Last time ESPN’s College Gameday visited Utah, the Utes failed to get the win. This time around, it was a different story.
The Utes held off the Bears until the very last moments of the game and kept their perfect season alive.
After Jared Goff threw his fifth interception of the game, which Dominique Hatfield got his hands on, the Utes looked like they would pull away. However, the Utes didn’t do anything with the turnover and gave the ball right back to the Bears. Cal then took the ball down the field, down 30-24.
On fourth down with six yards to go, Utah denied Cal the opportunity to score, securing a the win in the final 30 seconds.
It was a total defensive effort from the Utes in the first half, forcing five total turnovers. While the Utah offense may not have been able to make the most of them early on, it made up for it late in the second quarter scoring two touchdowns off two picks thrown by Jared Goff. Utah lead at halftime 24-17.
Cal looked poised to score a touchdown on its first possession of the game with Goff completing all of his passes. However, Marcus Williams picked him off. Utah then punted on its drive and Tom Hackett downed the ball at the eight yard line. Gionni Paul forced a fumble on Cal’s next possession and Williams recovered the ball. Andy Phillips then nailed a field goal from 44 yards out to give the Utes the 3-0 lead.
Cal went on to score a touchdown of its own and lead 7-3. On the ensuing drive Devontae Booker escaped several tackles on the next drive to put the Utes back on top 10-7 on a 40 yard rushing touchdown. Goff threw another interception into the hands of Dominique Hatfield. Phillips then missed a 48 yard field goal on the next drive.
Midway through the second quarter, Travis Wilson was picked off by Trey Turner. Cory Butler-Byrd stepped up in the endzone and denied Goff a touchdown, forcing Cal to settle for a field goal and tie the score at 10. Wilson threw another pick on the Utes’ next possession, but on Cal’s possession after, Goff returned the favor and threw his third pick of the game.
Booker led the way for the Utes going down the field, gaining 14 and then 17 yards. Wilson then found Butler-Byrd deep for the 54 yard touchdown to put the Utes up 24-10.
Goff lead Cal down the field for one more touchdown before halftime making the score 24-17.
Utah opened up the second half on somewhat of a high note, scoring a field goal on its first possession to make the score 27-17, Cal then looked to score its own, but missed its attempt. On the following drive, Utah was forced to a three-and-out, but looked like it was going attempt some sort of trick play on a fourth-and-one only to have a slip-up, but was saved by a false start. Later in the third, Booker fumbled the ball in Utah’s territory which Cal turned into seven points to bring the Bears within three points.
Wilson started to show his agility in the third, rushing for several first downs which eventually led to another Andy Phillips field goal in the fourth, the final score of the game.