Tag: Utah Utes
Utah looks to get back on track against Houston
Preseason Big 12 favorite Utah will have a new offensive coordinator calling plays as it looks to get back on track at Houston on Saturday in the teams’ first meeting since 1978.
The Utes (4-3, 1-3 Big 12) carry a three-game losing streak that’s seen them plummet in the league. The latest setback was a 13-7 loss at home to TCU last week. Utah, with true freshman Isaac Wilson at quarterback, gained just 267 yards, never reached the red zone, and either punted or turned the ball over on downs on 13 of their 14 drives.
That performance, and the Utes’ overall offensive struggles, cost longtime offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig his job. Utah announced Sunday evening that Ludwig had stepped down, with his position filled in the interim by Mike Bajakian.
Bajakian is in his first year as an offensive analyst after a stint as offensive coordinator for Northwestern from 2020-23.
“The system is the system — there will obviously be tweaks but we’ll address those as they come,” Bajakian said. “We’re going to emphasize doing the little things, from our effort to our physicality, to trying to change things with our passion and energy.”
The Cougars (2-5, 1-3) head home after a 42-14 dismantling by host Kansas last week. Donovan Smith entered the game in the second quarter after starting quarterback Zeon Chriss suffered a quad injury and passed for 173 yards and two TDs. But Smith was also picked off three times.
Smith, who’s been battling a balky throwing shoulder, is expected to start Saturday, with Chriss available in an emergency role. Wide receiver Mekhi Mews produced a breakout performance in the loss to Kansas, setting career highs in receiving yards (99) and receptions (six).
Houston has been outscored 115-44 in its four Big 12 games and is searching for an identity on offense.
“Everybody’s frustrated a little bit, and there’s things we can get better at,” Cougars coach Willie Fritz said. “I’ve told the players on numerous occasions: We got to play well if we are gonna win. We just got to play well all three phases.”
Saturday’s game will be the Cougars’ first at home since Sept. 28. Houston is 4-0 in its previous four meetings with the Utes.
–Field Level Media
TCU’s defense forces 11 punts in 13-7 win over Utah
Josh Hoover passed for 263 yards and rushed for a touchdown to help TCU post a 13-7 victory over Utah in Big 12 play on Saturday night at Salt Lake City.
Savion Williams rushed for 72 yards on seven carries as the Horned Frogs (4-3, 2-2 Big 12) won for just the second time in their past five games.
Bud Clark notched a key interception and Devean Deal had two sacks for TCU. Hoover completed 22 of 41 passes.
Isaac Wilson connected on 17 of 33 passes for 199 yards, one touchdown and one interception for the Utes (4-3, 1-3). Money Parks had a touchdown reception for Utah, which dropped its third straight game.
Wilson made his fourth start of the season. He is now the full-time starter after Cameron Rising sustained a season-ending right lower-leg injury on Oct. 11 against Arizona State.
The Utes were just 2 of 15 on third-down conversions, failed to convert on fourth down twice and punted on 11 of their 14 possessions.
TCU was just 4 of 17 on third-down conversions while holding a 395-267 advantage in total yards.
Utah punted on each of its first nine possessions and trailed 13-0 before striking with a big play just past the midway point of the third quarter.
Parks ran a post pattern and Wilson delivered the pass on the money. Parks caught it at the TCU 25-yard line and finished off a 71-yard scoring play to bring the Utes within 13-7.
The Utes crept past midfield twice in the fourth quarter before failing to convert on fourth down each time.
First, Utah had fourth-and-2 on at the Horned Frogs’ 48-yard line, but Wilson’s deep throw was intercepted by Clark with 6:58 left.
The next time the Utes had possession, they were facing fourth-and-5 from the TCU 43. Wilson again threw deep, but the pass intended for Brant Kuithe fell incomplete and the Horned Frogs took over with 2:35 remaining.
TCU faced its own fourth-and-1 with 2:17 left. Williams took a direct snap and gained 2 yards to the Utah 46 for the first down, and the Horned Frogs ran out the clock.
TCU outgained Utah 242-86 in the first half while building a 10-0 lead.
