Call it the Lake Escape, if you will.
It was closer than the final score looked. Really. For most of the game, it was a serious contest with upset potential written all over it, before Utah committed a few mistakes too many, allowing Oregon to pull away with a 51-27 win.
The Utes were able to keep it close with ferocious defensive play most of this game, and an inspired night by Travis Wilson, who came off the bench for an injured Kendall Thompson to throw for 300 yards on 17-of-27 passing. Believe it or not, his second touchdown of the night, a 13 yard pass to Weslee Tonga actually pulled the Utes to within three at 30-27 with 11:48 to play.
Then Oregon blew the doors off, scoring touchdowns on their last three possessions, while Utah missed a field goal, threw an interception -- one of four turnovers on the evening -- and punted on a three-and-out.
That would be the difference late. The Utes simply gassed out and committed too many of their own mistakes, as most Oregon opponents do.
Still, thoughts of this game will linger for a long time in Salt Lake City. If receiver Kaelin Clay hadn't committed an all-time blunder in the first half, fumbling short of the end zone on a premature celebration, the Utes would have had a 14-0 lead early on. Instead, Utah saw the game tied up, as that fumble was taken back 99 yards for an Oregon touchdown, changing the entire tenor of the contest.
1. Injuries are really, really getting to the Ducks. They've already suffered more than their fair share of personnel losses this season with multiple starters going down for the year, only to take on a few more nicks and dings against the Utes. Now, they could still survive to make it to the Playoffs, but at some point, even a team as talented as Oregon becomes strapped for depth. Take, for example, the loss of Ifo Ekpre-Olomu early in the first half, which undoubtedly played a large part in reviving Utah's previously non-existent passing attack -- the Utes came into the game averaging 175 yards passing, then exploded for over 300.
Then there was a disastrous fourth quarter that followed. Starting center Hroniss Grasu headed to the locker room early with a left leg injury, and on the drive that would eventually ice the game for Oregon, tight end Pharoah Brown hurt his knee running a route and was carted off.
Needless to say, these losses have Ducks have an even tougher road to their National Championship aspirations than before. It may not matter as long as they have Mariota, though.
2. The road to Santa Clara and the Pac-12 Championship is all clear, though. With the Stanford problem already taken care of and this close call now avoided, all that's left for the Ducks is Colorado after a bye, and then rival Oregon State, both games that Oregon will be heavily favored in. The North is already locked up with this victory, so there's plenty of time for them to at least try to get healthy.
3. Not enough people are talking about Devontae Booker . Royce Freeman gets more press up in Eugene, the state of Arizona boasts both D.J. Foster and Nick Wilson, and at USC there's Javorius "Buck" Allen. Fine. Hidden away in Salt Lake, Booker has quietly put up numbers that rival all of them, with far less supporting talent. There hasn't been any passing threats to take the pressure off of him this season, and defenses know well that he will touch the ball. It rarely matters -- Booker came into Saturday's game having rushed for over 140 yards in four of his last five contests. Oregon held him below the century mark, but he still found a way to contribute via the screen game, catching 8 passes for 110 yards and a touchdown.
from SBNation.com - All Posts http://ift.tt/1GDiFH4
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