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Tag: Utah Utes football

  • No. 4 USC falls to Utah in Pac-12, all but ending CFP hope

    No. 4 USC falls to Utah in Pac-12, all but ending CFP hope

    LAS VEGAS — Caleb Williams once again was starring in his own highlight video, breaking four tackles and finding himself in the open field for a 59-yard gain.

    No. 4 Southern California looked as if it would do whatever it wanted against No. 12 Utah and coast into the College Football Playoff. But, Williams pulled his hamstring on that play and was never the same.

    Neither were the Trojans, whose hope for a spot in the College Football Playoff all but ended as Utah rolled to a 47-24 win in the Pac-12 Championship game Friday night.

    “Our play didn’t really resemble the way we played the majority of this year,” first-year USC coach Lincoln Riley said. “Disappointed with some of the missed opportunities out there, but that’s the name of the game when you get to this level in these kind of games against good teams. You’ve got to go play good to win, and we didn’t do it.”

    The loss by the Trojans (11-2) could open the way for Ohio State (11-1) to take their spot in the playoffs. USC is fourth in the CFP rankings, the Buckeyes are one step behind.

    Ohio State coach Ryan Day had to be Utah’s biggest fan. The Buckeyes’ move up in playoff consideration, with 12-0 Michigan at No. 2 with the Big Ten championship game on Saturday, would give that conference two playoff teams for the first time. It also would extend the Pac-12’s playoff drought — Washington in 2017 is the last team from that conference to make the playoffs.

    “Coach Day, you’re welcome,” Utah coach Kyle Whittingham directed at Ohio State coach Ryan Day on the FOX Sports broadcast after the win.

    Utah (10-3) is heading to the Rose Bowl, but the Utes already were going there regardless of the outcome of the title game. They are responsible for USC’s only losses, having edged the Trojans 43-42 on Oct. 15 in Salt Lake City.

    The Utes rolled up 533 yards of offense in the rematch, and Cam Rising passed for 310 yards and three touchdowns and earning game MVP.

    Williams threw for 363 yards and three TDs. He entered the game as the leading Heisman Trophy candidate, but wasn’t the same after getting injured in the first quarter.

    Backup Miller Moss even took snaps on the sideline in the second half.

    “I asked (Williams) at one point, ‘Are you 50%?’” Riley said. “He was not even close to 50%. I definitely thought about taking him out. He didn’t let me. He wouldn’t even let me take him out at the end. In terms of guys I’ve coached at that position, it may be the gutsiest performance I’ve ever seen. Most guys wouldn’t even have played, and he still gave us a chance.”

    Williams, who also played with a badly cut pinky on his throwing hand, said his hamstring felt like “an old rubber band.”

    “I was in my head and encouraging (myself) the game was bigger than I was feeling,” Williams said, drawing inspiration from a Kobe Bryant quote. “I also had a group of guys looking at me to go out there and lead them to victory.”

    Williams painted his fingernails before game that read “(Expletive) Utah,” though the Utes apparently weren’t aware of that until told afterward.

    “You can put whatever you want on your nails,” Utah running back Ja’Quinden Jackson said. “I’m not going to judge him … but I hope he liked it.”

    The Trojans looked as if they were going to run away with the game, taking a 17-3 lead early in the second quarter behind some stellar play by Williams. He passed for 108 yards and two TDs and rushed for 76 yards in the first quarter

    After USC failed to pick up a fourth-and-8 from Utah’s 37-yard line, the Utes scored two touchdowns in the final 3:55 of the first half, and suddenly the game was tied at 17. Instead of a rout, the game was beginning to look like the shootout the Utes won in October.

    The game took on that tone at times in the second half, but USC had no answer for how to slow down Utah, which outscored the Trojans 44-7 in overcoming that two-touchdown deficit.

    “Just unwavering belief,” Rising said.

    ATTENDANCE RECORD

    A announced sellout crowd of 61,195 made this the largest for a neutral-site Pac-12 Championship. It beat the previous record of 58,476 fans. who watched Southern California-Stanford in Santa Clara, California, in 2015

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  • Thomas helps No. 13 Utah rout Stanford 42-7

    Thomas helps No. 13 Utah rout Stanford 42-7

    SALT LAKE CITY — A few weeks ago, Tavion Thomas was on the brink of losing his place on Utah’s team.

