Utah Survives Tucson Chaos 40-39 to Stay Perfect: Saturday's College Football Scores
A back-and-forth thriller, 79 points and a 70-yard strike with 2:35 left: Utah needed all of it to tame Arizona in Tucson, 40-39. Second in the CFP rankings, the Utes stay perfect at 10-0 and keep control of the race for the Big 12 title game. The rest of Saturday kept Texas Tech and BYU in pursuit, handed Boise State hosting rights for the Pac-12 title game and proved costly for South Carolina, routed at Arkansas.
A Delayed Game, a Sluggish Start
The setting was already unusual. Like several games this weekend, this Big 12 showdown was pushed back after the flight ban ordered Friday by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) scrambled team travel. On the field, Arizona (No. 23) set the tone early and led 14-3 midway through the second quarter. Arizona had opened the scoring on a 5-yard run by Kedrick Reescano at the end of a 10-play, 75-yard drive.
Devon Dampier then took over with his legs. Utah's quarterback ran for two touchdowns, from 14 and 18 yards, and the Utes went into the locker room up three (17-14). At halftime he already had 75 rushing yards, and Utah had gained 103 of its 179 yards on the ground.
Fifita and Mizell, Dampier and Whittemore
The second half turned into a shootout. A Daniel Bray fumble on the opening series let Noah Fifita find Isaiah Mizell from 6 yards out (21-17 Arizona). Utah answered (24-21), and so did Fifita, with a 19-yard scoring pass to Giovanni Richardson (28-24). A field goal and an 8-yard Bray touchdown put the visitors back in front with 11:46 to play (33-28), despite a failed two-point try.
Arizona thought it had the upset. After a field goal, Fifita found Mizell again, from 10 yards, and a successful two-point conversion made it 39-33 with 3:13 remaining. Utah needed just two plays to answer: Dampier hit Creed Whittemore over the middle and the receiver raced the rest of the way for a 70-yard touchdown. The defense then sealed it, forcing an incompletion on fourth-and-2 with 1:56 left.
Bray, the Unexpected Weapon
The game's other standout was not expected to carry this load. Starting in place of the injured Wayshawn Parker, Daniel Bray piled up 197 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries, a signature performance. His fumble could have been costly; he answered with runs that wore down Arizona's defense throughout the second half.
Dampier finished with 204 yards and two touchdowns through the air and 100 yards and two scores on the ground, 304 total yards in all, despite an interception and a lost fumble. Whittemore had five catches for 92 yards. On the other side, Fifita threw three touchdown passes, two to Mizell, but Arizona falls to 7-3.
The Numbers Behind the Win
The box score shows two opposite ways of moving the ball. Utah gained 500 yards, 296 of them on the ground, while Arizona reached 415 with only 59 rushing yards and 356 through the air. Together the teams produced 915 yards. Arizona ran more plays (74 to 60), earned one more first down (21 to 20) and held the ball longer, 33 minutes, 54 seconds to 26 minutes, 6 seconds, but Utah needed far less time to score: its last three touchdown drives took 1 minute, 46 seconds, then 52 seconds and 38 seconds.
Dampier completed 13 of 25 passes, and Fifita 27 of 43 for his 356 yards. Bray's longest run covered 62 yards. In the fourth quarter, the Utah defense allowed 75 yards, held Arizona to minus-7 rushing yards and stopped all four of its third-down attempts; Jackson Bennee broke up the fourth-and-2 pass that ended the Wildcats' last possession. The game drew 48,858 fans to Casino Del Sol Stadium, where Arizona had not lost this season.
What It Means for the Big 12 and the College Football Playoff
Utah has now won 16 straight games over two seasons and 12 in a row in conference play. In his first season as head coach, Morgan Scalley has the Utes at 10-0, 7-0 in the Big 12, with a conference title game and a first College Football Playoff berth in sight. The most serious challenger remains Texas Tech (9-1, 6-1), which rolled in Stillwater. Utah is one of only two unbeaten teams left in the FBS, along with UCLA. The Utes play at TCU on Saturday, November 21, then host West Virginia on Friday, November 27.
In the Heisman Trophy race, Dampier adds a commanding road performance against a ranked opponent to his résumé. Arizona, on the other hand, sees its national hopes slip away and will now have to settle for a bowl push.
