This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Palo Alto, Calif. • Say what you will about Utah's offense - it didn't work for most of 60 minutes, and that's not the first time that's happened this season - but it came to life. And that's not the first time that's happened, either.
In its third overtime game this season and its sixth conference game to be decided by one score or less, No. 25 Utah once again broke through at a point that it had become hard for a casual observer to think they would.
"Like I've said many times before, there's no quit in these guys," said head coach Kyle Whittingham. "They're physically tough and mentally tough, and I'm proud to be associated with them."
After Dave Christensen's bunch totaled just 197 yards in regulation, Travis Wilson found Kaelin Clay on a wheel route for a 25-yard strike on the first play of overtime, and then Wilson hit Kenneth Scott from three yards out for the ballgame, 20-17.
Utah remained undefeated in Palo Alto, Clay got a measure of redemption after his goal-line blunder against No. 3 Oregon last week, and 7-3 Utah ensured it will finish with a winning record for the first time since 2011.
"We're doing whatever we've got to do," Whittingham said. "… We're not very prolific right now on offense, we're not putting up huge numbers, but I believe we're playing smart, and we're playing disciplined, and tonight, we had just enough."
The climactic play came after Jordan Williamson drilled a 51-yard field goal on Stanford's second overtime possession, and after Kevin Hogan found Austin Hooper in the opposite corner on a play-action throwback pass in its first.
Afterward, Stanford head coach David Shaw said he was "very disappointed" in his team's performance.
Senior defensive end Nate Ochard recorded 3.5 sacks for 16.5 on the season to break Jimmy Bellamy's single-season school record of 15, and he also forced a fumble. Stanford had five sacks, and the two teams combined for just 475 yards in regulation.
After the teams combined for just 83 yards in the third quarter, the fourth quarter saw the Stanford offense churn for an 8:44 drive and ultimately punt. Minutes later, Utah senior cornerback Eric Rowe broke up Hogan's finely placed deep ball to Michael Rector to force overtime.
Making the ensuing 55 minutes that much sleepier, Stanford came out firing.
Jumping to throw over the incoming Orchard, Hogan threw to Lee Ward for a 3-yard score that capped a seven-play, 70-yard opening drive. Utah had stopped the Cardinal an inch or two short on an earlier third down, only to have freshman running back Christian McCaffrey take a Hogan pitch for a 37-yard gain, to the Ute 10.
Utah's first two drives stalled in Cardinal territory, first at the 46, then the 37.
Stanford then drove into Utah territory again midway through the second quarter, but after a remarkable catch on an improvised Hogan pass, Hooper had the ball stripped by Orchard and recovered by an alert Rowe.
Abruptly, Utah's offense came to life. Wilson found junior Kenneth Scott for a 32-yard strike, and after attacking the sidelines with passes to junior running backs Devontae Booker and Bubba Poole, Wilson kept it twice to gain the final 8 yards himself and knot the game at 7 apiece.
Just as abruptly, it went back into hibernation, though.
Junior punter Tom Hackett helped Utah control field position with nine punts for 402 yards, his second-in-the-nation average hampered by his proximity to the goal line. Hackett pinned the Cardinal inside its own 10 five times.
On reaching seven victories and putting themselves in position to finish high in the Pac-12's bowl pecking order, Utah's players were ecstatic.
"It feels good, finally, to get over that hump," Orchard said. "The last two years were frustrating, but I think we're doing a good job as a team coming together and not quitting on each other."
Said Scott: "It's freaking awesome, man."
Utah returns to action next week, hosting No. 17 Arizona, which beat Washington earlier Saturday on a last-second 47-yard field goal in Tucson.
Twitter: @matthew_piper —
Storylines
O Travis Wilson hits Kenneth Scott from 3 yards out for the game's winning score in double overtime, after throwing another touchdown to Kaelin Clay on a 25-yard wheel route in the first overtime.
• The two teams combine for just 475 yards in a defensive battle, with Stanford recording five sacks and Utah four. Utah captain Nate Orchard has 3.5 sacks to set Utah's all-time single-season record, with 16.5.
• Senior cornerback Eric Rowe recovers a fumble and breaks up what would have likely been a game-winning pass play for the Cardinal.