    Rushing for a career-high 180 yards on Saturday night proved he’s all the way back.

    “I was just so happy to be out there with my teammates,” Thomas said. “I wasn’t worried about my carries, I was just worried about finishing this thing and playing with these guys.”

    Cameron Rising threw for three touchdowns and No. 13 Utah beat Stanford 42-7 on Senior Night.

    Utah (8-2, 6-1 Pac-12) started slow on a below-freezing night in the shadow of the Wasatch Mountains, but scored 42 straight points after trailing 7-0 to Stanford (3-7, 1-7).

    Utah’s defense was suffocating after the initial score while Thomas recorded his first 100-yard rushing game since the season opener at Florida and eclipsed his previous high (177) set at Stanford last year.

    Thomas, who has been in and out of the lineup with personal issues, was pressed into heavy use because of injuries in the backfield.

    “It’s been challenging but you can’t run from it, you have to attack it. I’ve got great guys here and a great support system and they got me back slowly but surely,” Thomas said.

    He rushed for a four-yard TD in the second quarter and a 36-yard score in the fourth — his 28th career touchdown at Utah, moving him to third on the all-time rushing TD list.

    “There were some bumps in the road … but I’m really grateful he continued to stick with it and fight through some of the issues he was having,” Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said.

    Thomas was a 1,000-yard rusher and had 21 touchdowns last season but was away from team at times this season and missed the Washington State game. He struggled through the middle of the season but showed renewed speed and power in time for Utah’s quest for a Rose Bowl return.

    “It was great to see Tavion in his last game at Rice-Eccles get back to his old self. I’m really proud of him and glad that he’s weathered the storm,” Whittingham said.

    Rising went 20-for-33 through the air for 219 yards with an interception to boost Utah’s home winning streak to 14.

    “Once we eliminated our mistakes, things started to go our way,” Rising said.

    The Utes initially struggled to execute against Stanford, which allows the most rushing yards of any team in the conference. After three fourth-down conversions, including a fake punt, Utah finally scored on a Rising-to-Devaughn Vele 9-yard TD pass in the second quarter.

    “We’ve always been good at getting off the field on third down this year but fourth down has been a different story,” Stanford linebacker Levani Damuni said about Utah going 4-for-4 on 4th down in the first half.

    After that, the floodgates opened and Utah rolled to 514 total yards with 279 on the ground. At the same time, Stanford’s entire offense failed to outgain Thomas, garnering just 177 total yards.

    “We are just doing our job. A lot of the mistakes that were happening early in the season were guys trying to make a big play and not doing their assignments,” said Jonah Elliss, who had 1.5 sacks.

    On Stanford’s second drive, Tanner McKee evaded the rush and threw a 51-yard pass and then snuck in for a one-yard touchdown one play later.

    In the end, McKee passed for 155 yards but didn’t have much time to throw and was sacked seven times.

    “It’s going to be a dirty pocket. It’s going to be tight coverage. When we have those one-on-one opportunities with all the pressure, and we get the protection, we got to hit them,” Stanford coach David Shaw said.

    THE TAKEAWAY

    Stanford: Without any semblance of a rushing attack — just 22 yards — the Cardinal couldn’t move the ball. Stanford’s defense forced Utah to convert four fourth downs to keep drives going but eventually wore down against the run and were exposed when Utah turned to the passing game against a stacked box.

    Utah: The Ute defense looked suspect earlier this season and in this game, but dominated the second quarter by keeping Stanford without a single first down while the offense awoke. Once the Utah line controlled the line of scrimmage, the game was essentially over. Now Utah heads to Oregon in a battle in of one-loss teams.

    POLL IMPLICATIONS

    UCLA, Oregon and Mississippi were ranked ahead of the Utes in the poll and all lost, so Utah may move up a couple notches.

    UP NEXT

    Stanford visits California next Saturday afternoon.

    Utah plays at Oregon next Saturday night.

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  • Rising scores on 2-pointer, No. 20 Utah tops No. 7 USC 43-42

    Rising scores on 2-pointer, No. 20 Utah tops No. 7 USC 43-42

    SALT LAKE CITY — Time was dwindling but the decision had already been made as Cameron Rising drove Utah down the field against previously unbeaten Southern California.

    “We were going to keep the ball in Cam’s hands,” Utes coach Kyle Whittingham said. “And if we score and time is close to expiring, we were going for 2, no question.”

