Upcoming Event: Football versus No. 17 Cincinnati on November 1, 2025 at 8:15 p.m.
8:15 p.m.
Football
vs No. 17 Cincinnati
.png&width=31&height=31&type=webp)
The University of Utah Athletics
Saturday, October 25
Salt Lake City, Utah
8:15 p.m.
University of Utah
6-2 , 3-2
53
vs
7
Colorado
3-5 , 1-4
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
Colorado
0
0
0
7
7
Utah
17
26
3
7
53
Utes Stampede Buffaloes in Homecoming Victory
10/26/2025 12:44 AM | Football
Utah led 43-0, held Colorado to negative 18 total yards at halftime
SALT LAKE CITY -- The Utah football team put together a dominant performance on Saturday night, demolishing the Colorado Buffaloes, 53-7, behind an overpowering run game in front of 51,949 fans at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
Utah improved to 6-2 overall and 3-2 in Big 12 Conference play, while Colorado dropped to 3-5 and 1-4 in the Big 12.Â
Utah put up 587 yards of total offense on the night, including a season-high 422 rushing yards, while limiting Colorado to 140 yards of offense. Utah averaged 7.7 yards per play and held the visitors to an average of 2.1 yards. The Utes' 587 yards of offense are the most by the program since totaling 662 against the Buffaloes in 2022.Â
The Utes' 422 rushing yards are the seventh-most in program history. Utah's rushing total marks just the ninth time in program history the Utes have ran for 400-plus yards in a game and the second time under Kyle Whittingham, last doing so against Stanford in 2021.Â
Byrd Ficklin made his first collegiate start at quarterback, rushing for 151 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries and completing 10-of-22 passes for 140 yards and two scores. He joins Devon Dampier and Travis Wilson as the only quarterbacks in Utah history to both pass and rush for 100 yards in a game in program history.
Ficklin's 151 rushing yards are the most by a Utah quarterback since at least 1996, topping Wilson's 143 yards in 2013. His 151 rushing yards in the first half marked the most by a Utah signal-caller in a half. Ficklin and Dampier also became the first pair of Utah quarterbacks to rush for 100 yards in a game in the same season in program history after Dampier did so against Arizona State.
Wayshawn Parker also recorded his first 100-yard game as a Ute, rushing 10 times for 145 yards and a touchdown. Saturday marked the first time since Utah faced Colorado in 2021 that two Utes rushed for 100-plus yards in the same game. Ficklin (63), Parker (58) and Nate Johnson (56) each tallied touchdown rushes of 50-plus yards.
Defensively, Utah recorded season highs in both sacks (7) and tackles for loss (13) while forcing 10 punts and seven three-and-outs. Colorado managed just 38 rushing yards on 38 attempts and was held to 13-of-30 passing on the night. The Utes held Colorado to just 3-of-16 on third downs and 0-of-2 on fourth down.Â
Johnathan Hall and Elijah Ellis led the way with five tackles and two TFL each, while Hall also led the way with a career-high two sacks. Tao Johnson nabbed his second interception of the season and Smith broke up two passes to go with a pair of tackles.
The Utes' 140 yards allowed are the fewest since holding Arizona State to 83 total yards in 2023. Colorado totaled 97 yards in the fourth quarter alone while Utah had most of its starters on the sideline.
The Utes used a stellar first half to jump out to a 43-0 lead. Utah put up 398 yards of offense in the first 30 minutes of play - 260 of which came on the ground - while holding the Buffaloes to negative 18 total yards and negative 41 yards rushing. The Utes' defense tallied five sacks, eight tackles for loss, an interception and a blocked punt in the opening half.
Utah had held Colorado to 23 passing yards at the end of the first half, while Ute punter Orion Phillips had thrown for 25 yards.Â
UP NEXT
Utah is back at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 1, for a matchup against No. 21 Cincinnati (7-1, 5-0 Big 12). Kickoff time will be determined on Sunday.
FOLLOW THE UTES
Follow the Utes on social media through Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok along with visiting www.UtahUtes.com. Download the Utah 360 app here.  Â
Â
Utah improved to 6-2 overall and 3-2 in Big 12 Conference play, while Colorado dropped to 3-5 and 1-4 in the Big 12.Â
Utah put up 587 yards of total offense on the night, including a season-high 422 rushing yards, while limiting Colorado to 140 yards of offense. Utah averaged 7.7 yards per play and held the visitors to an average of 2.1 yards. The Utes' 587 yards of offense are the most by the program since totaling 662 against the Buffaloes in 2022.Â
The Utes' 422 rushing yards are the seventh-most in program history. Utah's rushing total marks just the ninth time in program history the Utes have ran for 400-plus yards in a game and the second time under Kyle Whittingham, last doing so against Stanford in 2021.Â
Byrd Ficklin made his first collegiate start at quarterback, rushing for 151 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries and completing 10-of-22 passes for 140 yards and two scores. He joins Devon Dampier and Travis Wilson as the only quarterbacks in Utah history to both pass and rush for 100 yards in a game in program history.
