Utah at Washington
I just found out about the time change of this game about 1/2 hour before it started and although that first half was tough to watch, so glad I stuck it out to see the finish of Washington’s come-from-behind 24-21 victory at home on a day celebrating the 100th year anniversary of Husky Stadium. It was a really sloppy game with seven turn-overs between the two teams. Five interceptions by the two starting QB’s and two fumbles by the Utes, both lost. The miscues started on Utah’s first possession, an 8 play 39 yard drive that ended on the Washington 29 with a sack of Utah QB Jake Bentley causing him to fumble the ball over to the Huskies. Off to what looked like a great start, on the sixth play of the drive back, 3rd and 7 at the Utah 40, Freshman QB Dylan Morris gets intercepted by another Freshman, Cornerback Faybian Marks, who returns the ball 28 yards to the Washington 48. Nine plays later it’s Utah that hits pay dirt first on a Jake Bentley run into the end zone. Utah 7, Washington Zip.
Two three-and-out Washington possessions later the Utes hit the scoreboard again on a rushing only 5 play 59 yard drive using one TE and two RB’s with Devin Brumfield taking it in on third and goal to extend the Utah lead to 14-0. After a 10 play 53 yard drive that ended in a missed field goal by the Huskies, Utah drives down the field again going 78 yards in 8 plays culminating in a Jake Bentley 13 yard pass complete to Bryan Thompson for a TD and a 21-0 lead. Washington gets one more chance before the half to try and get some points up on the board but on 4th and 1 at the Utah 41 with no time remaining Morris throws a Hail Mary to the end zone that gets picked off by Freshman Safety Zemaiah Vaugh who runs the ball back 73 yards to the Washington 27 as time expires.
I certainly had my doubts after that first half. I mean Washington looked so good the week before, but then again it was against Arizona after all, so maybe they aren’t as talented as I thought they were. But the second half was a different game altogether, a game completely dominated by the Huskies and Utah not scoring another single point the rest of the way-even giving Washington extra opportunities. After winning the toss and deferring the Huskies got the ball to start the 2nd half and under three minutes and 72 yards later were finally on the scoreboard after a 2 yard run into the end zone by Senior RB Kamari Pleasant and PAT by Peyton Henry. After picking off Utah QB Jake Bentley on their next possession Washington put three more points on the board, now down 21-10 just half-way through the 3rd Qtr. In an effort to get something going in the 2nd half Head Coach Kyle Whittingham decided to go for a 4th and 1 on their next possession at the Washington 41. They didn’t make it and three plays later including two 21 yard passes combined with a 15 yard personal foul and automatic first down penalty by the Utes, Dylan Morris found Cade Otton in the end zone and Washington had closed the score to 21-17 with about 3 minutes still left in the 3rd.
It seemed as though Utah wasn’t going to be happy until they let Washington catch up as they fumbled away their next possession. And although the Huskies weren’t able to capitalize that time and even threw an interception of their own, both defenses had dug in and over the course of the last eight possessions of the game, five were three-and-outs. But all the Washington offense needed was one more solid effort to bring this thing home and they got it on a 12 play, 88 yard drive starting with 4:21 left in the 4th and ending with another Dylan Morris pass to Cade Otton for 16 yards and a TD and a 24-21 lead with just 36 seconds left to play. As an exclamation point to their complete 2nd half collapse, on 3rd and 5 at the Washington 30 yard line Utah QB Jake Bentley had his pass intercepted by Sophomore DB Trent McDuffie, leaving Washington to just run out the clock.
Jimmy Lake, in his first year as a head coach, is 3-0 and leading the PAC-12 North over Oregon. Kyle Whittingham is in his 26th season with Utah, 16th as head coach, and is sitting at 0-2 just above Arizona in the PAC-12 South basement. Neither team was expected to be where they are now in the pre-season poll, but that’s why they play. Washington has had two games cancelled as the result of the other teams, Cal and Washington State, not being able to field a team due to the pandemic. They’ll host Stanford this next Saturday and then travel to Eugene to possibly settle the PAC-12 North the following week. Utah will go back home and play host to Oregon State this next weekend and then travel to Boulder to take on Colorado.