SportsDirect Inc. staff
Nov 29, 2014
Utah 38, Colorado 34: Travis Wilson threw three touchdown passes and Dominique Hatfield returned an interception for the go-ahead score in the fourth quarter as the visiting Utes put a wrap on the Buffaloes' first winless conference season in 99 years.
Kaelin Clay caught two touchdown passes among his 10 receptions for 88 yards while Devontae Booker rushed for 95 yards and a score for Utah (8-4, 5-4 Pac-12), which recorded its first winning record in the Pac-12 since joining the conference in 2011. Wilson was 25-of-37 and matched a career high with 311 yards while Westlee Tonga caught three passes for 77 yards and a score.
Christian Powell tied a career high with three touchdowns to stake Colorado to a 24-16 lead at halftime and Nelson Spruce set a school record with his 12th touchdown reception. Sefo Liufau was 20-of-31 for 317 yards with a touchdown and the interception for the Buffaloes (2-10, 0-9), whose senior class was 10-39.
A well-executed fake resulted in punter Tom Hackett running 24 yards for a first down, and Booker scored on a 1-yard run three snaps later - two plays after Wilson's 42-yard pass to Tonga - to bring Utah within 24-22 early in the third quarter. Wilson's 28-yard touchdown pass to Tonga put the Utes ahead 28-27 and after a second straight failed two-point conversion, Liufau threw a pass over the middle near midfield to Spruce, who outraced the secondary for a 66-yard TD to make it 34-28.
Liufau's screen pass was disrupted by Hatfield, who caught it in stride and easily ran 20 yards to put Utah on top 38-34 with 10 minutes left. After scoring on runs of 1 and 2 yards, Powell burst through a hole and raced 33 yards down the left sideline to give Colorado a 21-16 lead with 5:20 left in the first half.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Colorado finished 0-5 in the Rocky Mountain Conference in 1915. ... Buffaloes K Will Oliver extended his school-record extra point streak to 102 while the Utes' Andy Phillips missed the first of his career after making 78. ... Spruce, who caught five passes for 91 yards, broke the previous school record for touchdown catches in a season of 11 set by Derek McCoy in 2003. ... Wilson also threw for 311 yards in 2012 and 2013.