Utah Football Wins Back-to-Back Pac-12 Titles With 47-24 Victory Over #4 USC

Friday, December 2

Las Vegas, NV

6:00 PM

University of Utah

10-3 , 8-2

USC

11-2 , 8-2

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Utah

Southern California

Utah Football Wins Back-to-Back Pac-12 Titles With 47-24 Victory Over #4 USC

12/3/2022 12:13 AM | Football

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LAS VEGAS – Utah Football head coach Kyle Whittingham talked in the post-game press conference about the importance of "not just having a good team, but having a good program." It was that mantra and having a strong culture that has led to Utah winning its second straight Pac-12 Title with a 47-24 win over No. 4 USC.

Utah trailed 17-3 early in the second quarter, but rallied from behind to score 24 unanswered points to take a 27-17 lead to start the fourth quarter. The Trojans would make it a three-point game with 10:52 remaining in the game, but Utah would counter by scoring three straight touchdowns with the defense even coming away with an interception to seal the win and the back-to-back Pac-12 Championship victory.

The Utes recorded 533 yards of total offense, including 310 passing and 223 rushing, converting on 25 first downs and 7.7 yards per play. Utah held the Trojans to 419 yards on offense and just 56 yards rushing, holding its fifth straight opponent to under 100 yards rushing.

GAME LEADERS
Quarterback Cameron Rising, the Pac-12 Championship Game MVP, finished the game 22-of-34 passing for 310 yards and three touchdowns, adding eight carries for 18 yards. Former QB and current powerhouse running back Ja'Quinden Jackson had 13 carries for 105 yards, scoring two touchdowns while averaging 8.1 yards per carry with Micah Bernard adding 88 yards on 11 carries and one score.

In the receiving game, Money Parks put up a career-high 88 yards on four catches (1 TD) with Thomas Yassmin contributing 81 receiving yards on just two receptions (1 TD). Senior Jaylen Dixon also had a team-high six snags for 55 yards and a touchdown.

Utah's defense was smothering in the second half, led by Cole Bishop and R.J. Hubert leading the way with nine tackles each with Hubert also notching an interception in the fourth quarter. The Utes tied their season-high in sacks with 7.0 with Mohamoud Diabate recording 3.0 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks (8 tackles) while Gabe Reid added 2.0 sacks of his own (5 tackles, 3.0 TFL).

The Utes also finished the game with five pass breakups against the Trojans with freshman Sione Vaki leading the team with two, also recording six tackles and 1.0 tackle for loss.

FIRST QUARTER BREAKDOWN
The Trojans struck first, scoring a two-yard rushing touchdown with 11:28 on the clock to take a 7-0 lead early. Cole Bishop made a big stop for the Utes on a third-and-two on the USC 44-yard line, but the Trojans would convert on the fourth down attempt and go on to score to end the 75-yard drive.

After producing five first downs to get to the USC five-yard line, the Utes had to settle for a field goal with Jadon Redding knocking in a 25-yarder to cut the Trojan lead to 7-3 with 6:10 to go in the quarter. The 68-yard scoring drive included an athletic 19-yard catch from Money Parks and a key five-yard reception from quarterback Nate Johnson on a second-and-three to get the Utes inside the 10-yard line.

Unfortunately for the Utes, USC would take a 14-3 lead with 2:52 remaining after a 59-yard rush on its second play of the drive put them on the Utah 11-yard line. The Trojans scored on a three-yard passing play to end the 75-yard drive.

SECOND QUARTER BREAKDOWN
The Utes were able to keep the Trojans out of the end zone to start the second quarter, holding USC to a 20-yard field goal with 12:08 on the clock. Both Bishop and Clark Phillips III had key pass breakups in the end zone to hold the Trojans to just three points, making it 17-3.

It was then time for Utah to find its offensive rhythm, producing 173 yards of its 250 yards on offense in the second quarter while scoring 14 unanswered points to tie the score 17-17.

Utah's first scoring drive of the second quarter was gritty from start to finish, making its way down field with short gains and physical rushes, including a fourth down conversion on a four-yard carry by Rising to the USC 14-yard line. Utah would finish the drive off with Ja'Quinden Jackson breaking free for an eight-yard rushing score, cutting the USC lead to 17-10 with 3:55 left in the quarter.

After a quick three-and-out for the Trojans, the Utes would get the ball back with 1:40 to go in the first half, starting on the Utah 19-yard line. As Utah drove down field, Rising found Thomas Yassmin wide open for a 21-yard gain to the USC 4-yard line with Jaylen Dixon finishing things off by dragging the Trojans into the end zone on a four-yard catch to tie the score with just two seconds on the clock to end the quarter.

THIRD QUARTER BREAKDOWN
After Utah's Moment of Loudness and tribute to its fallen teammates in Aaron Lowe and Ty Jordan, a surge of energy entered the stadium as the Utes had the ball on the USC 48-yard line. Rising would get sacked for a loss of nine yards, but the steady confidence remained in Rising as he connected with Money Parks on the next play for a 57-yard touchdown to give Utah a 24-17 lead with 10:33 on the clock.

The Utes held the Trojans to just one yard in the third quarter, pushing them back for -16 rushing yards and holding them to just two passes and six yards through the air. Utah also kept USC out of the end zone and off the scoreboard in the third quarter, just the fifth time the Trojans have been held scoreless in a quarter this season.

FOURTH QUARTER BREAKDOWN
At the end of the third quarter, the Utes found themselves on the USC 17-yard line with Redding converting on his second field goal of the game. He hit a 35-yarder to extend Utah's lead to 27-17, ending a 41-yard drive that burned 5:10 off the clock.

USC countered on its next drive by scoring on a 75-yard drive that included nine plays and 4:04 off the clock, cutting Utah's lead to 27-24. But, the 12-yard receiving touchdown would be the last for the Trojans with the Utes quickly taking over the game.

On the first play of the Utes' next drive, Bernard slammed through the Trojans for a 20-yard gain with Rising connecting with Yassmin on the next play for a 60-yard touchdown as Yassmin muscled his way into the end zone to give Utah a 34-24 lead. Enter Utah's defense, Hubert put a stop to the Trojans on second-and-13 on the Utah 23-yard line, picking off the USC quarterback to give the Utes the ball back their own 39-yard line with 6:57 remaining in the game.

Utah made quick work of its next drive as well, scoring just three plays later with Jackson breaking free for a 53-yard rush and his second touchdown of the game, putting the Utes up 40-24 at the 5:29 mark. It would be Utah's defense stepping up once again with Diabate sacking the Trojans while forcing a fumble with Lander Barton coming up with the key recovery.

The Utes would find their way into the end zone for the final time with 1:52 to go in the game as Bernard broke free for a 23-yard rushing score, cementing the Utah win as the Utes' defense kept the Trojans out of the end zone for the final minute of the game.

UP NEXT
The Utes are looking at a Rose Bowl bid in back-to-back years with official bowl announcements coming out on Sunday, Dec. 4 on ESPN at 10 a.m. MT.

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