Ficklin's 151 rushing yards are the most by a Utah quarterback since at least 1996, topping Wilson's 143 yards in 2013. His 151 rushing yards in the first half marked the most by a Utah signal-caller in a half. Ficklin and Dampier also became the first pair of Utah quarterbacks to rush for 100 yards in a game in the same season in program history after Dampier did so against Arizona State.
Wayshawn Parker also recorded his first 100-yard game as a Ute, rushing 10 times for 145 yards and a touchdown. Saturday marked the first time since Utah faced Colorado in 2021 that two Utes rushed for 100-plus yards in the same game. Ficklin (63), Parker (58) and Nate Johnson (56) each tallied touchdown rushes of 50-plus yards.
Defensively, Utah recorded season highs in both sacks (7) and tackles for loss (13) while forcing 10 punts and seven three-and-outs. Colorado managed just 38 rushing yards on 38 attempts and was held to 13-of-30 passing on the night. The Utes held Colorado to just 3-of-16 on third downs and 0-of-2 on fourth down.Â
Johnathan Hall and Elijah Ellis led the way with five tackles and two TFL each, while Hall also led the way with a career-high two sacks. Tao Johnson nabbed his second interception of the season and Smith broke up two passes to go with a pair of tackles.
The Utes' 140 yards allowed are the fewest since holding Arizona State to 83 total yards in 2023. Colorado totaled 97 yards in the fourth quarter alone while Utah had most of its starters on the sideline.
The Utes used a stellar first half to jump out to a 43-0 lead. Utah put up 398 yards of offense in the first 30 minutes of play - 260 of which came on the ground - while holding the Buffaloes to negative 18 total yards and negative 41 yards rushing. The Utes' defense tallied five sacks, eight tackles for loss, an interception and a blocked punt in the opening half.
Utah had held Colorado to 23 passing yards at the end of the first half, while Ute punter Orion Phillips had thrown for 25 yards.Â
UP NEXT
Utah is back at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 1, for a matchup against No. 21 Cincinnati (7-1, 5-0 Big 12). Kickoff time will be determined on Sunday.
FOLLOW THE UTES
Follow the Utes on social media through Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok along with visiting www.UtahUtes.com. Download the Utah 360 app here.  Â
Â
Team Stats
COL
UTA
Total Yards
140
587
Pass Yards
102
165
Rushing Yards
38
422
Penalty Yards
15
80
1st Downs
12
25
3rd Downs
3
5
4th Downs
0
1
TOP
26:22
33:38
1st Quarter
COL 0, UTA 7
UTA - Ficklin,Byrd 63 yd run (Curtis,Dillon kick), 2 plays, 75 yards, TOP 00:37
COL 0, UTA 10
UTA - Curtis,Dillon 53 yd field goal 11 plays, 40 yards, TOP 04:30
COL 0, UTA 17
UTA - Parker,Wayshawn 58 yd run (Curtis,Dillon kick), 1 plays, 58 yards, TOP 00:13
2nd Quarter
COL 0, UTA 19
UTA - 0 yd safety
COL 0, UTA 26
UTA - Buchanan,JJ 22 yd pass from Ficklin,Byrd (Curtis,Dillon kick) 4 plays, 72 yards, TOP 01:39
COL 0, UTA 33
UTA - Rogers,NaQuari 2 yd run (Curtis,Dillon kick), 16 plays, 60 yards, TOP 07:21
COL 0, UTA 40
UTA - Simmons,Larry 20 yd pass from Ficklin,Byrd (Curtis,Dillon kick) 2 plays, 21 yards, TOP 00:34
COL 0, UTA 43
UTA - Curtis,Dillon 23 yd field goal 4 plays, 2 yards, TOP 00:41
3rd Quarter
COL 0, UTA 46
UTA - Curtis,Dillon 45 yd field goal 8 plays, 27 yards, TOP 03:48
4th Quarter
COL 7, UTA 46
COL - Staub,Ryan 1 yd run (Mata,Alejandro kick), 9 plays, 59 yards, TOP 03:52
COL 7, UTA 53
UTA - Johnson,Nate 56 yd run (Curtis,Dillon kick), 2 plays, 70 yards, TOP 00:53
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
QB
/ FootballQB
/ Football
LB
/ Football
ATH
/ Football
S
/ Football
RB
/ FootballP
/ FootballUtah: 53, Colorado: 7 | POST GAME PRESS CONFERENCE
Saturday, October 25
Crimson Corner with Bill Riley - ESPN's Fran Fraschilla
Wednesday, October 22
Head Coach Kyle Whittingham weekly press conference - 10.20.25
Monday, October 20
Utah: 21, BYU: 24 | Post Game Press Conference
Sunday, October 19