Halloween in Cincinnati turned into a runaway for Utah.
The No. 6 Utes left no room for drama Saturday, rolling past the Bearcats 49-25 to move to 8-0.
What had been framed by some as a possible upset spot - especially with Cincinnati fresh off its win over Texas Tech - never came close to becoming one. Utah had the game effectively wrapped by halftime, taking a 42-6 lead after scoring on all four of its offensive possessions and adding two defensive touchdowns for good measure.
Devon Dampier and Hunter Andrews were the headliners on offense. Dampier handled the game with confidence, throwing for 260 yards and three touchdowns while completing 76% of his passes.
He also ran for 54 yards. His biggest strike came late in the third quarter, when he connected with Andrews on a 59-yard touchdown.
Andrews finished as Dampier’s top target, piling up five catches for 112 yards and two scores.
Utah also kept its long-running defensive scoring streak alive. The Utes have had an interception return for a touchdown in every season since 2004, and that run continued when Elijah Davis stepped in front of a JC French IV pass at the end of the first half and took it 39 yards to the end zone. It was the 23rd straight season Utah has produced a pick-six, and it came after Rabbit Evans had already turned a fumble recovery into a touchdown with a little more than 10 seconds left in the opening quarter.
The only real frustration for Utah came late, when sophomore quarterback Byrd Ficklin got a full fourth-quarter drive and came up short at the goal line. Ficklin went 1 of 2 passing and added five carries for 20 yards, but Cincinnati stopped him on fourth-and-goal to force a turnover on downs. He was visibly disappointed afterward, and Dampier consoled him on the bench as the clock wound down.
Utah now turns to its next big test: No. 8 BYU comes to Salt Lake City next Saturday at 10 a.m. MST.
In Other News...
Utah Just Sent A Clear Message Before The BYU Showdown
Utah went on the road and made a statement in a 49-25 win over Cincinnati, looking every bit like a team eager to carry momentum into the BYU showdown. The Utes piled up four offensive touchdowns and got a major lift from Devon Dampier, Daniel Bray, Wayshawn Parker and Hunter Andrews, while the defense set the tone by keeping Cincinnati out of the end zone in the first half.
The most telling part was how complete it all looked before the break, with Utah turning defense into points and never letting the Bearcats settle in. The Utes also continued a remarkable run of takeaways that has become part of the program's identity, and the timing could not be better with the rivalry game looming next. [Read more 🡒]
Utahs Unbeaten Run Just Got Even More Encouraging
Utahs unbeaten start kept rolling Saturday in a way that should leave the rest of the Big 12 paying attention. The Utes handled Cincinnati 49-25 to move to 8-0 overall and 5-0 in conference play, and they did it with a performance that looked complete from the opening series. Devon Dampier helped set the tone, Wayshawn Parker added to the push, and Utah piled up 534 total yards while never letting the Bearcats settle in.
What stood out most was how quickly the game got away from Cincinnati, with Utah scoring early and often before the defense joined the party. Daniel Bray and Hunter Andrews were part of an offense that kept finding answers, and the Utes had built a commanding halftime cushion long before the final whistle. For a team still unbeaten deep into the season, this was the kind of win that suggests Utah is not just surviving the Big 12 race, but controlling it. [Read more 🡒]
Utah Looked Like A Complete Team In This Halloween Blowout
Utahs Halloween trip to Nippert Stadium turned into a showcase of how complete this team can look when everything is clicking. The Utes rolled past Cincinnati 49-25, and the game was effectively over by halftime after Utah built a 42-6 lead. The defense set the tone early, scoring twice in the first half to put the Bearcats in a deep hole before the offense even had to do much heavy lifting.
Devon Dampier added the kind of efficient production that made the margin feel even more lopsided, throwing for 260 yards and three touchdowns. Cincinnati did get a brief spark in the third quarter when Jacob Finley returned an interception for a touchdown, but Utah had already done enough damage on both sides of the ball to leave little doubt about the outcome and plenty of reasons for the Utes to feel good about where they stand. [Read more 🡒]