Postgame Notes: No. 24 Utah vs. No. 17 Cincinnati

• Tonight’s recreation was the primary soccer assembly between Utah and Cincinnati.
• Utah’s win tonight snapped a seven-game profitable streak for Cincinnati; it entered this week because the second-longest energetic streak within the Big 12.
• Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham, the winningest chief in program historical past, is 174-88 in his 21 seasons on the helm. Including his 11 prior seasons as an assistant coach (1994-2004), Whittingham has contributed to 259 victories—greater than another coach in program historical past.
• Whittingham has coached in 388 video games at Utah together with 262 as the top coach.
• Under Whittingham, Utah has reached at the least the seven-win mark in 17 seasons.
• Tonight’s recreation was the 94^th consecutive sellout of Rice-Eccles Stadium for video games with followers within the stands. It consists of every recreation courting again to the 2010 season opener except for the pandemic-altered season in 2020.
• Utah received the coin toss and deferred to the second half. The Utes defended the South purpose to start the sport.

 
Offense

• Utah’s 45 factors scored tonight are essentially the most for the crew towards a ranked opponent since placing up 47 towards USC throughout the 2022 Pac-12 Championship.
• The Utes rushed for 267 yards on the night time and have eclipsed 200 dashing yards in eight video games this season; the final time that occurred was in 2019.
• Utah possessed the ball for 40:02 of recreation time, setting a season-high for TOP. The final time that Utah eclipsed 40 minutes of possession was within the Oklahoma State recreation (42:26) throughout the 2024 season. Utah (20:45) greater than doubled up Cincinnati (9:15) on time of possession within the first half.
• Quarterback Devon Dampier returned to recreation motion and handed 16-of-31 for 213 yards and two touchdowns with no sacks. It was the fourth time this season that the Utah offensive line didn’t permit a sack.
• Dampier has now handed for a number of touchdowns in six of his eight begins at Utah. He added 78 yards on the bottom by way of 14 dashing makes an attempt.
• Running again Wayshawn Parker rushed for a team-leading and season-high 104 yards on 17 carries (1 TD), whereas large receiver Ryan Davis reeled in eight catches for a season-high 132 yards. It was the primary time that Utah had each a 100-yard rusher and receiver in the identical recreation for the reason that highway win over USC on Oct. 21, 2023.
• For Parker, it was his second straight 100-yard recreation and third of his collegiate profession (he had one with Washington State throughout the 2024 season). The final Utah participant to hurry for 100 yards in consecutive video games was Micah Bernard, doing so in 2024 towards each Utah State and Oklahoma State.
• Parker’s 5 touchdowns are a brand new single-season career-high.
• It marked the second time this season that Davis eclipsed the 100-yard receiving mark (107 at West Virginia).
• In addition to dashing for 43 yards, operating again Daniel Bray caught three passes for 41 yards; he entered the sport with three complete catches for 16 yards.
• On Utah’s opening drive of the sport, Dampier anchored a 16-play, 94-yard landing drive that was capped off by a 34-yard strike to Davis.
• It was Davis’ fourth landing reception of the season, setting a brand new career-best.
• The opening drive was Utah’s longest game-opening drive of the season and tied for the second-longest general.
• Bray made his second straight begin.
• Running again NaQuari Rogers pushed by means of for a one-yard landing simply earlier than halftime; Rogers has scored for the second straight recreation and eighth time this season.
• Wide receiver Creed Whittemore caught an 11-yard cross for his first landing as a Utah Ute.

 
Defense

• Utah held Cincinnati to a 11-of-33 passing line (33.3%). For opponents trying at the least 30 passes, it matched the bottom for the reason that 2017 Heart of Dallas Bowl vs. West Virginia.
• Prior to tonight, Cincinnati had not thrown an interception since Aug. 28 towards Nebraska and had not misplaced a fumble since Oct. 4 vs. Iowa State. Both occurred tonight, together with two fumbles recovered by the Utes.
• After the guests had been 4-for-7 on third down throughout the first half, Utah held Cincinnati to only two profitable tries on its last seven makes an attempt.
• Cornerback Smith Snowden made an interception late within the second quarter and added a cross breakup to tie his season-high passes defended with two. It was Snowden’s first interception of the season.
• Defensive sort out Aliki Vimahi set a brand new career-high with two cross breakups.
• Linebacker Johnathan Hall pressured a fumble for the primary time in his profession. Jonah Lea’ea got here up with the restoration, his second this season.
• Fellow linebacker Levani Damuni additionally got here up with a restoration after a power from defensive finish Kash Dillon. It was Dillon’s first profession power and third profession restoration for Damuni.

