Pac-12 Conference play is finally here. The Utah Utes and UCLA Bruins will play their first conference games against each other. It marks the last time the schools will face off in the Pac-12 regular season before college realignment madness kicks in next year. Utah is destined for the Big 12, while UCLA is off to the Big Ten. This season, however, they both have aspirations to win the Pac-12 and walk out with a boom.

When and where is the game?

Utah will be the home team for the game at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Utes are riding a 16-game winning streak on their home turf, the third longest active streak in college football. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Sept. 23.

How to watch Utah vs. UCLA

The football game will be televised on FOX. You can also catch a live stream on fuboTV. The FOX Sports App will also have mobile streaming.

Date: Saturday, Sept. 23 | Time: 3:30 p.m. ET

Location: Rice-Eccles Stadium — Salt Lake City, Utah

TV channel: FOX | Live stream: fuboTV (click for a free trial)

Odds: Utah -4.5 | O/U 52.5

Utah storylines

Utah is the 11th-ranked team in the country, and a win against UCLA would almost certainly thrust them into the top 10. The Utes have never been the prettiest team, but they tend to find a way to grind out wins, and that has certainly been the case so far this season.

The team only has two passing touchdowns, yet they are 3-0. Both Bryson Barnes and Nate Johnson have seen time under center this season, yet each only has one touchdown through the air. Neither quarterback has thrown for more than 300 total yards this season.

Of course, Utah's quarterback outlook changes when Cam Rising debuts. The two quarterbacks to see action so far are just bridging the way until Rising's return. Rising has been an elite signal-caller in Utah the last two seasons, but he is currently recovering from a torn ACL suffered in the Rose Bowl last season. Rising has been on a week-to-week status, and Utah has been tight-lipped on any news of when he will return, per Michelle Bodkin of kslsports.com.

Despite poor quarterback play, the team has won in the not-so-glamorous parts of the game. Utah has an elite offensive line, and it has made things easier on the inexperienced quarterbacks. Utah also boasts a great defense. The Utes secondary has been particularly impressive. They have 11 passes defended and another four interceptions so far.

UCLA storylines

UCLA is usually known for flash and finesse, but the team is much more physical than normal in 2023. They have played well in the trenches on both sides of the ball. On defense, they are only allowing 278.7 yards per game, and only three touchdowns have been scored on them. They have been particularly good against the run, constantly plugging running lanes and only allowing 2.01 yards per rush, per NCAA.com.

On the other end, they have dominated running the football. Chip Kelly's offenses always play at a fast pace, and that has led to over 270 rushing yards per game. The Bruins are running for 7.44 yards per attempt. Those figures rank third and first in the nation, respectively.

Carson Steele, T.J. Harden, and Anthony Adkins form a three-headed monster in the UCLA backfield. All three have over 100 total yards on the ground and a rushing average of over eight yards per carry.

UCLA is 22nd in the AP Polls, and while they may be underdogs, they are going to put up a fight and make things interesting.