on the road when we are better,” RichRod said.

Have to agree.

The Wildcats should have beaten Stanford, given their late lead, but a lot of teams would be 0-3 on the road vs. that schedule.

“I don’t think you can veer and change your game plan other than you have to prepare for crowd noise,” Rodriguez said of playing on the road.

“I think you just have to do what you do and have a lot of resiliency because you know you are going to have adversity. … In two games we have not handled it well and in one game I think we handled it well but just didn’t finish.”

* * *

Other pregame reading:

If it’s Saturday, it must be a holiday for Arizona’s Ka’Deem Carey

The most important Wildcat in the next two games? It might not be who you think.

Injury report: QB Matt Scott probable

The full list of how many player-games Arizona has lost due to injury.

Javier Morales with his Friday Fix: Games in Salt Lake City have been memorable

Greg Hansen’s Mr. Football column

Salt Lake Tribune: Unlikely pair has Utes’ punting spot-on

Deserert News: Utah must beat Arizona to keep bowl hopes alive

Snow is not in the early forecast for Saturday in Salt Lake City, but we’d recommend that Arizona — unlike Utah’s Nate Fakahafua last year — bundle up. Photo by Douglas C. Pizac-US PRESSWIRE

Pack the parkas. The Arizona Wildcats will be playing a night game at Utah this Saturday.

The game will begin at 8 p.m. MT in Salt Lake City and be televised by ESPNU, the Utes announced early Sunday morning.

According to weather.com, the early forecast for Saturday is for a high of 52, a low of 35, and a 20 percent chance of rain.

This will be the first time Arizona has played at Utah since 2005, when the Utes won 27-24 in the season-opener.

Arizona is bowl-eligible at 6-4 overall and 3-4 in the Pac-12. Utah is 4-6 and 2-5.

Utah coach Larry Krystkowiak told point guard Josh Watkins to keep on walking. Douglas C. Pizac-US PRESSWIRE

The Arizona Wildcats won’t have to worry about playing against Utah point guard Josh Watkins — the Utes’ best player — on Thursday night. He was dismissed from the team Wednesday morning.

UA coach Sean Miller on Tuesday called Watkins a “very good point guard who means a lot to their team. … I don’t know if there’s another player that means more to their team’s success than him. When Utah plays well, he usually has a big night.”

Utah coach Larry Krystowiak dismissed Watkins for what he called a violation of team rules.

“The integrity of our program as a whole cannot be sacrificed for any individual,” Krystkowiak said in a story in the Salt Lake Tribune. “The well being of our program will always come first. This was one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make. I really wish Josh well and I hope he remains at Utah to finish his degree.”

Watkins, a 5-foot-11 senior, was averaging 15.6 points and 4.8 assists for the Utes, which has had numerous personnel losses in the transition to Krystowiak, the team’s a first-year head coach. Utah is 4-13 overall and 1-4 in the Pac-12.

Watkins scored 20 points and hit the winning jumper when Utah won its only Pac-12 game — 62-60 in overtime against visiting Washington State on Jan. 5.

Thursday night’s game begins at 6:30 p.m. from the Huntsman Center.

Nick Foles threw two costly interceptions against Utah. Photo by Chris Morrison-US PRESSWIRE

Arizona drops to 2-7 with the 34-21 loss to Utah and can’t be bowl eligible. That ends Arizona’s three-year postseason streak, which was tied for the longest in school history.

Only one other team in the Pac-10 had been to the postseason in each of the past three seasons — Oregon.

* * *

Sophomore Daniel Jenkins comes up with a nifty 29-yard touchdown run in the final minute, changing directions, making quick cuts and tightroping the right sideline for the final few yards.

The future of the running back position looks solid with Ka’Deem Carey, Jenkins, Taimi Tutogi and Greg Nwoko coming back from a knee injury next season.

Arizona is down 34-21 with 23 seconds left.

* * *

Utah scores after the interception on an 11-yard rush by John White. The Utes put this one away, leading 34-14 with 2:50 to play.

* * *

Nick Foles throws a costly interception when Arizona had first-and-goal from the 2. Foles tries to hit Austin Hill in the right side of the end zone, but perhaps the two weren’t on the same page.

A play earlier they had tried to connect on a fade pass into the corner. This time, Foles put the pass on a line, and Utah’s Conroy Black was able to step in front of it to make the interception.

He had a lot of green grass ahead of him, but running back Ka’Deem Carey was part of a group that chased him down and forced him to change course. He ended up with a 57-yard return.

