While the TrojanSports.com team has delivered its perspective on the No. 7 Trojans' highly-anticipated showdown with No. 20 Utah in Salt Lake City today, we also wanted to get the pulse of things straight from our Utes insider Alex Markham, of UteNation.com.

Here is his perspective and prediction for Saturday afternoon ...

What did the loss to UCLA reveal about Utah, if anything?

Markham: "It revealed a concerning pattern, exposing a defense that struggles with discipline in gap containment and tackling. Utah has had three rough defensive performances — one just happened to coincide with the best game of Clark Phillips’ career."

"For Utah to get back on track, the offense is going to have to be what carries it in 2022."

How does Utah's offensive/defensive line compare to the recent standard for the program?

Markham: "Good question. The Utah offensive line’s typical strength has been in run blocking, but in 2022, that’s a different story. Their pass blocking has been a strength, while the running backs aren’t finding the typical holes to run through that they’re used to. Basically, the run blocking isn’t perfect, but it’s working.

"Typically, the Utah offensive line takes a few games into the season to gel. However, Jim Harding focused more in the fall on locking guys into one position and not focusing on versatility. So far, it looks to be a smart move.

"Utah’s defensive line has struggled tremendously against mobile quarterbacks and teams with solid running games. A lot of it has been because of struggling with gap assignments, as well as not getting enough pressure in the backfield. This paragraph alone, should make Trojan fans light up with a smile."