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The University of Utah Athletics
Postgame Notes: No. 16 Utah vs. California
10/14/2023 6:03 PM | Football
Postgame Notes
(at) No. 16 Utah 34, California 14
Salt Lake City, Utah (Rice-Eccles Stadium)
Saturday, October 14, 2023
Kick: 1:07 p.m. MT | End: 4:31 p.m.
Attendance: 52,115 (sellout)
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General
Offense
Defense
Special Teams
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(at) No. 16 Utah 34, California 14
Salt Lake City, Utah (Rice-Eccles Stadium)
Saturday, October 14, 2023
Kick: 1:07 p.m. MT | End: 4:31 p.m.
Attendance: 52,115 (sellout)
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General
- Utah leads the all-time series with California, 7-6. The Utes have won back-to-back games vs. Cal, four of the last five meetings overall and five straight at home vs. the Golden Bears. It includes a 4-2 record for Utah with both teams in the Pac-12 Conference.
- Utah has won 18 consecutive games inside Rice-Eccles Stadium (since Dec. 5, 2020) and holds a 116-36 record at home since the facility opened in 1998. It includes wins in 29 of Utah's last 30 home games.
- The 18-game home winning streak is the second-longest for the Utes under head coach Kyle Whittingham, short of only 21 straight between Sept. 15, 2007 and Oct. 23, 2010.
- Whittingham, the winningest head coach in program history, is 159-75 in his 19 seasons at the helm. Including his time as an assistant coach (1994-2004), he has coached in 360 games and contributed to 244 wins—both the most of any coach in program history.
- Since the 2021 season, Utah is 17-4 in Pac-12 Conference games.
- The Utes have sold out Rice-Eccles Stadium in 80 consecutive games dating back to the 2010 season opener vs. Pitt. Today's attendance of 52,115 is the fifth-highest in stadium history.
- Utah won the time of possession battle, having the offense on the field for 37:53. It is the fourth time this season the Utes have won the TOP battle.
- Utah did not incur its first penalty of the game until the fourth quarter.
- Utah has won four straight games when coming off the team's bye week. The Utes' last win coming off a loss entering the bye week was in 2016 (loss vs. Washington; win at Arizona State).
- The Utes are 5-1 for the first time since the 2019 season.
- Utah won the coin toss and deferred to the second half. The Utes defended the North goal to begin the game.
Offense
- Utah's 445 yards of total offense marked a season-high with the Utes eclipsing 400 yards of total offense twice this season and 31 times under offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig since 2019.Â
- Utah's 317 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns were season-highs and the most by the Utes since Nov. 26, 2022 at Colorado (383 yards, 5 touchdowns).
- Quarterback Bryson Barnes made his third start of the season (Florida; at Baylor; Cal) and is 4-0 all-time as the starter at Utah. Barnes set season-highs with 15 completions and 21 attempts, tallying 128 yards on the day. His 50 rushing yards were a season-high and eight rush attempts tied a season-high.
- For the second straight game, Sione Vaki saw action on both offense and defense. Vaki, listed as a safety, also lined up at running back and totaled a game-high 158 yards on 15 carries, plus two touchdowns. Vaki's 158 rushing yards on the day is the most by a defensive back in recorded Pac-12 history. It included a 72-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter as well as a 32-yard run during the first quarter.
- The last 100-yard rushing game by a Ute came in the win at Baylor (Sept. 9) when Ja'Quinden Jackson rushed for 129 yards on 19 carries.
- Vaki is the first Utah defensive back to rush for two touchdowns in a game since Eric Weddle had a pair at Air Force on Nov. 18, 2006. Weddle also had the last rushing touchdown by a Utah defensive back; it came in the 2006 Armed Forces Bowl vs. Tulsa.
- Vaki's day included the longest rush by a Utah defensive back since at least 1996, surpassing a 30-yard run by Sean Smith in 2006 vs. Colorado State. Entering this weekend, the longest rush in FBS football by a defensive back this season was by Rutgers' Al-Shadee Salaam (18 yards).
- Running back Ja'Quinden Jackson (22 carries, 94 yards) earned his first rushing touchdown of the season and first since the Rose Bowl Game vs. Penn State.
- Wide receiver Munir McClain made a 41-yard reception on Utah's first drive of the second half. It was McClain's second-longest reception as a Ute; trailing only his 49-yard grab earlier this season vs. Weber State.
- Barnes rushed for a four-yard touchdown during the third quarter; it was his second career rushing score (the other was vs. Florida on Aug. 31, 2023).
- Center Kolinu'u Faaiu made his first career start and tight end Landen King made his first start as a Ute.
Defense
- After allowing two third-down conversions on Cal's three attempts in the first quarter, the Utah defense held the Golden Bears to a 2-of-9 line over the final three quarters of play.
- Utah had five sacks in the game; it is the third time this season the Utes have had at least five sacks in a game this season.
- Including Cal, the Utah defense has held four opponents under 100 rushing yards; two opponents under 200 passing yards; and three opponents under 300 total yards of offense.
- Defensive end Jonah Elliss had four tackles, including 2.5 TFL (20 yards) and 1.5 sacks (16 yards). It included a strip-sack for Elliss during the third quarter. It was Elliss' third career forced fumble (first since Nov. 5, 2022 vs. Arizona); safety Cole Bishop came in on the play for his third career fumble recovery (first since Nov. 19, 2022 at Oregon).
- Elliss now has 9.0 sacks on the season—one short of entering the top-10 in program history. It includes at least 1.5 sacks for Elliss in three straight games.
- Linebacker Lander Barton made his second career interception during the second quarter and returned it two yards. Barton's other pick was a 23-yard pick-six vs. Weber State.
- Defensive end Van Fillinger added 2.0 sacks; it was his most since a career-best 3.0-sack performance vs. Washington State in 2021.
- Returning from injury, defensive end Connor O'Toole made his season debut. O'Toole assisted on a sack during the second quarter—his first since the 2022 Pac-12 Championship vs. USC.
- Safety Nate Ritchie had an eight-yard sack during the fourth quarter; it was Ritchie's first sack since Dec. 12, 2020 at Colorado before serving his church mission.
- Safety Cole Bishop played in his 30th collegiate game, including 25 starts.
- For the fifth time in six games this season, the Utes held their opponent scoreless and without a first down on their game-opening drive.
Special Teams
- Punter Jack Bouwmeester had two punts on the day, including a long of 40 yards.
- Returning from injury, placekicker Cole Becker made his first appearance since the Baylor game on Sept. 9. Becker connected on both a 23- and 38-yard field goal, as well as all four of his PAT attempts.
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Players Mentioned
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