Utah scores on turnovers early, holds on 35-28 over BYU

LAS VEGAS – BYU kept turning the ball over, and Utah kept scoring.

About the only question left after five first quarter touchdowns by the Utes was how big their Las Vegas Bowl rout would be. Until BYU regained its composure, that is, and made it a game for both teams to remember.

Utah took advantage of a disastrous start by BYU, scoring five first-quarter touchdowns on turnovers – including two interceptions by Tevin Carter – before holding on Saturday to beat the Cougars 35-28.

Utah used its string of first quarter turnovers to build a 35-0 lead, then managed to hold on as BYU mounted a comeback that brought the Cougars to within one score with 3:23 left in the game. BYU couldn’t get the ball back, though, losing in Bronco Mendenhall’s last game after 11 years as head coach.

“We did lose the game,” Mendenhall said. “But I’m taking with me a pretty good going away present.”

After the game, BYU said it hired former Cougars running back Kalani Sitake as head coach. Sitake was Oregon State’s assistant head coach and defensive coordinator.

Carter returned one of his picks for a touchdown and another to the 1 as No. 20 Utah romped to a 35-0 first- quarter lead in the first meeting of the two heated rivals outside of the state of Utah. BYU turned the ball over the first five times it had the ball, with freshman quarterback Tanner Mangum throwing three interceptions and fumbling once.

That was all the scoring Utah did, and it nearly cost the Utes the game. Mangum would bring BYU back, throwing two touchdown passes and rushing for another to get the Cougars close.

“Giving up was never an option tight end Remington Peck said. “Everybody had the mentality that we would somehow find a way to get back in it.”

Mendenhall’s last game as BYU coach was almost over even before some of the fans settled into their seats, thanks to an opportunistic Utah defense that forced Mangum to fumble on the third play of the game. Midway through the first quarter, the Utes were already up 28-0.

BYU actually outgained Utah offensively (89-69) in the first quarter. But Carter and Dominique Hatfield both scored on interceptions, Joe Williams had two 1-yard touchdown runs, and quarterback Travis Wilson added another TD on a 20-yard run.

“You’re not going to lose a lot of games when you’re plus-5 in the turnover department” Whittingham said. “We got complacent and that’s on me. Next time we’re up 35-0 hopefully we won’t have the same results.”

BYU ended up with 386 yards to 197 for Utah, but the five early turnovers were the key in a game where the Utes didn’t turn the ball over at all.