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Football
vs No. 25 Arizona State
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Thursday, August 29
Salt Lake City, Utah
7 p.m.
University of Utah
49
vs
0
Southern Utah
#12 Utah Football Soars Past Southern Utah, 49-0
8/30/2024 12:13 AM | Football
SALT LAKE CITY – It was a historic night in Rice-Eccles Stadium as new traditions were introduced, records were broken and the Utah Football program claimed its first win of the 2024 season as Big 12 Conference members. The Utes beat Southern Utah 49-0 in front of 52,210 fans, the second-largest crowd in school history.
The theme for the night was the "return" for several Utah standouts, including seniors Cameron Rising (QB) and Brant Kuithe (TE) that returned to the gridiron for the first time in over 600 days. The duo was also joined by Utah great Alex Smith, who became the Utes first-ever inductee into the Utah Football Ring of Honor at halftime.
The Utes wrapped up the game with 513 yards of total offense, holding Southern Utah to just 150 with the shutout being the first for the Utes since 2019. Utah racked up 328 passing yards and 185 on the ground with the Utes averaging 19.3 yards per catch and 4.7 yards per rush.
GAME LEADERS
Rising was reliable from the second he stepped on the field, going 10-for-15 passing (67%) for 254 yards, scoring a career-high five passing touchdowns in less than two full quarters. It was his 15th career game with 200-or-more passing yards with his five touchdowns moving him into fourth all-time in career passing touchdowns (51) and total touchdowns (63), passing Smith in both.
His two favorite targets in the game were Kuithe and running back Dijon Stanley with the pair combining for four of the five receiving touchdowns in the game. Kuithe caught a career-best three touchdowns for 69 total yards to become the first tight end in Big 12 recorded history to score three in the first half while Stanley racked up a career-high 150 receiving yards on three catches (50.0 ypc) with two touchdowns.
On defensive side of the ball, sophomores Smith Snowden (CB) and Keanu Tanuvasa (DT) tied for the team-lead with four tackles each with Snowden adding 2.0 TFL to his stat line. Senior Van Fillinger (DE) added three tackles that included 2.0 sacks with a pass breakup while Johnathan Hall also contributed three stops (1.0 TFL) and a pass breakup in his debut at linebacker.
STANDOUT STATS
The Utes remain at home on Saturday, Sept. 7 when they take on the Baylor Bears in Rice-Eccles Stadium. The game is being played as a non-conference game with a 1:30 p.m. MT start.
FOLLOW UTAH FOOTBALL ON SOCIAL MEDIA!
Follow along with behind the scenes content and coverage throughout the season on social media through Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok along with visiting www.UtahUtes.com.
The theme for the night was the "return" for several Utah standouts, including seniors Cameron Rising (QB) and Brant Kuithe (TE) that returned to the gridiron for the first time in over 600 days. The duo was also joined by Utah great Alex Smith, who became the Utes first-ever inductee into the Utah Football Ring of Honor at halftime.
The Utes wrapped up the game with 513 yards of total offense, holding Southern Utah to just 150 with the shutout being the first for the Utes since 2019. Utah racked up 328 passing yards and 185 on the ground with the Utes averaging 19.3 yards per catch and 4.7 yards per rush.
GAME LEADERS
Rising was reliable from the second he stepped on the field, going 10-for-15 passing (67%) for 254 yards, scoring a career-high five passing touchdowns in less than two full quarters. It was his 15th career game with 200-or-more passing yards with his five touchdowns moving him into fourth all-time in career passing touchdowns (51) and total touchdowns (63), passing Smith in both.
His two favorite targets in the game were Kuithe and running back Dijon Stanley with the pair combining for four of the five receiving touchdowns in the game. Kuithe caught a career-best three touchdowns for 69 total yards to become the first tight end in Big 12 recorded history to score three in the first half while Stanley racked up a career-high 150 receiving yards on three catches (50.0 ypc) with two touchdowns.
On defensive side of the ball, sophomores Smith Snowden (CB) and Keanu Tanuvasa (DT) tied for the team-lead with four tackles each with Snowden adding 2.0 TFL to his stat line. Senior Van Fillinger (DE) added three tackles that included 2.0 sacks with a pass breakup while Johnathan Hall also contributed three stops (1.0 TFL) and a pass breakup in his debut at linebacker.
STANDOUT STATS
- Tonight's game was the 84th consecutive sellout of Rice-Eccles Stadium, dating back to the 2010 season opener vs. Pitt. The attendance figure of 52,210 ranks sixth all-time in the facility.
- The Utes won the time of possession battle, 31:15 to 28:45. Dating back to last season, it is the fourth straight game and eighth game in the last nine that Utah has had the upper hand in TOP.
- Rising became the first Utah quarterback to throw five touchdown passes in a game since Travis Wilson vs. Fresno State on Sept. 6, 2014. The last Utah quarterback to throw five TD in a half was Brian Johnson vs. San Diego State in 2008.
- Stanley's 64-yard touchdown pass on the Utes' opening drive of the game was the first Utah touchdown of the Big 12 era, his first career receiving TD and Rising's first TD pass since Jan. 2, 2023.
- Stanley finished the game with 184 all-purpose yards (150 receiving, 34 rushing); it included two touchdowns on just three catches. He became the first Utah running back to have a 100-yard receiving game since Devontae Booker (110) vs. Oregon in 2014, and his receiving total was the most by a Utah running back since at least 1996.
- Utah held the Thunderbirds to 150 yards of total offense and nine first downs; both were the fewest since since Nov. 4, 2023 vs. Arizona State (83 total yards; six first downs).
- Defensive end Van Fillinger recorded his second sack during the third quarter; it was his most since recording a career-best 3.0 sacks in the Washington State game in 2021.
The Utes remain at home on Saturday, Sept. 7 when they take on the Baylor Bears in Rice-Eccles Stadium. The game is being played as a non-conference game with a 1:30 p.m. MT start.
FOLLOW UTAH FOOTBALL ON SOCIAL MEDIA!
Follow along with behind the scenes content and coverage throughout the season on social media through Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok along with visiting www.UtahUtes.com.
Players Mentioned
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