Utah Utes vs Washington State Cougars Match Player Stats On Sep 29, 2018

Gardner Minshew threw for 445 yards and three touchdowns -- including a go-ahead 89-yard strike to Easop Winston in the fourth quarter -- to rally Washington State for a 28-24 victory over visiting Utah on Saturday.

The Cougars (4-1, 1-1 Pac-12) held the Utes without a touchdown in the second half en route to winning for the fourth consecutive time in the series.

Tyler Huntley threw for 118 yards and added 88 yards and two scores on the ground to lead Utah. Zack Moss added 106 rushing yards and a touchdown on 30 carries. The Utes (2-2, 0-2 Pac-12) have lost two straight games to open Pac-12 play for the first time since 2013.

Both offenses lit up the scoreboard before halftime, combining for 509 yards, 26 first downs and 42 points.

Utah ran 18 times on 20 total plays in the first quarter to stake out a 14-7 lead. The Utes struck first when Huntley broke free and raced 24 yards for their first touchdown. Then Moss plowed across the goal line from 6 yards out to give Utah the lead again after Tay Martin reeled in a 4-yard pass from Minshew to tie it at 7-7.

Washington State scored on three consecutive drives to surge ahead 21-14 in the second quarter. The Cougars tied it a second time when Minshew, who went 31-for-56 passing, scrambled 10 yards on a quarterback keeper. Then Dezmon Patmon took a wide-open pass over the middle 65 yards to give Washington State its first lead at 21-14.

Utah tied it up late in the second quarter on a 1-yard keeper by Huntley. Jaylen Dixon set up the score with a 38-yard catch down to the Cougars 6-yard line.

The Utes took a 24-21 lead in the third quarter on a 41-yard field goal by Matt Gay. Utah forced punts on five of six Washington State drives before Winston busted loose down the sideline for his 89-yard touchdown catch with 4:14 remaining.

Utah had a chance for a go-ahead score when Britain Covey had a 36-yard catch down to the WSU 6 on fourth down with less than a minute left. But the play got negated by a holding penalty and the Utes turned it over on downs.

--Field Level Media