Utah finishes regular season with 20-14 win over Colorado


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SALT LAKE CITY — Utah closed out the regular season with a 20-14 victory over Colorado, making it the best season in Utah's tenure in the Pac-12.

Finishing with a 9-3 record, Utah concluded the regular season as one of the top teams in the conference. While not always perfect or pretty, Utah finished the season on a high note. The following are some takeaways from Utah's win over Colorado.

Defense wins games for Utah

Utah has always been a defensive-minded team, but it has been more evident during the second half of the season with Utah's struggles on offense. Senior Gionni Paul is the heart of the defense and continues to prove his worth each week. Paul led the team in total tackles with 13 and pulled down one of Utah's three interceptions of the day.

Behind Paul was an impressive performance from Viliseni Fauonuku, who had seven total tackles, four sacks, four tackles for loss and one forced fumble. Utah managed four turnovers and kept Colorado out of reach.

The defense continues to make Utah a Top 25 team and should be credited as such. It should come as no surprise to Utah fans, but it's a drastic difference in talent on the defensive side of the ball as opposed to the offense.

Joe Williams continues to impress

When Devontae Booker went down with a season-ending injury, many hoped junior college transfer Joe Williams would be able to carry the workload and contribute. It's clear that Williams is up for the challenge after back-to-back great performances.

Williams finished with 187 rushing yards and one touchdown on 34 carries. His most memorable moment was a breakaway 64-yard run down the sidelines that nearly went for a touchdown. It's clear he's a valuable asset moving forward for the Utes, as long as he can hang onto the ball. Williams did fumble the ball once in the second quarter, but didn't adversely affect the game.

The question, though, is why did we not see Williams more during the regular season? Utah could have had a dynamic two-back set and distributed the ball well between the two. Unfortunately, Utah will not get that opportunity as Williams will be the featured back for the bowl game with fewer options available at running back. Maybe we'll see something more from Williams and Troy McCormick next season.

Seniors go out with a bang

The seniors went out with a win in their last game at Rice-Eccles Stadium. These seniors have been part of the ups and downs throughout the journey through the Pac-12 and have waded through a lot of adversity. Although the season could have been better with an appearance in the Pac-12 Championship game, it's the best season for Utah since joining the conference.

It was fitting that seniors Travis Wilson and Kenneth Scott connected on the first score of the game. It's unfortunate that Scott wasn't able to finish the game with an ankle injury. But based on his jogging on the sideline at the end of the game, it's hopeful that Scott can finish strong with a bowl game appearance.

From Tom Hackett to Gionni Paul, Utah has had a special season for its seniors. The leadership alone with this group has been something Utah will sorely miss.

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Josh Furlong

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