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BOULDER, Colo. — Utah fans were divided watching their beloved team play Colorado in the regular-season finale.
Some wanted No. 22 Utah (8-4, 5-4 Pac-12) to win, sticking with their loyal blood, but others didn’t want No. 9 Colorado (10-2, 8-1) earning the division title before the Utes. Both teams joined the conference in 2011.
Entering the game, had the Utes defeated the Buffs, No. 13 USC would’ve won the Pac-12 South. On the other hand, if Colorado locked the win, it would’ve won the division and met No. 5 Washington at next Friday’s Pac-12 championship game.
The game came down to Utah’s lack of capitalizing from opportunities in the red zone. The Utes finished with one touchdown on five trips inside the 20-yard line, fumbling the ball once on the 2-yard line and settling for three field goals on the other occasions.
Colorado won 27-22, clinching its first division title since entering the Pac-12. Now Utah awaits its bowl bid after dropping three of its last four games.
Utah was the first to put points on the board, thanks to Boobie Hobbs’ 55-yard punt return. It was Hobbs’ longest punt return of the year and second career punt return for a touchdown. The play seemed promising for Utah fans, however it’d be the only time the Utes would lead.
The Utes threatened to move ahead 10-0 after Colorado’s second-straight three-and-out, but Andy Phillips’ 45-yard field goal attempt was wide right, letting the Buffs start at their own 27-yard line. Quarterback Sefo Liufau led the Buffs downfield to finish the first quarter tying the score.
Colorado had its own miscues. It had plenty of dropped passes, including one to George Frazier who was wide open in the end zone. The Buffs came away with just six points on back-to-back trips inside the Utah 10-yard line. Utah was shut out in the second quarter and the teams went to halftime with Colorado up 13-7.
After the break, quarterback Troy Williams moved the chains to the Buffs’ red zone. Running back Joe Williams ran for 7 yards, leaving the Utes at the 2-yard line on second-and-goal. The Utes quarterback was then tackled for loss and threw an incompletion on third down. Utah was forced to kick another field goal, cutting Colorado’s lead to 13-10.
On the next series, Utah’s defense forced Colorado to punt. The Utes marched all the way to the 2-yard line but came up with nothing when Joe Williams fumbled the ball.
Minutes later, safety Chase Hansen forced a Colorado fumble and Chris Hart came up with the ball. This time, the Utes returned to the Buffs’ 2-yard line, but again settled for a field goal, tying the score 13-13.
Colorado answered with a touchdown on its next possession. The Buffs entered the fourth quarter with a 20-13 lead.
The Utes weren’t giving up, though. Kyle Fulks kicked off the fourth quarter with a 93-yard kickoff return. Things looked promising as Utah started its drive on the Buffs’ 3-yard line, but fans were cautious considering the Utes’ struggle in the red zone — now deemed the dread zone. Once again, Utah settled for a field goal.
The teams then exchanged punts before Joe Williams fumbled inside the Utes’ 15-yard line. Colorado recovered and ran into the end zone for a touchdown, boosting its score to 27-16.
With the clock running out, Utah traveled 80 yards in 13 plays to score on a 7-yard touchdown by Demari Simpkins — yes, the offense finally scored a touchdown. The Utes’ 2-point conversion failed, giving Colorado the ball back to run out the clock.
For Utes fans, the bad news is Colorado’s win makes it the fifth different South team to win the division in as many years, leaving Utah as the only team in the division to not have a title. The good news is the Utes’ season isn’t over as they’ll play in a bowl game in the next few weeks.