 
Special Teams

• Kicker Dillon Curtis linked on a 33-yard discipline purpose late within the second quarter. Curtis is now 9-for-13 on the season and has linked on seven of his final eight discipline purpose makes an attempt.
• In addition to his discipline purpose, Curtis was good on six PAT makes an attempt and kicked off eight occasions.
• Mana Carvahlo ran a punt again 75 yards for a landing; it was the primary Utah punt return landing since Britain Covey did it towards Oregon on Nov. 20, 2021 (coincidentally, additionally a hand-painted helmet recreation).
• Carvalho totaled three punt returns for 94 yards. It was essentially the most punt return yards in a recreation for a Utah participant since Covey had 132 at San Diego State in 2021, and essentially the most by a Utah freshman since at the least 2000.

 
First Quarter Breakdown
Cincinnati took possession first, however Utah pressured a punt after simply three performs because of the primary PBU of the season by Aliki Vimahi. The Utes had been pinned down at their very own 6-yard line, however Devon Dampier led a 16-play, 94-yard landing drive. Utah transformed on two fourth-down tries earlier than Dampier linked with Ryan Davis from 34 yards out to cap the 7:07 drive and provides the Utes a 7-0 lead.
 
The Bearcats responded with a landing of their very own to tie the sport at 7-7. Cincinnati put collectively an eight-play, 75-yard drive to provide Utah the ball again with 3:53 remaining within the quarter. Utah responded with a seven-play, 75-yard drive of its personal to retake the lead, capped by a 39-yard landing rush by Wayshawn Parker to provide the Utes a 14-7 edge with 1:01 left within the opening interval.
 
Cincinnati was in a position to transfer the ball to the Utah 23-yard line earlier than time expired.
 
Second Quarter Breakdown
Utah’s protection stood tall after the break as Jonah Lea’ea recorded a TFL and the secondary pressured a pair of incompletions, making the Bearcats attempt a 42-yard discipline purpose that flew large left. Utah was pressured to punt, pinning Cincinnati on the 24-yard line.
 
Cincinnati was in a position to get into the pink zone after a pair of chunk performs, however after a false, Johnathan Hall pressured a fumble that was recovered by Lea’ea. Utah turned the turnover into factors after a 13-play, 66-yard drive was capped with a 33-yard discipline purpose by Dillon Curtis. With 4:23 remaining within the half, Utah took a 17-7 lead.
 
Utah’s protection pressured its second three-and-out of the night time because of back-to-back PBUs by Blake Cotton and Elijah Davis, and the Utes regained possession at their very own 30-yard line with 3:45 on the clock. The Utes went 70 yards in six performs, nearly all of which got here on a 46-yard reception by Ryan Davis after a trick play, and NaQuari Rogers’ dashing rating from a yard out gave the Utes a 24-7 edge with 1:19 left within the half.
 
Smith Snowden logged his first interception of the season on the primary play of the following drive, however he fumbled on the return and the Bearcats obtained the ball again at their very own 3-yard line. Cincinnati moved the ball to midfield however had been unable to get factors on the board earlier than the clock hit zeroes.
 
Third Quarter Breakdown
Utah was in a position to get previous midfield on the opening drive however stalled as soon as crossing the 50-yard line. Orion Phillips’ punt pinned Cincinnati on the 12-yard line, however an 88-yard landing cross made it a 24-14 recreation with 10:35 left within the quarter.
 
The Utes moved the ball into the pink zone on the following possession, however Dampier threw an interception on the purpose line that Cincinnati returned out to the 17-yard line. Utah’s protection pressured one other three-and-out, and Mana Carvalho logged a 23-yard return on the punt to set Utah up at its personal 48-yard line.
 
The Utes put collectively an eight-play, 52-yard drive to take a 31-14 lead with 2:26 to play. Dampier rushed for 14 yards on the drive earlier than discovering Creed Whittemore for the 11-yard landing.
 
Utah pressured one other three-and-out, and Carvalho fielded the punt and returned it 75 yards for his first profession landing, Utah’s first punt return for a rating for the reason that 2021 season. With 1:36 left within the interval, Utah took a 38-14 lead.
 
Fourth Quarter Breakdown
Utah pressured an incompletion on Third-and-9 on the primary play of the fourth quarter and the offense took over at its personal 15-yard line, however the Utes had been pressured to punt after simply three performs. After forcing one other Cincinnati punt, Utah took possession however needed to punt as soon as once more after burning 2:28 off the clock. Phillips pinned Cincinnati at its personal 19-yard line with 6:40 left to play.
 
Cincinnati picked up one first down earlier than Kash Dillon pressured the primary fumble of his collegiate profession, which was recovered by Levani Damuni and returned to the 26-yard line. Byrd Ficklin led the offense on the following drive, dashing for 12 yards to set the Utes up on the 2-yard line earlier than conserving it himself for the rating. With 3:25 to play, Utah led 45-14.
 
Cincinnati rushed eight occasions on its last possession, operating out the clock and sealing the Utah victory.