Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
- Lander Barton's pick six extended Utah's streak to 21 seasons, despite losing.
- Iowa State defeated Utah 31-28, securing their ninth win and nearing a record season.
- Utah's offense struggled, with injuries affecting quarterback play, leading to a seven-game losing streak.
SALT LAKE CITY — In a season of struggles and frustrations, Lander Barton salvaged the season ... in a way.
Three minutes into the second quarter, the junior linebacker was on the receiving end of a tipped pass at Utah's 13-yard line. Barton broke a shoe-string tackles at the 20-yard line, and then rumbled down the Iowa State sideline to the end zone (with some help from defenders) for an 87-yard pick-six score.
The pick six gave Utah an early 10-7 lead; but more importantly extended a nation-leading 21-year consecutive streak of at least one pick six each season.
"It was fun at the time — just didn't want to go down — but, overall, just wanted to get the W," Barton said.
The rest of the game went like the previous six: a loss.
No. 22 Iowa State controlled a 17-13 lead at the halftime break after outgaining Utah 243-76 in total yardage, and added to the scoreboard in the second half en route to a 31-28 win at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
The loss assured Utah (4-7, 1-7 Big 12) of a losing season — one in which the Utes failed to secure a win at home against a conference opponent this season. Utah is now on a seven-game losing skid with one game on the road left in the season.
Utah opened up the game with a 46-yard pass on the first play of its drive from true freshman quarterback Isaac Wilson to receiver Daidren Zipperer. But Utah couldn't get anything going in the red zone and was forced to kick a 34-yard field goal for the early 3-0 lead.
Cyclones quarterback Rocco Becht led his team downfield to Utah's 19-yard line before the Utes got a stop on third down, forcing Iowa State into a field goal attempt. Utah blocked the ensuing attempt but Junior Tafuna was called for a holding penalty.
The play gave Iowa State (9-2, 6-2 Big 12) a first down, and three plays later Becht found Jayden Higgins for a 7-yard touchdown and the go-ahead score.
LANDER BARTON PICK 6!!!!!!!!
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) November 24, 2024
📺 @CFBONFOX#GoUtes | @BartonLanderpic.twitter.com/kf2nartJiF
From there, it was all Iowa State — outside of Barton's pick six — en route to the school's ninth win of the season. Iowa State is one win away from a record-breaking season, as the Cyclones have never had a 10-win season in school history.
Becht finished the night throwing for 256 yards, one touchdown and one interception on 20-of-38 passing, while adding a 1-yard rushing touchdown late in the third quarter to extend the Cyclones' lead to 24-13.
Higgins led the Cyclones in receiving with 155 yards and one touchdown on nine catches.
Utah's offense continued its season-long struggles to move the ball. The Utes managed only 95 rushing yards, with senior Micah Bernard accounting for 42 of those yards, and 224 total yards of offense.
After Wilson's deep pass on the first play of the game, the freshman got conservative and held onto the ball too long, waiting for plays to develop, and Utah's offense failed to pick up more than two first downs until late in the third quarter.
"I think there's probably a combination of things: not wanting to make a mistake is probably at the top of the list," Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham said of Wilson's play. "We've turned the ball over excessively this year, and that's — in order to have a chance, you can't do that. ... But he's young, which matters. I mean, he's a freshman; although, he's had probably 600 reps now — 500 plus — and so we've just got to evaluate everything."
Wilson finished the night with a perfect 7-of-7 passing, but it was only for 74 yards before exiting the game in the third quarter with an injury. Wilson spent time in the team's medical tent before eventually going into the locker room at the quarter break.
In his stead, walk-on senior quarterback Luke Bottari, the team's fifth-string QB, finished with 55 yards on 5-of-9 passing.
"Luke Bottari came in and really did some good things," Whittingham said. "I'm proud of Luke, and probably will be our quarterback next week, as it's looking."
Despite the offensive struggles, Utah's defense continued to attack Iowa State, culminating with a fourth quarter blocked punt by Jackson Bennee that Utah's David Washington scooped up in the end zone for another defensive score.
Bottari found tight end Caleb Lohner alone in the back of the end zone on the ensuing play to convert the 2-point try to cut the Iowa State lead to 24-21 with 14:49 left to play.
After another defensive stop, Utah used a heavy-run game that included a 40-yard run down the sideline by Bottari and another 16-yard run to set up Micah Bernard for 1-yard rushing touchdown for the go-ahead score with 5:51 left to play.
"We had a chance to make the stop at the end to clinch, and we just can't seem to make that final stop that we need," Whittingham said. "But again, guys have a reason to hold their head high."
Despite the Utah effort, Becht led Iowa State on a 10-play, 75-yard drive that was capped off with a 3-yard rushing touchdown for the game-winning drive. Utah had 1:31 and 75 yards to win the game. Utah got info field-goal territory, but an intentional grounding call backed up Utah, and the Cole Becker missed a 54-yard game-tying field goal attempt.
