This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated.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.

Utah had been healthier after fall camp, and then at the midway point of the season, than head coach Kyle Whittingham could remember his team ever being.

That Utah was 6-0 then and 2-3 since can be credited in part by a spate of injuries that is as without precedent as the earlier lack of them.

During Saturday's 17-9 loss to UCLA, Utah was without sophomore defensive tackle Filipo Mokofisi for a third straight game and without junior defensive end Hunter Dimick for a fourth straight game.

Junior cornerback Reginald Porter played after missing the trip to Tucson, but soon departed. With redshirt freshman safety Chase Hansen already lost for the season after injuring his ankle on the last play against Washington, senior Tevin Carter left Saturday's game and was replaced by walk-on Evan Eggiman.

Whittingham had no updates on their statuses Saturday. Asked if the Utes sustained any new injuries that were season-ending, he said: "We might [have]. We'll have to find out what's going on with these guys."

And looming above all: the absence of senior running back Devontae Booker, who had led the nation in touches from scrimmage and carries per game before an injury he sustained against Arizona required surgery to his meniscus earlier this week.

Joe Williams rushed for 121 yards in relief, but Booker was missed in the red zone, where the Utes finished without a touchdown.

Making matters worse, true freshman and leading receiver Britain Covey left the game with an apparent ankle injury. Covey had hopped from one sideline to the other and re-entered the game, but he was eventually yanked and watched the second half with his foot in a boot.

Tidbits

Representatives from the Peach, Alamo and Sun bowls were on hand. … Tristan Chidester, 13, accompanied Utah's captains to midfield for the coin toss. Chidester lost his leg to his fight against cancer and is part of the Jesse Rees Foundation, with which Travis Wilson is affiliated. … The attendance of 46,230 was the eighth-largest in school history, with five of the top 11 crowds in school history coming this season. … The last time Utah was held without a touchdown: Oct. 26, 2013, in a 19-3 loss at USC.

mpiper@sltrib.com

Twitter: @matthew_piper