Kyle Lemmermann kicked a 23-yard field goal with 13:29 left in the second quarter for the first points of the game. Hoover’s 1-yard keeper increased the lead to 10 with seven minutes remaining in the half.
Lemmermann booted a 28-yard field goal to make it 13-0 with 9:32 to go in the third quarter.
–Field Level Media
Report: QB Cam Rising (hand) game-time decision for No. 12 Utah
After he was limited in practice this week with a hand injury, quarterback Cam Rising is a game-time decision Saturday when No. 12 Utah faces No. 14 Oklahoma State at Stillwater, Okla., ESPN reported.
According to the report, Rising is expected to play despite residual hand soreness.
Rising was injured Sept. 7 during the Utes’ 23-12 home victory against Baylor, with Isaac Wilson playing quarterback in a 38-21 victory over Utah State last weekend.
In two games this season, Rising is 18-of-29 passing (62.1 percent) for 346 yards and seven touchdowns, with five of those in a season-opening victory against Southern Utah. He also has 46 yards rushing on six carries.
Rising, 25, is in his seventh college football season, He originally enrolled at Texas in 2018, transferred to Utah in 2019 and played one game for the Utes in 2020. He had a knee injury in the Rose Bowl following the 2022 season and missed the entire 2023 campaign.
In 29 games over four seasons on the field for Utah, Rising has completed 64.0 percent of his passes for 5,918 yards, 53 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.
–Field Level Media
Week 4 College Football Betting Picks
Cameron Rising, No. 12 Utah set sights on Southern Utah
Cameron Rising’s misfortune became good fortune for No. 12 Utah, giving the Utes an experienced, elite quarterback for its debut season in the Big 12.
Rising will step on the field for the first time in 606 days on Thursday night when host Utah opens the season against FCS program Southern Utah at Salt Lake City.
It will be the seventh college season for the 25-year-old Rising, who is back after tearing multiple ligaments in his knee during a loss to Penn State in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 2, 2023.
Rising indicated after Monday’s practice that it has been a long wait.
“Getting back on the field,” Rising told reporters of what he’s looking forward to the most. “Honestly, just that first snap, that first time saying ‘set, go’ and getting the ball.”
Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said Rising looks in good form. He said the use of quarterback keepers will be diminished to protect Rising’s knee.
“Physically he looks the same,” Whittingham said Monday. “He’s going to be very judicious with running the ball. Very little QB run game. Right now, he’s functioning as well as he ever has. The arm strength is back. No limitations for him.”
Rising passed for 20 touchdowns in 2021 and 26 in 2022. He ran for six scores in each of those seasons.
Rising ranks sixth in Utah history with 46 career touchdown passes — one behind 2004 Heisman Trophy winner Alex Smith. Scott Mitchell (1987-89) holds the school mark of 69 passing scores.
Last season, the Utes combined for just 15 touchdowns passes while going 8-5. Utah averaged just 23.2 points per game with a low of six points and two other seven-point showings.
Rising isn’t the only seventh-year standout making a comeback. Tight end Brant Kuithe will be on the field for the first time in 706 days after tearing the ACL and the meniscus in his knee against Arizona State on Sept. 24, 2022.
“It’s been a long fall camp but I’ve knocked off the rust,” Kuithe said.
Kuithe is eighth in school history with 148 career receptions. The catches and career yardage (1,882) are the most by active FBS tight ends.
On the defensive side, Junior Tafuna will start his 37th consecutive game. The defensive tackle has seven career sacks.
Southern Utah won its final four games of last season to finish 6-5. The Thunderbirds opened last season with losses at Arizona State (24-21) and BYU (41-16).
They receive another test Thursday against a Utah squad that has won 31 of its past 33 home games.
Southern Utah hasn’t announced a starting quarterback and coach DeLane Fitzgerald said he will use two against the Utes.
Bronson Barrow is expected to be one of the quarterbacks. He threw 36 touchdown passes in three seasons (2020-22) at Weber State and was a backup at Western Kentucky last season.
Missouri State transfer Jordan Pachot and Jackson Berry also are in the mix.