That looks like it was Arizona’s last, best chance.

* * *

Another penalty break for Arizona. Utah gets called for pass interference on an incomplete pass on third-and-7 from the 9.

* * *

Arizona on the march. On third-and-10, David Roberts catches a 7-yard pass and then Utah gets flagged for a late hit out out of bounds. The Cats are in the red zone.

* * *

Just when Arizona was gathering some momentum, running back Keola Antolin fumbles on what looks to be a promising run, with Utah recovering at the Arizona 45.

On the next play, Utah QB Jon Hayes fumbles while attempting a pass, with the ball bouncing behind him and to his right. Linebacker Derek Earls has a shot to pick it up, but can’t, and Utah recovers.

The defense holds, though, and Utah has to punt with 10:58 left.

* * *

Defense pumped up after a third-down sack to force a Utah punt as the third quarter ends. Utah up 27-14. Can anybody see a 28-27 final?

* * *

Arizona does indeed did a touchdown following Utah’s missed field goal, with Nick Foles connecting deep to David Douglas. Foles, on a play-action fake, rolls to his right and fires a long pass back toward the middle of the field to Douglas, who catches the ball inside the 5 and goes in for the score.

Arizona gets within 27-14 with 5:02 to play.

* * *

The pace of the game has slowed and the stands have thinned (about 25 percent of the Zona Zoo came back for halftime), but Arizona is hanging around with 6:42 to play in the third quarter. Utah PK Coleman Peterson just missed a 47-yard field goal, doinking it off the left upright.

A touchdown here from the Cats could do wonders.

* * *

Ka’Deeem Carey is in the game after serving a first-half suspension for an unspecified violation of team rules.

* * *

It’s hard to hide bad cornerback play. Utah scores on a 44-yard pass play to a wide-open Reggie Dunn, who badly beats Lyle Brown down the right sideline.

Brown is playing after Jourdon Grandon handled the spot in the first half with Shaquille Richardson and Cortez Johnson sidelined by injuries (as well as Jonathan McKnight, who has been out all year).

Utah leads 27-7 early in the second half.

* * *

And now pass interference against Arizona. The Cats have nine penalties for 91 yards.

* * *

And on the first play of the second half, Arizona DT Justin Washington is flagged for an unnecessary roughness penalty at the end of a short running play.

* * *

Arizona leads in total yardage, 215 to 190, but the Utes have made almost all the big plays — punt block, interception, two sacks on third down, etc., etc.

The Utes also have been penalized only once. Arizona has seven penalties for 51 yards.

* * *

Utah connects at a 35-yard field goal to end the first half, giving the Utes a 20-7 lead.

Seems like we have seen this show before. Arizona plays poorly early, looks like a mess on special teams, falls behind by double-digits and then starts to play a bit better.

Arizona is still within range for a comeback, although the Utes do start the second half with the ball.

* * *

Arizona gets on the board with a pretty 23-yard reception from Nick Foles to David Douglas, who makes a diving over-the-head catch near the left sideline of the end zone, stabbing the ground with a foot to get himself in bounds.

Arizona trails 17-7 with 3:45 to go before half.

* * *

Defense actually playing pretty well, holding Utah to 142 yards with five minutes to go in the half. It’s just that the Utes have taken advantage of turnovers and special teams miscues.

* * *

Surprised that Arizona hasn’t more of its full-house backfield today; it would seem to be a better way to protect Foles against a talented Utah front.

* * *

With Arizona playing this poorly and Mike Stoops fired, we don’t even have sideline antics to entertain us.

* * *

Oh, special teams. Utah gets a partial block of a Kyle Duganzic attempt, although he ends up getting a decent roll on it. The Utes get an extra 10 yards at the end of the punt because of holding on Arizona. It all could have been much worse for the Cats.

* * *

Utah turns the interception into a touchdown as running back John White zooms through a hole on the left side for an 18-yard touchdown. It’s all going wrong for the Cats, who trail 17-0 with 11:41 to play before halftime.

* * *

Utah’s defensive line, not surprisingly, is winning the battle up front and harassing Arizona QB Nick Foles, who has had to scramble much of the game. Under pressure on the last drive, Foles doesn’t get much on a throw to the sideline and is intercepted by linebacker Matt Martinez.

* * *

Looks like a mix-up in the secondary as first-time starting cornerback Jourdon Grandon sits down on an out-and-up pattern by DeVonte Christopher, but Grandon has no deep help. QB Jon Hayes easily finds a wide-open Christopher for a 65-yard TD and a 10-0 lead with 14:18 to play in the second quarter.

