Utah’s pick-six streak is still alive, and Saturday’s latest entry came with plenty of room to spare.
Cornerback Elijah Davis kept the Utes’ run going in the second quarter against Cincinnati, jumping a route on quarterback JC French IV and taking it the distance for a touchdown. By the time Davis reached the end zone, Utah had stretched the lead to 42-6 just before halftime.
That score extended a remarkable program streak: Utah has now produced at least one interception return for a touchdown in 23 straight seasons, a record run that dates back to 2004.
The Utes had multiple pick-sixes in their undefeated BCS-busting season 23 years ago, and the one most often remembered from that year came when defensive tackle Steve Fifita intercepted UNLV quarterback Shane Steiche and dove forward into the end zone.
Since then, Utah has kept finding ways to score on defense. The list over those 23 seasons includes Eric Weddle, Stevenson Sylvester, Joe Krueger, Justin Thomas, Julian Blackmon, Jaylon Johnson, Devin Llloyd, Clark Phillips III and Lander Barton.
Some of those touchdowns arrived in huge moments. Jaylon Johnson’s pick-six against Washington in 2019 helped send the Utes to the Pac-12 championship game that year. Devin Lloyd’s interception return against Oregon in 2021 set the tone in Utah’s first-ever Pac-12 championship, and Julian Blackmon’s pick-six off Zach Wilson helped spark a second-half comeback against BYU in 2018.
Davis’s touchdown was part of a first half in which Utah completely controlled the game. The Utes scored on all four of their offensive possessions and also added two defensive touchdowns.
The first came early in the second quarter, when defensive end Ethan Day stripped Cincinnati running back Gi’Bran Payne and safety Rabbit Evans scooped it up and raced 51 yards to the end zone. That score pushed Utah’s advantage to 21-3.
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