“It’s been a lot of fun watching the young men compete for the spot,” Fitzgerald said Monday. “They have supported each other and cheered each other on throughout the process, and that has been great to see.”
The Thunderbirds feature two veteran running backs in Braedon Wissler (686 yards, five touchdowns in 2023) and Targhee Lambson (483 yards, six scores). Lambson also had two receiving scores and Wissler added one.
This is the third meeting between the teams. The Utes blanked Southern Utah 24-0 in 2016 and annihilated the Thunderbirds 73-7 in 2022.
–Field Level Media
No. 17 Arizona starts fast, defeats No. 22 Utah
No. 17 Arizona raced to an early 28-0 lead, including scoring on a blocked punt return, and the Wildcats won their fifth consecutive game by beating No. 22 Utah 42-18 on Saturday in Tucson, Ariz.
Arizona (8-3, 6-2 Pac-12) kept alive hopes of reaching the conference championship game by defeating its fourth ranked team during its winning streak, which is the school’s longest since starting the 2014 season with five consecutive wins.
Noah Fifita passed for 253 yards and two touchdowns for the Wildcats, who led Utah (7-4, 4-4) by four touchdowns one play into the second quarter. But the Utes, playing without three key defenders, battled to within 28-10 before Arizona’s Treydan Stukes intercepted a pass from Bryson Barnes with 11:22 left.
Arizona responded with a 61-yard drive, capped by a 1-yard touchdown run by Jonah Coleman, to make it 35-10 with 7:57 left in regulation to help seal the outcome.
Utah did add a touchdown and two-point conversion in the final minute. Arizona decided it wasn’t done yet, as backup Jayden de Laura threw deep and completed a 51-yard touchdown pass to Tetairoa McMillan with 32 seconds remaining.
Fifita completed 22 of 30 passes with no interceptions. Coleman ran for 90 yards on 14 carries.
Barnes was 31 of 53 for 320 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.
Three of Utah’s top five tacklers did not play due to injury — linebacker Karene Reid (54 tackles), safety Cole Bishop (53) and defensive end Jonah Elliss (37 tackles, 16 for loss, 12 sacks).
The Wildcats secured their first eight-win season since going 10-4 in 2014.
Arizona struck on the opening possession on a trick play. McMillan took a lateral to the left and threw a long pass to the back right corner of the end zone for a 21-yard score to wide-open Michael Wiley.
After the Wildcats forced a three-and-out, Anthony Ward blocked a punt and returned it 2 yards to the end zone to put Arizona up 14-0.
Fifita completed touchdown passes of 32 yards to Montana Lemonious-Craig in the first quarter and 31 yards to Wiley on the first play of the second quarter to give Arizona a 28-0 lead.
The score remained the same through a rainy second quarter until Utah broke through with a 92-yard drive, capped by Barnes’ 20-yard TD pass to Devaughn Vele with 52 seconds to go before halftime.
–Field Level Media
No. 5 Washington stays perfect with wild win over No. 18 Utah
Michael Penix Jr. passed for 332 yards and two touchdowns, both to Rome Odunze, as No. 5 Washington outlasted No. 18 Utah for a 35-28 victory on a windy and wet Saturday afternoon in Seattle.
Dillon Johnson added 104 yards rushing and a score for the Huskies (10-0, 7-0 Pac-12). Grady Gross kicked two field goals for Washington, but his third attempt, a 32-yarder with 1:38 remaining was blocked, giving the Utes one last chance.
The Huskies’ Dominique Hampton intercepted a fourth-and-10 pass at Utah’s 43-yard line with 44 seconds left to seal the victory.
The Utes (7-3, 4-3) saw their chances for a third consecutive Pac-12 title come to an end.
Bryson Barnes completed 17 of 30 passes for 267 yards, with two TDS and two interceptions, for the Utes and Ja’Quinden Jackson rushed for two scores.
The Huskies outscored Utah 11-0 in a wild third quarter to take a 35-28 lead.
Gross kicked a 38-yard field goal to pull Washington within 28-27.
The Huskies regained the lead as Penix threw a 33-yard scoring strike to Odunze down the middle. A two-point conversion attempt failed, as tight end Devin Culp couldn’t hold on to a pass from Odunze and he slipped it the back of the end zone, making it 33-28.