* * *

Rob Lantz of 1290-AM says via Twitter that Ka’Deem Carey has been talking to trainers on the sideline. He did go through warm-ups; did he get hurt there.

* * *

Arizona’s defense gave up only 34 yards and one first down in the first quarter but trails 3-0 because of the short field created by the blocked punt. This could be unlike all other Arizona games this season in is shaping up to be low-scoring defensive struggle.

* * *

Arizona was at the Utah 29 but Nick Foles is sacked for a big loss on third down, forcing a UA punt. Utah’s defense, statistically the best in the Pac-12, winning the war right now.

* * *

No Ka’Deem Carey so far as Daniel Jenkins gets the backup carries (and Taimi Tutogi rushes twice in short-yardage situations). Offensive coordinator Seth Littrell said this week that Carey needed more touches. Hmmm. No word on any injuries or such.

* * *

Utah scores first with a 32-yard field goal with 6:08 left in the first quarter, set up by the blocked punt. Sloppy game for fall, with Arizona dropping a few passes in addition to the special teams mistakes (and the slip on the opening kickoff).

Utah on third-and-4 tries a reverse off an end around, but it goes nowhere as the Utes settle for the field goal.

* * *

More special teams misadventures. After the failed fake field goal, Arizona’s next possession ends with a blocked punt. Utah takes over at the UA 21.

* * *

Jourdon Grandon gets the start at cornerback, moving over from nickel back to take over for injured Shaquille Richardson (ankle) and injured Cortez Johnson (concussion).

* * *

Arizona’s first drive comes up with nothing, with Nick Foles missing Juron Criner over the middle on third-and-7 from the Utah 15. Lined up for a 32-yard field goal, Arizona was penalized for a delay of game, making it a fourth-and-12 situation.

That’s an odd time for a fake, but holder Kyle Dugandzic flipped the ball between his legs to kicker John Bonano, running to his right. He was stopped easily.

* * *

Arizona looked as it it had something cooking on the opening kickoff, with speedy Garic Wharton taking a reverse handoff from Keola Antolin. He had maybe one man to beat, but he slipped and fell at the UA 35. Must be the frosty turf in these chilly temperatures.

* * *

This just in from ASU-land. The Sun Devils will hold their second blackout of the season for the No. 19 game against Arizona. ASU is encouraging fans to wear black and will wear its all-black uniforms for the second time this season. ASU also donned those for the Missouri game.

* * *

Game time temperature is 59 degrees. Speaking for Tucson … brrrr.

* * *

WR Dan Buckner, who was called “out” for this week by interim coach Tim Kish on Monday went through warm-ups and looked as if he had a chance to play. Buckner has 38 catches for 568 yards and two TDs.

* * *

The new class consists of swimmer Simon Burnett, swimming coach Frank Busch, cross country/track athlete Robert Cheseret, swimmer Lyndon Ferns, volleyball player Kim Glass, baseball player Trevor Hoffman, softball pitcher Alicia Hollowell, basketball player Shawntinice Polk and swimmer Marshi Smith.

* * *

This will be the spot for our in-game updates and analysis on the Arizona-Utah game. As always, have your say in the comments section.

* * *

PREGAME

Arizona Wildcats senior receiver Juron Criner has 21 catches for 219 yards and five touchdowns in the past two games. That marks the most receptions he has ever had in back-to-back games.

The big difference? Health.

“He can tough it out during games, but when he is able to practice better, he is going to get more catches,” said receivers coach Dave Nichol. “That’s a big part of it.”

Criner was slowed by appendicitis, a hand injury and a knee injury in the first half of the season. As he got healthier during last month’s bye week, coaches also re-emphasized to him how important the second half of the season was to him and to his career.

He appears to have responded with the right attitude.

“Criner having back-to-back games is going to muscle him through the rest of the season,” interim head coach Tim Kish said.

Criner has 29 career touchdown receptions, one off the school record set by T Bell from 1972 to 1975.

* * *

Arizona and Utah haven’t met since 2005, when the Utes won 27-24 in Salt Lake City in coach Kyle Whittingham’s coaching debut.

Facing fourth-and-5 at the Utah 42 with a little more than 3 minutes left, second-year Arizona coach Mike Stoops elected to punt, showing a conservative side that would mark his tenure with the Wildcats.

