Since 2016, Utah is 3-3 against USC. Last year featured a 42-26 win in Los Angeles over the Trojans. During the same time, Utah is 5-0 against UCLA. In the last four contests, the Utes have outscored the Bruins 182-54.

With both schools jumping to the Big Ten in two years, Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham is looking to keep the wins coming while they can.

“We’ll have to try and give them some going-away gifts the next two years,” he told program donors on Wednesday during a Crimson Club luncheon.

The Utes and Trojans meet in Salt Lake City this season on Oct. 15. That game is expected to go a long way in helping to determine who goes to the Pac-12 championship game at the end of the regular season and, possibly, impact the College Football Playoff race.

The week prior, Utah travels to L.A. to face the Bruins. With UCLA talking up a “Rose Bowl or bust” season in 2022, expect the team to be dialed in for the defending league champs.

With quarterback Cameron Rising back, and a host of talented skill players with him, Utah is hoping to build off of last year’s 10-4 campaign. Both the Trojans and Bruins figure to feature explosive offenses in their own right. We could be in for a high-scoring affair between the teams.

Perhaps Whittingham’s words just added a little more fuel to the two contests.