Utah’s first availability report lists three as questionable for Iowa State game

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah’s first availability report of the season lists two players as out and three others as questionable for Saturday’s Big 12 opener at Iowa State.

The No. 15 Utes (3-0) face the Cyclones (2-1) at Jack Trice Stadium at 1:30 p.m. MT on FOX. It will be Utah’s first road game under Morgan Scalley.

Through three games, the Utes have managed to stay healthy (knock on wood, as Scalley would say).

How to watch Utah football at Iowa State

• Date: Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026
• Kickoff: 1:30 p.m. MDT / 2:30 p.m. CDT
• Location: Jack Trice Stadium, Ames, Iowa
• TV: FOX
• Streaming: FOX One, with a subscription or eligible TV-provider login
• Records: Utah 3-0; Iowa State 2-1

First player availability report of the Morgan Scalley era pic.twitter.com/PoTgbFzWNt

— Josh Furlong (@Josh_Furlong) September 24, 2026

Among them, defensive tackle Karson Kaufusi, receiver and return specialist Mana Carvalho and offensive lineman Isaiah Garcia were also listed as questionable on Wednesday’s initial report. Safety Marcus Wimberly and tight end Kana’i Lopes are ruled out.

Potential impact of Utah’s questionable list

Kaufusi has started the first three games for the Utes. He opened the season with a sack and a career-high 1.5 tackles for loss against Idaho, helping anchor a defense that has allowed just 75 rushing yards per game. Though likely to play, if he can’t, defensive coordinator Colton Swan will need to replace his snaps in the interior rotation.

Carvalho’s status is particularly relevant on special teams. A preseason All-Big 12 selection as a returner, he took a punt back for a touchdown last season. He caught a 23-yard pass and returned two punts for 33 yards against Idaho. Garcia has worked as a reserve offensive lineman and appeared against Arkansas.

Wimberly played in Utah’s first two games, while Lopes has yet to appear this season.

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Iowa State has several contributors listed

With 23 players listed, the length of the availability report is eye-catching, but the questionable names matter more than the players ruled out.

The three Cyclones ruled out — Trey Verdon, Daniel Howard and Ka’Mori Moore — have had limited or no statistical production this season. Iowa State’s bigger uncertainty is whether its questionable starters and rotation players will be ready for Saturday.

Among the list of questionable players include:

• Starters: Left guard Caden Maas, left tackle Jake Taylor, wide receiver Ty Claiborne, tight end Vince Benetti, safety Drew Surges and defensive end Caden Crawford.
• Defensive rotation: Cornerbacks Beni Ngoyi and Jaheim Singletary, defensive tackle Donovan Fitzmaurice, and defensive ends Malaki Ta’ase and Jack Janikowski have all contributed.
• Smaller roles: Running back Easton Miller and linebacker Ethan Stecker have also seen action.

The Big 12 will update the report daily and issue a final version 90 minutes before kickoff.

Steve Bartle is the Utah insider for KSL Sports. He hosts The Utah Blockcast (SUBSCRIBE) and appears on KSL Sports Zone to break down the Utes. You can follow him on X for the latest Utah updates and game analysis.

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