Danny Baugher’s punt went into the end zone for a touchback, Utah broke off two long runs and eventually punted the ball back to Arizona, which was hopelessly pinned at its 9-yard line with 28 seconds remaining.

A stranger game came in the 1994 Freedom Bowl. Arizona’s Tedy Bruschi-led defense had six sacks and held Utah to 75 total yards (75!) … and still lost 16-13. After that mess of an offensive game, the Freedom Bowl folded.

An even stranger meeting came two decades earlier. TucsonCitizen.com blogger Javier Morales recounted the “Snafu of ’72” last year.

Follow along and join the discussion on my new page on Facebook.

More Arizona football coverage from TucsonCitizen.com:

Arizona football notes: Cats to contend with Utah’s strong defense

Oregonian: Mike Bellotti denies being a candidate at Arizona

Will Arizona’s defense make Utah RB John White a weekly winner?

Breaking down Robert Golden’s 91-yard interception return

Mike Leach on Arizona job: ‘It’s an exciting position’

Linebacker from Texas de-commits from Arizona

Playmaker: Freshman Tramayne Bondurant emerges on Arizona’s defense

Mike Stoops interview: ‘My heart is still with these players’

Utah's Star Lotulelei takes up a lot of space in the middle. Photo by Russ Isabella-US PRESSWIRE

Mash together Arizona’s offense (at least in the passing game) and Utah’s defense (at least against the run), and you’d have a pretty good college football team.

It will be a battle of opposites Saturday at Arizona Stadium, with Wildcats quarterback Nick Foles taking aim at, statistically, the best defense in the Pac-12.

The Utes are allowing only 325.6 yards per game and rank 11th nationally against the run, yielding a mere 91.0 yards per game.

“They’re good. I would say one of the top two defenses we have played all year,” said UA offensive coordinator Seth Littrell.

“They’re extremely physical up front. In the secondary, they are going to try to man you up, beat your receivers up. They are, at times, going to play press coverage and say, ‘Come and get us. If you can make the play, go make the play.’ …

“It’s not going to be one of those easy-type football games where you run up and down the field, I’ll tell you that.”

Utah (4-4 overall, 1-4 Pac-12) is big up front, including 325-pound defensive tackle Star Lotulelei and defensive ends at about 270 pounds. Utah is second in the league with 2.88 sacks per game.

“Defensively, they’re damn good,” said Arizona interim coach Tim Kish. “They’re D-line is very, very good. Very, very good.”

This sounds like a game in which Arizona’s full-house backfield would come in handy. The Wildcats can max-protect Foles while, potentially, taking advantage of the man coverage on the outside with Juron Criner, Gino Crump and others. Too bad for Arizona that Dan Buckner is out with a separated shoulder.

Foles leads the nation with 32.38 completions per game and is third nationally with 366.75 yards per game.

Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said earlier this season that his team plays more man coverage than anybody in the Pac-12, and Littrell agreed with that assessment.

“But I tell our guys all the time, it doesn’t really matter what they’re doing. It matters what we do and how we execute our base plays,” Littrell said.

“That will never change week to week. It’s a mindset. Obviously, you have to put them in great situations to be successful. But at times in the football game, it’s you against the other one. Can you win? Are you going to win?”

* * *

Redshirt freshman left tackle Mickey Baucus played his best game against Washington, Kish and Littrell said.

“He rose up to the challenge and played a great game,” Littrell said.

“Hopefully, he will continue to do that. He has been working hard in practice, and it is showing on the field. He and (center) Kyle Quinn really stepped up. Those are the two guys who really played well on the O-line.”

Baucus’ challenge this week is Utah right end Derrick Shelby. The senior has six tackles for loss, including four sacks. He has an interception and has broken up five passes.

Littrell said the difference between Arizona’s offensive line from the beginning of the season until now is “night and day.” The Wildcats began the year with the least experienced offensive line in the country.

“They’re going to be special,” Littrell said.

* * *

Senior Lyle Brown and redshirt freshman nickel back Jourdon Grandon were competing for a starting cornerback spot this week, Kish said Wednesday, the last day of media availability with Arizona. He both “both will play some.”

Starting cornerback Shaquille Richardson is back from suspension but likely not back from a sprained ankle. His backup, freshman Cortez Johnson, is doubtful because of a concussion.

Also considering starter Jonathan McKnight hasn’t played all season because of a torn ACL, the Wildcats could be down to their fifth-best cornerback as a starter against Utah.

