Utah Tech on the Road Against Missouri State Saturday

Utah Tech travels to play Missouri State on Saturday with hopes of starting a winning streak. The Trailblazers got their first win of the season last year versus Northern Arizona.

Here's the press release from UT Athletics Media Relations (Full Press Release Here)

FOR STARTERS:

• Utah Tech continues its three-game road swing this Saturday afternoon with the program's first-ever trip to the "The Show-Me State" as the Trailblazers travel to Springfield for a non-conference tilt at Missouri State.
• Utah Tech is 0-1 all-time vs. Missouri State, with the lone meeting coming during the 2021 fall season in the Blazers' first full NCAA FCS campaign. The two teams squared off in Utah Tech's 2021 fall home finale that the then-No. 14 Bears won by a 55-24 count (11/20/21).
• Saturday's game will mark the fourth time Utah Tech has faced an opponent from the Missouri Valley Football Conference. Including the 2021 loss to Missouri State, the Trailblazers are 0-3 all-time vs. the MVFC.
• Utah Tech also squared off against perennial national power South Dakota State (L, 7-55; 10/2/21) in Brookings during the 2021 fall season, and last year the Blazers dropped a 41-14 road decision at Northern Iowa (10/15/22).
• Utah Tech collected its first win of the 2023 season last Saturday afternoon when the Trailblazers posted a 50-36 road victory at Northern Arizona.
• The Trailblazers' win at NAU marked the first time Utah Tech had defeated a Big Sky Conference school (1-14). Utah Tech began the 2023 season against three-straight Big Sky schools, and came away with a pair of losses to both nationally-ranked Montana State and Montana.
• Utah Tech has now posted at least one road victory in three of its first four NCAA Division I FCS seasons overall.

NEW CONFERENCE FOR 2023: Utah Tech began the 2023 season in a new football only league as the established football-only partnership between both the Western Athletic and ASUN conference was rebranded into the new United Athletic Conference.

The newly christened UAC currently has nine participating institutions: Abilene Christian, Austin Peay, Central Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky, North Alabama, Southern Utah, Stephen F. Austin, Tarleton and Utah Tech. In addition, the conference will officially add UTRGV in the fall of 2025 when it begins sponsorship of football.

The 2023 UAC schedule will be limited to six conference games among its nine members, while the 2024 schedule will feature a full eight-game single round robin.

THREE BLAZERS EARN PRESEASON ALL-UAC HONORS: Utah Tech had three players voted onto the UAC's debut preseason all-conference team.

Junior DL Syrus Webster was tabbed as the preseason UAC Defensive Player of the Year, while he and junior LB Will Leota were voted to the All-UAC Defensive Team.

Meanwhile, senior WR Rickie Johnson was the lone Blazer listed on the All-UAC Offensive Team.

WEBSTER ON WATCH LIST: In addition to his UAC preseason honor, Webster has been named to the 2023 Buck Buchanan Award preseason watch list. The junior defensive standout was also named to both the 2023 Phil Steele and Blue Bloods All-United Athletic Conference preseason first teams.

O CAPTAINS! MY CAPTAINS!: Utah Tech will take the field in 2023 with four team captains leading the charge. As selected by their teammates, this season's captains are senior offensive lineman Kana'i Eldredge, along with Johnson, Leota and Webster.

Good luck to Utah Tech! We'll be watching...