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The University of Utah Athletics
Saturday, September 16
Salt Lake City, UT
12:00 PM
University of Utah
31
vs
7
Weber State
#12 Utah Football Wins vs. Weber State, 31-7
9/16/2023 4:20 PM | Football, General
SALT LAKE CITY – For the 150th game played inside Rice-Eccles Stadium and the 78th straight sellout, the No. 12 University of Utah Football program wrapped up non-conference play 3-0 with a 31-7 win over Weber State.
Utah was solid on both sides of the ball against the Wildcats, holding Weber State to just 127 yards of offense while producing 424 themselves. It was the first time the Utes have held an opponent to under 130 yards since Sept. 10, 2022 against Southern Utah (85 yards) and the fourth time since Morgan Scalley took over the defense.
The Utes finished the game with 23 first downs compared to Weber State's five, also dominating the time of possession battle at 40:05 to 19:55. Utah also racked up 73 total plays, averaging 5.8 yards per rush and 14.8 yards per completion.
GAME LEADERS
In his first career start, quarterback Nate Johnson recorded a career-high 193 yards on 13-of-21 passing with one touchdown, also adding a career-best 16 rushes for 71 yards and a rushing score. On the receiving end, Munir McClain led the Utes with a career-high 92 yards on just three catches, averaging 30.7 yards per reception.
Money Parks led the team in total receptions with four for 35 yards and a touchdown while Mikey Matthews also chipped in two catches for 38 yards, two kick returns for 53 yards and a punt return for nine yards (100 all-purpose). Ja'Quinden Jackson led the running back room with nine carries for 69 yards, averaging 7.7 yards per attempt with Jaylon Glover contributing 12 carries for 47 yards and a score.
On defense, the Utes were led by Miles Battle, Lander Barton and Keanu Tanuvasa, who all turned in five tackles each with Barton also notching his first-career pick-six. Jack Bouwmeester also had another strong outing with three punts for 141 yards, averaging 47.0 per punt while landing one inside the 20-yard line.
FIRST QUARTER BREAKDOWN
In his first drive as the starting quarterback, Johnson led the Utes downfield for a 10-play, 69-yard drive that ended in his third rushing touchdown of the season to give Utah a 7-0 lead with 8:35 on the clock. The scoring drive included a career-long 33-yard catch by Munir McClain, ending with Johnson's one-yard rushing score into the end zone.
Utah finished the quarter with 111 yards of total offense (54 pass, 57 rush) with seven first downs, holding the Wildcats to 35 total yards and just one first down. The Utes also averaged 13.5 yards per completion in the first quarter, holding Weber State to just 5.3.
SECOND QUARTER BREAKDOWN
Utah took a 10-0 lead with 13:29 to go in the half with Joey Cheek scoring his first collegiate field goal (37 yards), but Weber State would find its way into the end zone at the 10:46 mark to make it a three-point game. The Wildcats scored on a two-yard rushing touchdown to cut the Utah lead, ending a five-play, 59-yard drive.
The Utes would extend their lead to 13 with 5:00 to go in the second quarter after Johnson found Money Parks open for a 13-yard touchdown, ending a nine-play, 70-yard drive for the 17-7 advantage. Keeping the drive alive was a key throw from Johnson and a career-long catch by Matthews for 40 yards on a third-and-16, putting Utah in scoring territory with the Utes punching it in just three plays later.
THIRD QUARTER BREAKDOWN
In its first drive of the second half, Utah put together a nine-play, 68-yard drive that finished with Jaylon Glover's second rushing touchdown of the season to give Utah a 24-7 advantage with 10:17 on the clock. The drive consisted of a 16-yard rush from Jackson on a second-and-four, and a season-long 21-yard gain from Glover on a first-and-10 to put the Utes on the Weber State 34-yard line before finding the end zone three plays later.
The Utes' defense got on the board with 4:36 on the clock after linebacker Lander Barton grabbed his first-career interception, returning it for 23 yards and a touchdown to put Utah up 31-7. The play came after the Utes were forced to punt with Cole Bishop sacking Weber State's quarterback on the first play of the drive, followed by Barton's pick-six.
FOURTH QUARTER BREAKDOWN
Neither team would find their way onto the scoreboard in the fourth quarter with Utah's defense continuing to stay steady, holding Weber State to 33 yards in the quarter, including a negative rushing yard total.
