Miami, Notre Dame, Utah and BYU: Can Utah Improve to 9-0? Klatt Weighs In
Miami’s Strength And Weakness
Klatt said Miami’s offense is its strongest asset, praising quarterback Darian Mensah and receiver Malachi Toney. He described Toney as effective at creating space and contributing in the run game.
He identified Miami’s defense as its main weakness, pointing to 35 points allowed against Florida State and North Carolina in two of the team’s last three games. Klatt said Miami must limit Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr. Klatt picked Notre Dame to win outright but chose Miami plus 5.5 points against the spread.
Utah Faces BYU Test
Klatt picked Utah to beat BYU and cover 4.5 points. He said Utah has something to prove, while noting that BYU’s defense had not matched its usual standard in recent weeks.
Klatt said BYU needs to run the ball, play strong defense and make use of the home crowd’s energy. He also said running back LJ Martin could return, though his effectiveness was uncertain. BYU had struggled to run the ball over the previous couple of weeks, Klatt said.
Other Week 10 Picks
Klatt expected Georgia-Ole Miss to be a lower-scoring, physical game. He said he favored Georgia if the contest stayed in the 20s, while a high-scoring game would suit Ole Miss.
He picked Ohio State to beat its opponent 30-20 and cover 7.5 points. Klatt questioned quarterback Luke Fahey’s recent performance, including missed throws and chances to get the ball to Jeremiah Smith.
Key points
- Klatt picked Notre Dame to win against Miami, but took Miami plus 5.5 points.
- He chose Utah to win and cover 4.5 points against BYU.
- Klatt said Miami’s offense is a major strength and its defense a notable weakness.
- Klatt predicted Ohio State would win 30-20 and cover 7.5 points.