* * *

Kirifi Taula

Look for 280-pound defensive tackle Kirifi Taula to get ample time at defensive end, as he did last week at Washington. Kish said he likes the extra size out at the edge; Arizona’s starters have been 245-pounders C.J. Parish and Mohammed Usman.

“He’s a thick guy,” Kish said of Taula.

“If you’re standing behind C.J. Parish or Mohammed Usman, you’re not seeing much of a massive body. I like that big, wide back end.”

* * *

Crump, who had four catches last season, has 45 through eight games. The senior has at least five receptions in each of the past six games.

“The thing he has more than he has ever had is the confidence to go out there and know he is going to make a play,” Littrell said. “He has really grown.”

* * *

Follow along and join the discussion on my new page on Facebook.

More Arizona football coverage from TucsonCitizen.com:

Oregonian: Mike Bellotti denies being a candidate at Arizona

Will Arizona’s defense make Utah RB John White a weekly winner?

Breaking down Robert Golden’s 91-yard interception return

Mike Leach on Arizona job: ‘It’s an exciting position’

Linebacker from Texas de-commits from Arizona

Playmaker: Freshman Tramayne Bondurant emerges on Arizona’s defense

Mike Stoops interview: ‘My heart is still with these players’

Utah's John White has had plenty of running lanes this season. Photo by Russ Isabella-US PRESSWIRE

Utah has had two players win Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week honors. But none on offense.

Playing Arizona this week, that could change in a hurry.

The UA defense just keeps on giving. Three of Arizona’s first six conference opponents have produced the league’s offensive player of the week. And it wasn’t like those winners just had a nice game. Each had a record-setting performance.

So, Utah’s John White should be dreaming of glory Saturday afternoon at Arizona Stadium.

He is the nation’s 15th-leading rusher, averaging 114.38 yards per game. He has rushed for at least 150 yards in half of Utah’s eight games.

“Very quick. Can get to the perimeter very, very fast,” Arizona interim coach Tim Kish said.

“They have a big, thick fullback in there (253-pound Shawn Asiata) who does a great job of blocking for him.”

White is different than last week’s Arizona torturer — Chris Polk, who is powerful, plenty fast enough and a dangerous pass catcher. White doesn’t pack the same punch at 5-foot-8 and 186 pounds, and he has only eight receptions.

As a comparison, don’t think Polk, think about a guy who flies with the Ducks.

“I won’t give him too much credit by saying LaMichael James,” Arizona safety Robert Golden said of White, “but he’s a real good scatback.”

White likely won’t lack for opportunity against the Cats. Utah is cautious with the passing game, breaking in quarterback Jon Hays for the past four-plus games after Jordan Wynn suffered a season-ending shoulder injury.

So, White has been a workhorse. He carried 36 times in a win at Pittsburgh. He rushed 35 times last week in a victory over Oregon State.

“Knock on wood he’s been very durable. He holds up,” Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said in the Deseret News. “He’s a physical runner. He runs far bigger than his 185-pound frame.”

James set the Oregon rushing record against Arizona with 288 yards to start the trend of opponents winning a Pac-12 award at the Cats’ expense. USC’s Matt Barkley set a school record with 468 passing yards.

Last week, Polk became the first player in Washington history to rush for 100 yards and have 100 yards in receptions. Oklahoma State’s Joseph Randle came one receiving yard away from pulling off the same triple-triple against Arizona.

Kish is trying to get Arizona bigger on the defensive line by moving 280-pound defensive tackle Kirifi Taula to end, which could help slow Utah’s downhill attack.

If not, another opponent could run off with a conference honor.

Colorado won’t be leaving the Big 12 ahead of schedule. So, does the Pac-10 change its new logo to the Pac-11 for next season?

Utah is leaving the Mountain West Conference for the Pac-10, beginning next season. But the Buffs, according to the Boulder Daily Camera, will remain in the Big 12 for the next two season, as originally planned.

The Buffs were hoping to be able to wriggle out of their arrangement with the Big 12 a year away in order to go into their new conference with Utah hand-in-hand. Meanwhile, the Big 12 also will play with 11 teams in the 2011-12 school year, as Nebraska will leave for the Big Ten (which will really be 12).

According to the Daily Camera,

CU gave the Big 12 two years’ notice of its intention to leave the league back in June, meeting the criteria spelled out in Big 12 bylaws. The Buffs would have to forfeit 50 percent of conference distributions for those two years.

Nebraska and Utah made their conference realignment announcements after CU, leading to speculation about speeding up the time line for the Buffs to move by a year. Big 12 bylaws require schools to forfeit 80 percent of conference distributions with just one year notice of an intention to leave.