Around the Country
BYU 28, Baylor 7 — One week after losing the Holy War, BYU (No. 10) bounced back behind Bear Bachmeier, who ran for three touchdowns and threw for another. The Cougars scored on their first three drives and held DJ Lagway to 159 passing yards; they improve to 8-2 (5-2) but lost running back LJ Martin to an apparent ankle injury before halftime.
Texas Tech 52, Oklahoma State 27 — Malcolm Simmons returned the opening kickoff 97 yards and Thomas Castellanos threw four touchdown passes for 263 yards. After pulling within 21-17, Oklahoma State (No. 25) faded, and Texas Tech (No. 12, 9-1) stays on course for another Big 12 title game.
Arizona State 26, UCF 13 — Rattled by the air travel disruptions, the Sun Devils still controlled the game in Orlando behind Cardae Mack (111 yards, 1 touchdown) and four Carson Smith field goals. At 6-4, Arizona State is bowl eligible.
Iowa State 41, Cincinnati 13 — Aiden Flora scored three first-half touchdowns and the Cyclones were never threatened.
Boise State 46, Oregon State 41 — Rasean Jones (11 catches, 230 yards, 3 touchdowns) carried Boise State (No. 24, 9-1), which has now locked up hosting rights for the Pac-12 title game. Without injured starting quarterback Braden Atkinson, Oregon State (5-5) hung around to the end, with true freshman Jesse Legree posting another 100-yard game (12 catches, 140 yards, 1 touchdown).
Oregon 31, Michigan 7 — Dylan Raiola found Da'Jaun Diggs and then Dierre Hill Jr. (49 yards) for touchdowns, and Oregon (No. 16) won its third straight game to keep slim College Football Playoff hopes alive. Michigan falls to 5-5.
Indiana 27, USC 13 — Jayden Maiava threw for 311 yards but also three interceptions, two in the fourth quarter, and USC (No. 18) leaves Bloomington with a third loss that closes the playoff door. Indiana (No. 9) pulled away on a Khobie Martin touchdown run and a 42-yard Grant Wilson pass to Charlie Becker.
Stanford 40, Virginia Tech 22 — Micah Ford ran for 149 yards and three touchdowns as Stanford evened its record at 5-5.
Virginia 36, Cal 7 — Two interception returns for touchdowns, including a 100-yarder off a fake field goal, sent Cal (3-7) to a fourth straight loss.
Washington State 73, Colorado State 7 — Washington State (2-8) did everything right in Pullman, highlighted by a 98-yard touchdown run and a 38-point unanswered stretch.
Georgia 48, Missouri 21 — The CFP's No. 1 team rolled past No. 22 Missouri in Athens to improve to 9-1.
Texas 22, LSU 21 — Texas (No. 6) escaped with a one-point win in hostile Baton Rouge against No. 21 LSU.
Alabama 21, Vanderbilt 6 — Alabama (No. 3) got the job done in Nashville without much flash.
Notre Dame 41, Boston College 7 — Notre Dame (No. 5) gave the Eagles no chance.
Miami 36, Duke 25 — Darian Mensah threw for 382 yards and Miami (No. 7) bounced back from its loss at Notre Dame.
Tennessee 22, Texas A&M 7 — Tennessee (No. 8) won in College Station and stays in the hunt for the SEC title game.
Florida 21, Kentucky 14 — Kentucky (No. 11) fell at home to the Gators.
Wake Forest 49, SMU 7 — Wake Forest (No. 13) crushed SMU in Dallas to improve to 9-1.
Ohio State 28, Northwestern 19 — Ohio State (No. 20) snapped a two-game skid. Jeremiah Smith (11 catches, 117 yards, 1 touchdown) became the Big Ten's career leader in receiving yards.
Iowa 28, Purdue 7 — Iowa (No. 15) leaned on its ground game, led by 123 yards from L.J. Phillips Jr.
Arkansas 34, South Carolina 6 — Without LaNorris Sellers, out with an ankle injury, South Carolina (No. 17) turned it over four times, including three Cutter Woods interceptions. Joker Johnson picked off two, returning one 63 yards for a touchdown, and the Gamecocks' playoff hopes are over.
Ole Miss at Oklahoma: postponed — Hit by the air travel disruptions, No. 19 Ole Miss's trip to Norman was moved to Sunday.
Friday: UCLA 22, Illinois 14; Colorado 42, Houston 32 — UCLA (No. 4) stayed unbeaten at 10-0, while Colorado took down No. 14 Houston.
