Oregon vs. Utah score, takeaways: No. 23 Utes dominate No. 3 Ducks, Pac-12 again out of playoff picture

Utah gained a measure of revenge on Saturday after Oregon dashed its CFP hopes just two seasons ago

By David Cobb

Nov 21, 2021 • 1 min read

When No. 3 Oregon and No. 23 Utah last met in the 2019 Pac-12 Championship Game, the Ducks won handily and wrecked the Utes' hopes of making the College Football Playoff. Utah got its revenge on Saturday night by clinching the Pac-12 South with a dominant 38-7 victory that likely dashed the Ducks' CFP aspirations. The Ducks' loss likely ensures that the Pac-12 will not have a representative in the CFP for the fifth straight season, with Washington's appearance at the close of the 2016 season being the last for the league.

Utah took a 28-0 lead into halftime by denying Oregon points on all three of its trips into Utes territory. It capped the half off in thrilling fashion with a 78-yard punt return from Britain Covey as time expired in the second quarter. An Oregon team that plays at a methodical pace scored on its opening series of the third quarter, but the Ducks couldn't sustain the momentum and suffered their second loss of the season -- with the previous defeat coming to Stanford.

Oregon finished with just 294 total yards, averaging only 2.7 yards per rush while converting on jus 6 of 14 third down attempts. Tavion Thomas ran for 94 yards and scored three touchdowns to lead the Utah offense, while quarterback Cam Rising completed 10 of 18 passes for 178 yards. Rising improved to 7-1 this season as the starter since taking over following the team's 1-2 start. His favorite target was tight end Brant Kuithe, who caught five passes for 118 yards.

With the win, the highest ranked victory at home for the Utes, coach Kyle Whittingham is now the program's all-time wins leader with 142 victories. He surpasses Ike Armstrong, who led the program from 1925 to 1949.

Rematch coming?

If Oregon beats Oregon State in the regular-season finale for both teams next week, the Ducks will get a rematch with Utah in the Pac-12 title game on Dec. 3. A berth in the Pac-12 Championship Game would present a meaningful shot at retribution for Oregon, and it would come with a Rose Bowl bid on the line.

Even if Oregon loses next week, it could still end up in the mix for the Pac-12 Championship Game depending on how various tiebreaker scenarios play out. So while a national championship appears to be off the table, a championship of some sort remains in play for this team. It will be the Utah's third league title game in the last four seasons, but the Utes are still looking for their first victory in a conference championship game.

Cincinnati benefits

Cincinnati fans started a "let's go Utah" chant during the fourth quarter of the Bearcats' 48-14 win over SMU, and the Utes obliged them. With the Ducks likely to plummet in the CFP Rankings as a result of Utah's authoritative win, Cincinnati could be in position to claim the No. 4 spot in the new batch of rankings to be released on Tuesday.

Everyone else in the top six of the CFP Rankings looked good on Saturday, and the Ducks looked really bad. In that way, this result helped cut through the mid of the playoff picture. Oregon is out and Cincinnati got the help it so desperately needed.

Britain Covey's breakout

Utah's 5-foot-8 slot receiver from the Class of 2015 has long been one of the Pac-12's best returners, but he may have had his finest moment on Saturday. His 78-yard punt return for a touchdown on the final play of the first half turned Utah's lead from a comfortable one into an advantage that proved altogether insurmountable for Oregon's plodding offensive attack. Covey also caught three passes for 36 yards.

Covey was an honorable mention All-Pac-12 returner as a freshman in 2015 before taking two seasons off for a church mission. He returned even better and earned first-team all-conference honors as a returner in 2018 before redshirting in 2019 while playing in four games. Covey again earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors as a returner last season.

Considering that 2020 did not count against his eligibility, Covey could technically play two more seasons. But he's already graduated, and he showed on Saturday that he might be ready to give the NFL a shot. There may be no better returner in college football.

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Another stat

One that sticks out is Utah converting 8 of 10 third downs in the first half while Oregon converted just 1 of 6. The Ducks put themselves behind the sticks too frequently and have not shown any downfield passing game. It stands to reason Oregon will need to generate some productivity through the air if it's going to move the football enough to get back in this game, but that will be easier said than done against a stingy defense playing with a multi-score lead.

Wow!

No. 23 Utah 28, No. 3 Oregon 0

Britain Covey returns an Oregon punt 78 yards on the final play of the first half, making Oregon pay in the worst way for its aggression. Whittingham's decision to call a timeout and force Oregon to punt pays off. Just an unreal sequence that feels like a knockout punch. The yards per play advantage is just 6.1 to 4.7, but the Utes have a commanding lead, in large part, because of their special teams.

Utah up BIG

Tavion Thomas scores from four yards out with 27 seconds left, and Utah is up 21-0 now. Wow. In a matter of minutes, Oregon goes from driving and looking it would close the gap to 7, to now trailing by 21 in the final minute of the half. What a start for the Utes. That caps a 6-play, 77-yard drive. The ramifications of this are massive. With everyone else in the top six getting big wins today -- most of them in impressive fashion -- the Ducks are flopping in a major way.

Utah in business

After the blocked field goal, Cam Rising finds Kuithe for ANOTHER big play. The tight end has been lethal in this first half, and the Utes are on the Oregon 5-yard line.

Oregon comes up empty again

Coming out of the timeout, Brown tries to hit Devon Williams in the end zone, but Clark Phillips breaks it up despite never looking back for the football. Would have been DPI in the NFL. Lewis comes on for his second FG try of the game and misses it wide right. Devastating for the Ducks, who have no points to show for three trips inside Utah territory.

Timeout Oregon

Anthony Brown hits Kris Hutson for a 50-yard gainer on the first play of the drive to quickly flip the field position. But the Ducks get hit with a holding penalty and go nowhere on the next two plays. They call a timeout facing third-and-19 at the Utah 23.

Utah up two scores

Rising hits Brant Kuithe for 21 and then finds him for 28 on the next play. Utes worked the middle of the field well and then went back to the run before Rising found Covey for a 9-yard pickup to set up Rising's 1-yard QB run TD around the left edge. Utes have Oregon in some deep trouble here in Salt Lake City. Utah is 7 of 9 on third downs versus just 1 of 4 for Oregon.

Airing it out

Rising hits Brant Kuithe for 21 and then finds him for 28 on the next play. Utes working the middle of the field and are quickly in business here.

Brown goes down

Oregon reaches the Utah 35, but on third-and-8, Brown goes down for a loss of 12. Mika Tafua gets credit for the sack, although Brown really just tripped. So Utah takes over again after a Britain Covey return to the 20. That's twice Oregon has been in Utah territory without any points. Interesting that Byron Cardwell has more carries (3) than Travis Dye (2) so far. Would imagine the Oregon staff is trying to conserve Dye's energy.

Oregon gets it back

Noah Sewell sacks Cam Rising for a loss of 12 on third-and-5 after he had a lot of time to throw. He tried to escape, but Sewell blew it up. Michael Williams punts it 36 yards, and it's fair caught by Seven McGee at the Oregon 39. Ducks have pretty good field position for their first series of the second quarter. QBs still a combined 3 of 11 for 32 yards. Didn't think it'd be much of an aerial display, but yikes.

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