It appeared the Huskies might put the game away when Alphonzo Tuputala intercepted a pass at his own 23 and raced down the right sideline, headed for a pick-six. But Tuputala dropped the ball before he crossed the goal line and began celebrating while Utah offensive lineman Michael Mokofisi raced back and fell on the ball at the 1-yard line.
The Huskies got something out of it, as Jackson was tackled in the end zone on the next play by Carson Bruener and Tuli Letuligasenoa for a safety, giving Washington a 35-28 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
The Utes took a 28-24 lead after a back-and-forth first half, scoring touchdowns on their last four drives.
The Huskies opened the scoring on a 2-yard run by Penix around the left end.
The Utes responded with Jackson’s 2-yard touchdown run.
Washington had to settle for Gross’ 41-yard field goal to take a 10-7 lead after the first quarter. Barnes threw a 6-yard TD pass to Miki Suguturaga to give the Utes their first lead.
Penix answered with a 34-yard scoring strike to Odunze in the back right corner of the end zone to make it 17-14.
The Utes needed just two plays to regain the lead, as Simone Vaki took a screen pass and outraced the UW secondary down the left sideline.
Dillon Johnson’s 5-yard run put the Huskies back up before Jackson scored on a 7-yard run with 57 seconds left in the second quarter to give Utah a four-point advantage.
–Field Level Media
No. 18 Utah looks to rebound at home vs. Arizona State
Utah will attempt to start another winning streak at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Saturday when Arizona State visits after having its 18-game run ended last week in a 35-6 drubbing by Oregon.
The Utes (6-2, 3-2 Pac-12) are rated No. 18 in the first College Football Playoffs rankings revealed Tuesday.
They did not score an offensive touchdown against the Ducks — the first time that has happened since 2018.
Utah finished with 241 yards of total offense and was relegated to two field goals.
The performance of Utah quarterback Bryson Barnes against Oregon was a topic of discussion in coach Kyle Whittingham’s news conference on Monday.
Barnes completed 15 of 29 pass attempts for 136 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions against the Ducks.
Whittingham was asked if he has considered giving backup quarterback Brandon Rose an opportunity to play.
Rose challenged for the starting spot after Cam Rising was ruled out to start the season because of a serious knee injury suffered last season in the Rose Bowl against Penn State.
“Whoever gives us the best chance to win is who we’ll try it out there, and if Brandon becomes that guy, then yes, that would happen,” Whittingham said. “But right now Bryson Barnes is our guy, and our No. 1 quarterback at this point in time.”
Arizona State (2-6, 1-4) is coming off the first Pac-12 win under first-year coach Kenny Dillingham, a 38-27 win over visiting Washington State last week.
The Sun Devils gained a season-high 509 yards with 235 yards on the ground.
Dillingham said Arizona State must continue to play with a tough, physical style with the run game and on defense to match the challenge Utah will present.
“This is the culture that we want, that I envision here,” Dillingham said of the Utes’ reputation of being stout on both lines and with their defense under Whittingham, in his 19th year as head coach. “A coach who’s established physicality in the program and toughness — that’s what we’re trying to build here.
“This is the gold standard in the league, in my opinion, for what a program should look like and should feel like.”
Dillinghman is counting on poised senior quarterback Trenton Bourguet and an improving defense to play well in another hostile environment after challenging Washington in Seattle two weeks ago before losing 15-7.
Arizona State practiced in its indoor facility this week with piped-in noise, similar to the week leading up to the Washington game.
“We went in the bubble,” Dillingham said. “We made ourselves deaf for five days. That is the only way to prepare is to practice. We go in the bubble, we play their fight song and we play crowd noise as loud as you possibly can till your ears ring.”
Arizona State did not allow an offensive touchdown against Washington.
Bourguet has only one touchdown pass with three interceptions while completing 109 of 171 passes (63.7 percent) for 1,196 yards.
The Sun Devils are No. 4 in the Pac-12 in total defense, allowing 340.9 yards a game.
–Field Level Media
