Utes exploit TOs, beat BYU in Vegas Bowl

The Utes had 69 yards in total offense and 5 yards rushing in the first quarter but forced five turnovers in the first 10 minutes, including interception returns of 28 yards by Carter and 46 yards by Dominique Hatfield for touchdowns, to build the 35-0 lead.

Utah defensive back Tevin Carter celebrates after scoring a TD on one of his two interceptions.

Ranked 116th in total defense this season, Sitake’s Beavers struggled to contain opposing offenses, but the 40-year-old coach has been praised in the past for his aggressive defensive play-calling while serving as Utah’s defensive coordinator under Kyle Whittingham from 2009-2014. “It’s the only thing that matters”.

In a college football world where money talks and coaches walk, what Bronco Mendenhall is doing for Brigham Young in Saturday’s Las Vegas Bowl (3:30 p.m., ABC-TV) against rival Utah will make this stand out from the other bowls. Sitake replaces Mendenhall, who returned to coach the bowl games after taking the Virginia job.

Stiake played for the Cougars in 1994 and from 1997-2000, and he returns to his alma mater with 15 years of coaching experience, including seven years a defensive coordinator and four seasons as an assistant head coach.

Jared Baker ran for 107 yards and three touchdowns, and Cayleb Jones had 182 yards receiving and a touchdown. The Utes will be without star running back Devontae Booker (knee) and could be without receivers Britain Covey and Kenneth Scott as well.

Mangum, who earlier this season led the Cougars to last-minute comebacks against Nebraska and Boise State, never had a chance to do the same against the Utes. After all, the program was a power in the Mountain West, notching three 10-win seasons and beating Alabama in the Sugar Bowl in 2008 to cap a 13-0 season. Mangum then added a 4-yard touchdown run to draw BYU within 35-28 with 3:23 to go.

“We played real well in the first quarter, very average in the second quarter, pathetic in the third quarter and half the fourth quarter, and then finished pretty average”, Whittingham said. “This will be the first time this rivalry game has taken place in a bowl setting so it has some historic significance as well as being a great matchup between two teams that have had outstanding seasons”. Mangum shook off the early troubles to throw for 315 yards and two touchdowns.

Utah has the No. 97 pass defense in the country, but is opportunistic with 19 interceptions – tied for seventh-most in the country. He also helped mentor 14 NFL Draft picks during his time at Utah, including 12 all-league players and three freshmen All-Americans.

CAMELLIA BOWL: APPALACHIAN STATE 31, OHIO 29 (at Montgomery, Ala.) – Zach Matics capped a wild game with a 23-yard field goal on the final play to lift the Mountaineers.

San Jose St. limps into the Autonation Cure bowl having lost 4 out of its last 6 games but the one thing San Jose St. should be able to do in this game is score.

Alcorn State (9-4), champion of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, was led by Footman.

Dixon caught six passes for 113 yards and touchdowns of 9 and 59 yards. Travis Wilson struggled through the air, with only 71 yards, and was sacked 3 times. Driskel lofted long, accurate passes to set up each TD – 53-yard connection with Carlos Henderson set up the first and a 45-yarder to Trent Taylor to set up the second, which put Tech up 17-3. He eventually found his way into the endzone for a 1-yard rushing touchdown and gave the Utes the 7-0 lead.