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In its best Pac-12 season yet, Utah suffered its worst Pac-12 loss.
Thoughts that the No. 20 Utes might play in one of the Pac-12's premier bowl games wound up all wet in a 42-10 loss to No. 15 Arizona on Senior Day.
The Wildcats overcame a halftime exit from redshirt freshman quarterback Anu Solomon, who was observed in a walking boot on the sideline, and running back Nick Wilson gashed Utah's front seven for 218 yards and three touchdowns.
"Got outcoached. Got outplayed. Pretty apparent," summarized Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham.
In retrospect, it seems a wonder that Utah was actually favored by 4.5 points.
Wilson had scoring runs of 17, 19 and 75 yards, and Utah's offense conceded more points (14) than it scored on a dreary afternoon against of the conference's most porous defenses.
Dave Christensen's bunch started slow — without a first down in the first quarter — and both offense and defense ended snoozing, as Arizona scored 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter.
Whittingham said energy wasn't a problem to start the game. Utah was amped on the heels of a ceremony for 17 departing seniors. But: "We, for the first time this year, didn't finish."
Junior quarterback Travis Wilson finished 16 for 29 with 143 yards and two interceptions and gave way late to redshirt freshman Conner Manning, who was picked off by Tra'Mayne Bondurant for a touchdown on his debut series.
Few fans were on hand by that time.
Whittingham believes the game hinged on what first appeared to be Kaelin Clay's fifth return touchdown of the season, an 87-yarder down the east sideline that was negated by a holding penalty on freshman Boobie Hobbs, when Utah trailed just 21-10 in the late third quarter.
From that point on, Utah's generally stout rush defense was a sieve.
Rich Rodriguez's team may have paid a heavy toll if Solomon misses extended time, but at 9-2, their title hopes remain alive heading into next week's rivalry showdown with Arizona State.
Senior backup Jesse Scroggins was effective in Solomon's stead, going 3-for-5 for 64 yards and rushing four times for 16 yards, but he could have done nothing and been just as victorious.
Solomon sparked the rout early, connecting with senior wideout Austin Hill down the right sideline for a 51-yard gain and then carrying it in himself from 11 yards out on the next play for his first career rushing touchdown.
He later found Trey Griffey for a 49-yard gain, nearly picked off by a gambling Utah defender, and Wilson brushed off tacklers to rumble in from 19 yards out.
The margin stretched to 21-0 when junior running back Bubba Poole fumbled trying to drive toward the first down marker, and the ball was recovered by senior defensive tackle Dan Pettinato and returned 31 yards for the Wildcats' third score.
Wilson rallied the troops and hit senior Westlee Tonga in the left corner of the end zone for a needed score before the break, but the Utes needed still more after the break, and all they got was a 28-yard field goal from sophomore kicker Andy Phillips.
Earlier in the first half, Wilson rushed for 33 yards, drawing a personal foul at the end of the play, to venture deep into Arizona territory, but then threw into triple coverage across the middle to Clay and was picked off for the third time this year, by senior free safety Jourdon Grandon. He later had another pass tipped and caught by senior linebacker Jared Tevis, for his second two-interception game of the season.
Junior running back Devontae Booker finished with 23 carries for 143 yards, and junior punter Tom Hackett punted nine times for 401 yards.
Utah closes out its regular season next Saturday in Boulder, Colorado, against the nominal rival Buffs.
"Got to pick yourself up off the mat," said a terse Whittingham.
Twitter: @matthew_piper —
Storylines
• Utah's offense fails to record a first down in the first quarter and falls flat in the passing game against the nation's No. 117-ranked pass defense.
• Arizona's Nick Wilson carries the load after redshirt freshman quarterback Anu Solomon leaves with an injury, finishing with 218 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries.
• Utah's slim chance at a Pac-12 South title is erased, and so is its hopes of playing in one of the conference's first-choice bowl games.
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More coverage
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Weathering the storm • Arizona shows preparedness in victory. > C6