Despite the time and the tolls, Morgan High’s football team hasn’t lost interest in the middle of November.

It’s quite the contrary because the 12-0 Trojans are getting ready for a big showdown at 4 p.m. Friday, the 3A state championship game at Utah Tech against the 12-0 Juab Wasps.

“This time of year you get kids that still like to play football, or you get kids that are ready to be done and I haven’t seen a single kid that’s ready to be done yet,” head coach Jared Barlow said.

A few dozen football players packed into the school’s indoor practice facility on a cold Wednesday evening as Morgan, one of 18 prep football teams still playing this week, prepped for the first unbeaten showdown in a 3A state championship game since the classification was added in 1971.

Patrick Carr, Standard-Examiner

There’s a ton of excitement and energy flowing through the team as one would expect. It’s also been a very business-like, no-nonsense, preparation-focused approach to game week.

“Just going back to the fundamentals, and doing our jobs, and knowing what we’re supposed to and going out and executing,” receiver Gavin Turner said.

Morgan’s (12-0) last unbeaten season was 1997, which was the third time the school had accomplished the feat (1993 and 1979 are the other times, according to prep football historian George Felt).

Should Juab (12-0) win, it would be the first unbeaten season in the Wasps’ history. One team will be 13-0 on Friday night and the other will be 12-1.

“I think our offense is dominant and we can move the ball on them, but it’s all execution. They’re a good team, they’re 12-0 just like us, so it’s not going to be easy. It’s going to be a tough game for sure,” senior quarterback Nick Despain said.

Patrick Carr, Standard-Examiner

Both teams are familiar with one another. Morgan beat the Wasps 8-0 in the 2019 championship game. Juab returned the favor 17-14 in the 2020 championship game.

Last year’s loss to Grantsville in the championship game stung Morgan. It particularly stung Despain, who threw a late interception that sealed the game.

“It’s fueled me a lot, but we got past Grantsville. We beat them twice this year, so we’re just ready to go finish it all with a state championship now,” he said.

The offensive edge lies solidly with Juab, which averages 48.7 points per game behind an explosive passing attack.

Quarterback Alex Jackson, a three-year starter, averages over 300 passing yards per game and has 54 TD passes compared to just three interceptions.

Patrick Carr, Standard-Examiner

The defensive edge lies overwhelmingly with Morgan, which has allowed just 87 points all year for an average of 7.3 points per game.

A deeper look at the Trojans’ defensive numbers reveals some eye-popping characteristics.

Of their 87 points allowed, 54 have been in the fourth quarter long after the starters have been pulled because the game’s final result was effectively decided at halftime.

They haven’t allowed a third-quarter touchdown all season — Ogden and Juan Diego scored field goals — and only three teams have so much as scored on the Trojans in the first half.

“I think just our scheme, and we have a bunch of guys that are very violent and physical, and just always rallying to the ball,” senior linebacker Ty Wheeler said. “You never see just one person usually making a tackle, it’s usually a whole group of people.”

Morgan’s defense versus Juab’s offense is the main matchup to watch and Wheeler said a big key for the Trojans is that they get in the backfield and disrupt Jackson’s throwing.

On the flip side, Morgan’s 40.1-points-per-game offense goes up against Juab’s 20.3-per-game defense, and most of the Wasps’ points allowed are in the first half.

“Nick has really stepped up this year and also the O-line, a lot of credit goes to the O-line. They make everything happen,” Turner said.

ABOUT JUAB

Only two teams have held Juab under the 40-point mark and both times, the Wasps still put up 37 points and won handily. They’ve either pounded teams or outlasted them in shootouts.

Jackson is one focus for the Morgan defense due to his accuracy and decision-making.

The other equally important focus is the five receivers Jackson throws to with regularity; in 11 games where stats are available, they all have between 28-38 catches and 7-10 TDs.

Defensively, the Wasps get after teams with turnovers — 10 different players have interceptions in 11 games — and at all times, Morgan will need to locate Juab’s No. 56, Keagan Hall, who is their sack leader.

On one hand, it would seem to be paramount that Morgan sustains long drives in order to A) wear out a 20.3-ppg defense, and B) keep 3A’s best offense on the sideline.

On the other hand:

“Keeping to what we have this whole year, staying physical and violent, because I don’t think they’ve seen a team that’s quite physically dominant and physical as we are,” Wheeler said.

“I think it’s pretty important, but I think we also have the best defense in the state and they’ll be able to stop them,” Despain said.

“We definitely need to keep their offense off the field and put up points on our own but I have a lot of faith in our defense, too. I think they haven’t seen a defense like ours, either,” Turner said.

Connect with reporter Patrick Carr via email at pcarr@standard.net, Twitter @patrickcarr_ and Instagram @standardexaminersports.