This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Eugene, Ore. • While Utah's offense got plenty of deserved credit for a 62-20 win over the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium on Saturday night, the defense did more than its part in the win.

As the Utes built a 14-point halftime lead, that defense held the prolific Ducks running game to 67 yards, a running attack that had been averaging 316 per game. Over that same span, Oregon gained only 76 passing yards.

That set the tenor and tone for Utah's lopsided victory.

In a decisive third quarter, when Utah scored 28 points, Oregon's offense could not respond against the Ute D, going scoreless.

By the time the Ducks started picking up yardage on the ground — they totaled 222 yards — the outcome was already certain. Their overall passing game was inefficient, too, gaining just 178 yards. Starting quarterback Vernon Adams, who was playing with a broken finger on his throwing hand, struggled and was replaced by Jeff Lockie in the second quarter. Neither QB could effectively, consistently solve or hurt Utah's secondary.

Five Utah sacks made each of them jumpy and jittery.

The Utes also caused three turnovers and got 21 points off of those turnovers, contributing to an avalanche of favorable — for them — scoring through the back end of the game. As the Utes' offense was rolling for seven touchdowns — an eighth came on a punt return by Boobie Hobbs — the Utah defense allowed the Ducks to burn time off the clock by fiddle-faddling around, picking up useless yardage that mattered little in the final tally. Oregon labored to sustain drives, converting just four of 13 third downs.

All told, the Utes picked up 530 yards to Oregon's 400. The one-sidedness of the game, though, was much larger than that differential.

Afterward, frustrated Ducks coach Mark Helfrich punctuated the outcome like this: "There's not too much to be said. Utah is a good team."

Twitter: @GordonMonson