And then there were three.
Utah kept rolling Saturday night, taking down No. 14 Houston 21-13 at home behind a suffocating defense and a big night from Devon Dampier. The win pushed the Utes to 7-0 and left them among just three unbeaten teams in FBS after Week 8, alongside Miami and UCLA.
It was tight all the way through the late-night showcase, with Utah finally creating separation in front of a loud home crowd. The turning point came when the Utes sent a devastating blitz and forced a late fumble while holding a one-point lead. Utah turned that takeaway into a touchdown, stretching the margin to the final eight-point difference.
Dampier did plenty of the heavy lifting on offense. He threw for 204 yards and added 150 rushing yards with two touchdowns on the ground.
According to Brandon Marcello of CBS Sports, this is the first time since 1977 that we've hit Oct. 24th in a season with three or less remaining undefeated teams.
The win also puts Utah in the lead spot in the Big 12 after a rough day for the conference’s other contenders. Texas Tech lost on the road to Cincinnati, and BYU’s season went off the rails with a dramatic overtime defeat at UCF, handing both teams their first loss.
The road only gets tougher from here. Utah heads to Cincinnati next week, the same trip Texas Tech just made, before turning to the rivalry game against BYU in a matchup that should rank among the most anticipated in the history of that series.
In Other News...
Utah Caught Heat Over A Rivalry Week McAfee Controversy
Rivalry week brought an awkward side note for Utah after Pat McAfee took issue with the universitys Instagram account sharing a video that showed students calling him corny and creepy. The clip landed before ESPNs GameDay broadcast, and McAfee said he was bothered by the school choosing to promote it in that window, turning what should have been a celebratory buildup around a big football weekend into something more uncomfortable.
McAfee still made clear he respects the football program and knows the student section can bring real energy, but the relationship between the host and the campus clearly took a hit. He went a step further in his response, saying he hopes never to return to the University of Utah, leaving an already tense rivalry-week moment with an unresolved sting. [Read more 🡒]
Utah Heads Into Cincinnati With A Serious Kelvin Obot Question
Utahs trip to Cincinnati comes with more than the usual road-game pressure, because the Utes are still sorting through what to do along the offensive line after Kelvin Obots injury. The five-star freshman arrived with real expectations, but the latest update from Morgan Scalley leaves the picture unsettled, and the staff has already had to make some adjustments up front while waiting for the next medical step.
Roger Alderman has stepped into the mix at left guard, and his recent work has given Utah at least one more option as it prepares for a Cincinnati defense that will be keying on Wayshawn Parker and trying to force the Utes into a different kind of offense. If that happens, Devon Dampier could be asked to run more often, which only makes the lines composition and stability more important heading into a game where Utah may need answers in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]
Pat McAfee Just Put Utah In An Awkward National Spotlight
Pat McAfees stop at the University of Utah has turned into one of those awkward little college football side stories that lingers after the cameras leave. The ESPN personality said on his show that he came away bothered by the experience, pointing specifically to an official university Instagram post that mocked him and made the visit feel uncomfortable. For a program that has spent plenty of time in the national conversation, it is not the kind of extra attention Utah would prefer to invite.
McAfee said he did not appreciate the school amplifying negative comments about him, which only added to the tension around the broadcast. He also suggested the relationship may not be one he wants to revisit, leaving future appearances at Utah in doubt and putting even a possible return for a big matchup like BYU-Utah into question. [Read more 🡒]