Big 12 officials have publicly quoted the 80 percent as the total CU will owe almost from the beginning, despite the fact the Buffs gave two years’ notice. …

The Pac-12 has agreed to help CU with some of the cost to switch leagues, but millions can be saved by simply remaining in the Big 12 an extra year. Colorado officials have estimated they could forfeit between $9 and $14.5 million in conference distributions.

Utah is expected to officially accept an invitation to join the Pac-10 on Thursday, expanding the league to 12 teams.

Colorado made it 11 teams last week, when we examined what the Buffaloes bring to the league in terms of the major sports. Let’s do the same with the Utes:

Football

Utah, as a member of the Mountain West Conference, has gone undefeated in two of the past six seasons. Now, we’ll get an answer to the criticism, “Yeah, but could they do it in a BCS conference?

Since 2003 — which was Urban Meyer‘s first season as coach — the Utes have gone 69-19. They routed Pittsburgh in the Fiesta Bowl to cap the 2004 perfect season and smacked Alabama in the Sugar Bowl to finish the 2008 season at 13-0 under Kyle Whittingham.

Utah is 3-3 against the Pac-10 in the past four seasons and 7-3 against the Pac-10 dating to 2003.

The Utes have won nine consecutive bowl games, the longest streak in the nation.

If they were in the Pac-10 this season, they would be considered part of a big pack chasing presumed favorites Oregon and USC. Utah is ranked No. 22 in the preseason by The Sporting News, No. 25 by Lindy’s and 28th by Phil Steele’s magazine.

Consider this: Utah turned to true freshman quarterback Jordan Wynn late last season, and he passed for 336 yards in a Poinsettia Bowl victory against future conference foe Cal, earning bowl MVP honors. The Utes figure to join the Pac-10 in 2012, when Wynn will be a senior and, most likely, one of top quarterbacks in the league.

Last meeting against Arizona: Nov. 2, 2005 — Utah 27, Arizona 24 (in Salt Lake City)

Men’s basketball

Utah struggled last season, going 14-17, but the program was a fifth seed in the 2009 NCAA Tournament when it had center Luke Nevill. Those Utes were quickly shown the NCAA exit, upset in the first round by Russ Pennell‘s Arizona squad.

No arguments with the fan base. Even in a down season, Utah averaged 9,202 fans last year against a Mountain West schedule, which would have been the third-best attendance mark in the Pac-10. Give the Utes a steady diet of Pac-10 teams at the Huntsman Center, and they might routinely have the second-largest crowds in the league behind Arizona.

They averaged around 14,000 fans during the mid- to late-1990s, when the program turned out players such as Keith Van Horn, Andre Miller and Michael Doleac. Utah, after stunning Arizona in the 1998 regional final, went to play Kentucky for the national championship, losing 78-69.

Utah, however, has been to only one of the past five NCAA Tournaments.

Last meeting against Arizona: March 17, 2009 — Arizona 84, Utah 71 (NCAA Tournament first round, Miami)

Highlights from CBS Sports (who can forget Jamelle Horne‘s would-be dunk that popped back from the net and up through the rim?):

Women’s basketball

Utah has been the main power in the Mountain West, winning seven of the 11 league titles. The Utes failed to claim the conference crown in 2010, going 23-12 and reaching the second round of the Women’s NIT before losing at Cal. The Utes went 1-3 against Pac-10 competition last season.

Utah has been to four of the past six NCAA Tournaments, reaching the Elite Eight in 2006 before losing in overtime to eventual national champion Maryland.

Last meeting against Arizona: Dec. 9, 2006 — Utah 66, Arizona 60 (Salt Lake City)

Softball

The Utes have not been distinguished, finishing under .500 in seven of the past nine seasons. They haven’t reached the postseason since 2006 and face major climb in a Pac-10 that has grown to nine teams for softball. Among league teams, only Oregon State failed to make the postseason in 2010.

Baseball

The Utes have a quality coach with Arizona ties — Bill Kinneberg, who pitched for Jerry Kindall in 1979 and was UA’s associate head coach under Jerry Stitt from the 1997 through the 2001 seasons.

Kinneberg began his second stint as Utah’s head coach in the 2005 season. There’s not much baseball history to lean on, though. He led the Utes to the 2009 NCAA Tournament, which was their first appearance since 1960.

Slugging sophomore C.J. Cron earned All-America honors this season, but Utah was only 23-28, including a 1-7 mark against the Pac-10.