Upcoming Event: Track & Field versus NCAA First Round on May 28, 2026
Track & Field
vs NCAA First Round
The University of Utah Athletics
Football
Game 3
Utah 21, SMU 17
Dallas, Texas - Sept. 14Cotton Bowl - Att. 22,614
DALLAS - Utah won its first WAC contest of the season, but not without some scares. The Utes, who escaped the Cotton Bowl with a 21-17 win over a good SMU team, had to shut the Mustangs down four times from the Utah 16-yard-line in the last 17 seconds. Cornerback Clarence Lawson broke up two passes in the end zone in the waning seconds and linebacker Jason Hooks tipped away a certain TD pass as the clock expired.
It took a gutsy effort for the Utes to defeat a revived SMU program and to raise their record to 2-1 (1-0 WAC). After enjoying a 14-7 halftime cushion, courtesy of touchdown passes by Mike Fouts to C.J. Johnson and Kevin Dyson, the Utes let SMU take a 17-14 lead in the fourth quarter. Held scoreless in the fourth in the two previous games, Fouts made sure Utah did not repeat past history. He took Utah on a nine-play, 69-yard TD drive, culminating with a 14-yard TD pass to senior Rocky Henry.
Fouts was marvelous this night, completing 22 of 29 passes for 220 yards and three scores. Sophomore running back Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala provided the ground heroics. Healthy for the first entire game of the year, Fuamatu-Ma'afala bulled to 92 yards on 21 carries. Henry led all receivers with eight catches for 66 yards, but freshman Boo Bendinger also put on a show--catching three balls for 51 yards.
Defensively, Nate Kia had a huge 11-yard sack on SMU's last march to the goal line and Harold Lusk picked off two Mustang passes. Clarence Lawson had four pass breakups, including two in the end zone on the game's last series.
Utah 7 7 0 7 - 21
SMU 7 0 3 7 - 17
Scoring Summary
SM--Thornal 8 pass from Flanigan (Hernandez kick), 4:10, 1st
UU--C.J. Johnson 3 pass from Fouts (Pulsipher kick), 0:34, 1st
UU--Dyson 8 pass from Fouts (Pulsipher kick), 2:56, 2nd
SM--Hernandez 28 field goal, 7:29, 3rd
SM--Flanigan 12 run (Hernandez kick), 11:46, 4th
UU--Henry 14 pass from Fouts (Pulsipher kick), 11:46, 4th
Team Statistics UU SM
First Downs 17 23
Net Rushing 29-101 50-228
Passing 220 166
Passing Yards 29-22-0 32-13-2
Total Offense 321 394
Fumbles 2-2 2-1
Penalties 6-41 5-45
Interceptions 2-32 0-0
Punting 5-44.0 4-37.0
Punt Returns 1-0 2-15
Kickoff Returns 2-46 3-65
Time of Possession 27:43 32:17
Third Down Conversions 6-11 8-17
Fourth Down Conversions 0-0 1-2
Sacks By 2-19 1-7
Individual Leaders
Rushing (Att-Yds-TD)--Utah: Fuamatu-Ma'afala 21-92-0, Johnson 5-15-0. SMU: Womack 21-125-0, Flanigan 18-86-1, Harmon 11-43-0.
Passing (Att-Comp-I-Yds-TD)--Utah: Fouts 29-22-0-220-3. SMU: Flanigan 31-13-1-166-1, Scotti 1-0-1-0-0.
Receiving (Rec-Yds-TD)--Utah: Henry 8-66-1, Keehan 4-53-0, Bendinger 3-51-0, Dyson 5-38-1. SMU: Johnson 3-67-0, Thornal 3-29-1, Cooper 2-26-0.
Kickoff Returns--Utah: Lawson 2-46-0. SMU: Womack 2-49-0, Phillips 1-16-0.
Punt Returns--Utah: Lusk 1-0. SMU: Humble 1-10, Womack 1-5.
Defensive Leaders--Utah: Tackles: Boglin 14, Love 14, Lusk 9. Sacks: Kia 1-11, Kauhaahaa 1-8. Interceptions: Lusk 2-32.