    Rising threw for 415 yards, ran for three touchdowns and scampered up the middle for a go-ahead two-point conversion with 48 seconds left in No. 20 Utah’s 43-42 victory over the seventh-ranked Trojans on Saturday night.

    The Utes dedicated the game to Ty Jordan and Aaron Lowe, former players who died within a year of each other. In the locker room after the game, the team presented the game ball to the fallen players’ mothers in a poignant moment. Both players wore jersey number 22.

    “We wanted to make sure we represented 22 well,” Rising said as the Utes had hand-painted portraits of Jordan and Lowe on their black helmets.

    Even when the Utes were down two touchdowns, Rising said his teammates never doubted.

    “We had an unwavering belief,” Rising said. “Having Ty and Aaron on your helmet made it that much easier to go.”

    Rising rushed a yard for a touchdown on fourth down to set up the deciding conversion.

    “Cam Rising is a competitor, warrior, you name it. He’s a champion,” Whittingham said.

    Caleb Williams threw for 381 yards and five touchdowns for Southern California (6-1, 4-1 Pac-12). Utah (5-2, 3-1) held the Trojans on their last-ditch drive, handing them their first loss as a record crowd of 53,609 shook Rice-Eccles Stadium and then flooded the field.

    “I’m going to be honest, I hate losing. I really, really, really, I hate it, simply,” a devastated Williams said. “So, yeah, I had a little emotion.”

    The Utes needed every one of Rising’s big plays with his legs and his arm during his career night. Rising, who was once committed to current USC coach Lincoln Riley when he was at Oklahoma, became the first Utah QB to throw for 400 yards since Brian Johnson had 417 against San Diego State in 2005.

    Dalton Kincaid had 16 catches for 234 yards, the most for a Ute since Carl Harry had 255 yards in 1988 and the most catches and yards receiving for a Utah tight end.

    “Cam made some really nice throws to him and he made some really phenomenal catches,” Riley said. “The yards that he had after the catch really, really hurt us.”

    Southern Cal’s Mario Williams had four catches for 145 yards and Jordan Addison had seven receptions for 106 yards before an ankle injury took him out of the game.

    Against an all-out blitz, Williams connected with Michael Jackson III, who stepped through a tackle for a 20-yard touchdown with 6:15 to play for a 42-35 lead. It was Jackson’s first catch of the season.

    The Trojans scored on their first three possessions of the game. The assault continued throughout the game but the Utah defense secured the victory after Rising’s heroics in the fourth quarter.

    “Their team is full of explosive players … but they have to play for four quarters and that showed the resiliency of our team,” Utah linebacker Karene Reid said of the final stop.

    Utah has won 23 of its last 24 home games, including a streak of 12 in a row.

    “That certainly had to be one of the most exciting games in Rice-Eccles history. What a performance by our football and it’s a really good team we beat, very talented and the quarterback’s tremendous,” Whittingham said.

    Addison, the 2021 Biletnikoff Award winner at Pittsburgh as the nation’s top receiver, had seven catches for 106 yards but hurt his ankle on a reverse in the third quarter.

    KINCAID STEPS IN

    Brant Kuithe was Utah’s focal point in the passing game but is out for the season with a knee injury. Kincaid stepped in with his historic game and the Utah offense didn’t miss a beat, even when the running game faltered.

    “He’s an absolute athlete, one of the best tight ends in the country and tough as nails,” Whittingham said.

    Rising said this game was a result of an instant connection when they both transferred to Utah in 2020 and the trust has grown each year.

    “He’s an easy guy to throw the ball to. When he touches the ball that often, he make plays, he extends them. He’s a player,” Rising said.

    THE TAKEAWAY

    Southern California: The Trojans were prolific on offense, but the defense couldn’t stop Rising, especially when it counted. Key penalties often stymied the Trojans when they had opportunities to take a commanding lead.

    Utah: Rising willed the Utes to the win but the defense was gashed by the Trojans. Utah defenders often took poor angles against USC’s speed. Utah turned almost exclusively to the passing game as the running game was stuffed, except for Rising’s power runs.

    POLL IMPLICATIONS

    Utah should rise but the Trojans shouldn’t fall far after the two teams went toe-to-toe for 60 minutes.

    UP NEXT

    Southern California: At Arizona on Oct. 29.

    Utah: At Washington State on Oct. 27.

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