UP NEXT
The Utes will remain in Salt Lake City next week to host the UCLA Bruins on Saturday, Sept. 23. The game is set to start at 1:30 p.m. MT on FOX.
Utah was solid on both sides of the ball against the Wildcats, holding Weber State to just 127 yards of offense while producing 424 themselves. It was the first time the Utes have held an opponent to under 130 yards since Sept. 10, 2022 against Southern Utah (85 yards) and the fourth time since Morgan Scalley took over the defense.
The Utes finished the game with 23 first downs compared to Weber State's five, also dominating the time of possession battle at 40:05 to 19:55. Utah also racked up 73 total plays, averaging 5.8 yards per rush and 14.8 yards per completion.
GAME LEADERS
In his first career start, quarterback Nate Johnson recorded a career-high 193 yards on 13-of-21 passing with one touchdown, also adding a career-best 16 rushes for 71 yards and a rushing score. On the receiving end, Munir McClain led the Utes with a career-high 92 yards on just three catches, averaging 30.7 yards per reception.
Money Parks led the team in total receptions with four for 35 yards and a touchdown while Mikey Matthews also chipped in two catches for 38 yards, two kick returns for 53 yards and a punt return for nine yards (100 all-purpose). Ja'Quinden Jackson led the running back room with nine carries for 69 yards, averaging 7.7 yards per attempt with Jaylon Glover contributing 12 carries for 47 yards and a score.
On defense, the Utes were led by Miles Battle, Lander Barton and Keanu Tanuvasa, who all turned in five tackles each with Barton also notching his first-career pick-six. Jack Bouwmeester also had another strong outing with three punts for 141 yards, averaging 47.0 per punt while landing one inside the 20-yard line.
FIRST QUARTER BREAKDOWN
In his first drive as the starting quarterback, Johnson led the Utes downfield for a 10-play, 69-yard drive that ended in his third rushing touchdown of the season to give Utah a 7-0 lead with 8:35 on the clock. The scoring drive included a career-long 33-yard catch by Munir McClain, ending with Johnson's one-yard rushing score into the end zone.
Utah finished the quarter with 111 yards of total offense (54 pass, 57 rush) with seven first downs, holding the Wildcats to 35 total yards and just one first down. The Utes also averaged 13.5 yards per completion in the first quarter, holding Weber State to just 5.3.
SECOND QUARTER BREAKDOWN
Utah took a 10-0 lead with 13:29 to go in the half with Joey Cheek scoring his first collegiate field goal (37 yards), but Weber State would find its way into the end zone at the 10:46 mark to make it a three-point game. The Wildcats scored on a two-yard rushing touchdown to cut the Utah lead, ending a five-play, 59-yard drive.
The Utes would extend their lead to 13 with 5:00 to go in the second quarter after Johnson found Money Parks open for a 13-yard touchdown, ending a nine-play, 70-yard drive for the 17-7 advantage. Keeping the drive alive was a key throw from Johnson and a career-long catch by Matthews for 40 yards on a third-and-16, putting Utah in scoring territory with the Utes punching it in just three plays later.
THIRD QUARTER BREAKDOWN
In its first drive of the second half, Utah put together a nine-play, 68-yard drive that finished with Jaylon Glover's second rushing touchdown of the season to give Utah a 24-7 advantage with 10:17 on the clock. The drive consisted of a 16-yard rush from Jackson on a second-and-four, and a season-long 21-yard gain from Glover on a first-and-10 to put the Utes on the Weber State 34-yard line before finding the end zone three plays later.
The Utes' defense got on the board with 4:36 on the clock after linebacker Lander Barton grabbed his first-career interception, returning it for 23 yards and a touchdown to put Utah up 31-7. The play came after the Utes were forced to punt with Cole Bishop sacking Weber State's quarterback on the first play of the drive, followed by Barton's pick-six.
FOURTH QUARTER BREAKDOWN
Neither team would find their way onto the scoreboard in the fourth quarter with Utah's defense continuing to stay steady, holding Weber State to 33 yards in the quarter, including a negative rushing yard total.
UP NEXT
The Utes will remain in Salt Lake City next week to host the UCLA Bruins on Saturday, Sept. 23. The game is set to start at 1:30 p.m. MT on FOX.
Players Mentioned
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