10 must-see 2014 Utah high school football games

A new high school football season is in full swing in Utah. From exciting rivalry contests to interstate clashes, MaxPreps has a guide to the 10 games Utah high school football fans should not miss in 2014.


Bingham (South Jordan) at Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) (Sept. 5)

This could turn out to be one of the nation's best games this season. Bishop Gorman ranks third the MaxPreps Top 25 Football Composite Rankings while Bingham sits just outside the top 25. The Miners bring a defense with six returning starters that allowed just 13.8 points per game in 2013. They will be tested by a pair of tough receivers in Alize Jones and Cordell Broadus. Jones, a UCLA commit, had 571 yards and 10 touchdowns on 35 catches last season for Bishop Gorman. Broadus, a Diamond Bar, Calif. transfer, had 685 yards on 60 catches. Bingham counters with running back Cameron Smith as a potent offensive weapon. The senior had 215 all-purpose yards in his debut, a 33-14 win over Davis.

Herriman (West Herriman) at Pleasant Grove (Oct. 23)

It seems appropriate Herriman and Pleasant Grove face each other in the final week of the regular season. This game could decide the Region 4 title in Class 5A. Pleasant Grove returns a ton of experienced junior starters, including two-way star Jacob Doman, who is a playmaker at receiver and safety. Herriman has one of the best offensive lines in the state — headlined by Andre James, who committed to UCLA this summer.

Bingham at Brighton (Salt Lake City) (Sept. 26)

Brighton could be Bingham's strongest challenger in Region 3. The Bengals boast Osa Masina, Utah's top rated 2015 prospect. Masina is a force at both running back and linebacker. Drew Jensen is also a major playmaker, as evidenced by his game-winning 75-yard kickoff return in a season opening 24-23 win over American Fork. Brighton will need them to counter Bingham's playmakers, including dual threat QB Kyle Gearig. Gearig threw for 165 yards and a touchdown and rushed for another to lift the Miners to a 33-14 victory over Davis in week one.

East (Salt Lake City) at Highland (Salt Lake City) (Sept. 19)

If you like smash-mouth football, this longtime rivalry delivers the goods. East and Highland are the leading favorites to claim the Region 6 crown in Class 4A. The Leopards are breaking in a ton of new players on offense, but the defense — led by Stanford commit Christian Folau — is just as tough as a year ago. Highland is dangerous, with playmakers like Thomas Pembroke leading the charge. Pembroke rushed for 104 yards on 10 carries and had seven tackles in the Ram's 16-13 season opening win over Mountain Crest.

Desert Hills (St. George) at Pine View (St. George) (Sept. 26)

An imposing defense shut down a potent offense. That's what fans got to witness when Desert Hills knocked off Pine View for the Class 3AA crown a season ago. The Thunder have an equally tough defense in 2014, so it should be fun to see which team can make its mark. Offensive stars could be the difference-maker on both sides this time around. Desert Hills RB Bridger Cowdin led Class 3AA in all-purpose yards last season and Pine View QB Kody Wilstead, who is committed to BYU, passed for 4,390 yards and 36 touchdowns in 2013.

Alta (Sandy) at Bellevue (Wash.) (Sept. 13)

Bingham isn't the only Region 3 team with a test scheduled against a national power. Alta will go to Seattle to take on a Bellevue team currently riding a 54-game winning streak. The Hawks will have to figure out how to contain speedy defensive back/running back Isaiah Gilchrist — the Wolverines' main offensive threat this season. For Alta, it is the first of six consecutive games away from its home stadium. The Hawks will need big production out of defensive stars like Quinn Fabrizio, who had 94 tackles in 2013, to have a chance at an upset.

Alta at Bingham (Oct. 2)

Few other high school rivalries in Utah have produced as many thrilling games as the Black and Blue Classic. Things have been slanted in Bingham's favor as of late. The Miners have won five of six in the series going back to 2009. If Alta is going to mount a challenge for a Region 3 title, the Hawks will have to find a way to turn the tide back in their favor against a Bingham team that, on paper, could be one of the best teams in state history.

Olympus (Salt Lake City) at Corner Canyon (Draper) (Sept. 19)

Entering its second year of football, Corner Canyon has already emerged as a legitimate Class 4A title contender. The Chargers feature a strong offense with returning dual threat QB Michael Ebeling and running back M. Riley Odgen. Ogden had a fantastic season debut, rushing for a career-high 216 yards and two touchdowns in a 41-3 win over Juan Diego. Olympus could slow things down with a tough defense. The Titans allowed just 14.2 points per game during the regular season in 2013 and yielded just six points in a 10-6 win over Cottonwood in week one.

Syracuse at Davis (Kaysville) (Sept. 11)

The two favorite title contenders for Region 1 will get to clash right away. And there's a good chance it will go down to the final possession yet again. Davis holds a 5-2 edge in the series that has been decided by an average margin of 8.7 points per contest. Syracuse is mostly known for defense, but the Titans also have a solid quarterback in Kole Tracy. The senior threw for 1,042 yards and 12 TDs in just seven starts last year. Davis features a senior-laden squad that put together an undefeated regular season in 2013.

Duchesne at Rich (Randolph) (Oct. 10)

If any team can finally take down Duchesne, Class 1A rival Rich is probably the most likely candidate to end Eagles' state-record 48 game winning streak. This clash will likely also be a preview of the 1A title game. The teams have met to decide a state title four times in the last five years. They each return their top running back from a season ago. Cache Sabey is pacing Rich again after rushing for 899 yards and 13 TDs in 2013. Dylan Despain leads Duchesne's backfield once more after accumulating 787 yards and five TDs last fall.

John Coon covers Utah high school sports for MaxPreps. You can contact him at john_coon@hotmail.com or follow him on Twitter at @johncoonsports.