Utah QB Cam Rising Expected to Play against Oklahoma State After Injury

Utah should come to Stillwater with its biggest contributor on the field.

Utah quarterback Cam Rising is expected to play against Oklahoma State at 3 p.m. Saturday at Boone Pickens Stadium. He was sidelined last week because of a hand injury he suffered after running into a water cooler Week 2. According to KSL.com Sports’ Josh Furlong, who covers the Utes, Utah wide receiver Dorian Singer told media Monday that Rising will play Saturday. Last week, Brett McMurphy reported that Rising would miss only one game and be back in time for the trip to OSU. Rising was also made available to media Monday and was not last week — another sign he’s preparing to play this weekend. Rising, though, was short about his status.

“Feeling good,” Rising said. “Excited about the win. I think that the team played well and just gotta be ready to go this week.”

Freshman Isaac Wilson started in place of Rising in a 38-21 win against Utah State on Saturday. He was 20-of-33 for 239 yards, three touchdowns and an interception in his first start. He also took over when Rising went down in the second quarter against Baylor Week 2. When OSU coach Mike Gundy talked to the media on Monday, before news broke of Rising, Gundy said he and his staff were preparing to play Wilson.

“We’ve had some games on (Wilson),” Gundy said. “He went out in the second quarter, I think (Week 2). And so we’ve got decent tape on kind of what they’re doing. They’re not really trying to change scheme-wise much. They’re gonna do what they do. And it looks like they’re bring him along the best chance they get. …

“I think we have to prepare for the guy that’s played. But (Rising) could. Obviously he could play. I don’t think they’ll change much, though.”

Like OSU quarterback Alan Bowman, Rising is also a seasoned veteran in his seventh year of college football thanks to two season-ending injuries. He was at Texas for a year before transferring to Utah, where he has started 26 games and led the Utes to a Pac-12 title in 2021 and 2022. He redshirted last year because of his second season-ending injury.

“He’s a terrific quarterback,” Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said. “When he’s on his game he’s typically in the top 10 in the nation in QBR, which, again, is the parameter that I personally feel is the most accurate and best way to assess quarterback play. …

“What have we talked about as far as getting out of harm’s way? Just doing a better job of that. And it goes against his grain. He’s a tough, competitive guy, as I’ve said dozen of times, and it’s just not natural for him to turn anything down. But he’s got to. He’s gotta be able to do that.”