Upcoming Event: Track & Field versus NCAA First Round on May 28, 2026
Track & Field
vs NCAA First Round
The University of Utah Athletics
Utah Football: In-Game Notes at Houston
General
Offense
Defense
Special Teams
- Utah won the coin toss and deferred to the second half. The Utes defended the West goal to begin the game.
Offense
- True freshman quarterback Isaac Wilson made his fifth start of the season, becoming the third true freshman QB in recorded program history to start at least five games (Travis Wilson - 7 in 2012; Jordan Wynn - 5 in 2009). Overall, five true freshmen quarterbacks have started a game for Utah all-time.
- Wilson hit tight end Brant Kuithe with a 71-yard touchdown pass on the Utes' second offensive play of the game. It tied a career-long pass for Wilson, coming off his 71-yard TD pass to Money Parks vs. TCU on Oct. 19. It was also a career-long reception for Kuithe, surpassing a 69-yard catch vs. UCLA in 2019.
- The touchdown pass to Kuithe marked the second time in the last three games that Utah scored on its opening drive of the game.
- Kuithe has now caught a pass in 40 straight games played, leading all FBS tight ends and ranking second among active players in the Big 12. The touchdown reception from Wilson gave him sole possession of third place in program history both for career receiving touchdowns and career receiving yards.
- Utah has three different 70-yard scoring plays in the same season for the first time since 2019 (vs. TCU - 71 yards Wilson to Parks; vs. SUU - 79 yards Rising to Stanley)
- Wilson's 71-yard strike to Kuithe made him the first true freshman *starting* QB in program history to have multiple touchdown passes of 70-plus yards. Ken Vierra has the longest touchdown pass by a Utah true freshman starting QB (76 yards to Tex Wise vs. UTEP on Oct. 2, 1981).
- Kuithe set a new season-high for receiving yards during the second quarter (previously 74 at Oklahoma State). He reached 100 yards just before halftime to secure his fourth career 100-yard game (132 vs. UCLA in 2019; 118 vs. Oregon in 2021; 105 at Florida in 2022).
- Running back Micah Bernard rushed for a 14-yard touchdown in the third quarter; Bernard now has three rushing scores this season and two in the last three games.
Defense
- The Utah defense held Houston scoreless on its game-opening drive, marking the seventh time this season that the Utes have made a stop to begin the game.
- Linebacker Karene Reid forced Houston to punt with a third-down stop during the first quarter. It is Reid's second straight game with at least one TDS and he now has 3.0 total TDS on the season.
- Safety Alaka'i Gilman has made a TFL in back-to-back games. Gilman now has 5.0 TFL this season and ranks second on the team.
- Gilman has made seven plus tackles in back-to-back games and three of the last four.
- Linebacker Lander Barton set a new career-high in tackles and has made eight-plus tackles in three straight games. Barton's performance netted the first 10-tackle game by a Ute since the 2023 Las Vegas Bowl (Levani Damuni - 12).
- Fellow linebacker Johnathan Hall made his first career interception during the third quarter, returning that pick 24 yards.
Special Teams
- Punter Jack Bouwmeester launched a 54-yard punt during the fourth quarter; it was his 29th career punt for 50-plus yards.