Wayshawn Parker has 3 TDs as No. 15 Utah holds on to defeat Iowa State

AMES, Iowa — It didn't take long for Wayshawn Parker to have a bounce-back performance.

A week after being held to just 30 rushing yards against Iowa State, Parker exploded on the scene in Ames, Iowa, where the star tailback had 144 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns before the halftime break to help give No. 15 Utah an early 24-3 lead.

On the first play of the game, Parker took the handoff from quarterback Devon Dampier, brushed past a defender at the line of scrimmage and then went untouched down the field for a 54-yard rushing touchdown to give Utah's offense some early life.

Parker's first-half performance was better than the entire Iowa State offense, who managed just 139 total yards in the opening half.

But Iowa State made life difficult for Utah in the second half and limited an offense that had scored a nation-best 30+ points per game over its last nine games. On top of that, the Cyclones found an offense that looked more dynamic than it did in the first half.

Even with a less-than-desirable second half, Utah managed to hold on and came away with a 31-17 victory in the team's first road game of the season, and first conference win.

Parker finished the game with a team-leading 174 rushing yards and two touchdowns, and 65 receiving yards and a touchdown on five catches in the win in which Utah had 411 total yards of offense.

Dampier threw for 206 yards and a touchdown — a 24-yard toss up the seam to Braden Pegan in the first quarter — on 18-of-27 passing.

Iowa State managed 316 total yards of offense, with quarterback Jaylen Raynor throwing for 205 yards a touchdown and two interceptions — including a Hail Mary toss at the end of the first half that receiver Braden Pegan picked off and one late in the fourth quarter by Jackson Bennee — on 21-of-40 passing.

Raynor made Utah sweat late in the game with a 22-yard strike to make it a one-score game with 10:48 left. But Utah held on to keep the clean slate on the season.

This story will be updated.

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