If Kyle Whittingham had it his way, he’d put preseason games on the college football calendar.
Well, the Utes got their tune-up game on Saturday afternoon.
No. 25 Utah (2-0) defeated the Cal Poly Mustangs (1-1) 63-9 in Salt Lake City. In the blowout win, junior quarterback Devon Dampier finished with 192 passing yards, 25 rushing yards and three passing touchdowns, tying his single-game career high.
Freshman quarterback Byrd Ficklin was subbed into the game midway through the third quarter after the Utes had all but secured the win over Cal Poly.
Utah racked up 519 yards of total offense.
The Utes’ defense held the Mustangs to 158 passing yards and 65 rushing yards in the afternoon. They also forced multiple turnovers — one interception from defensive back Jackson Bennee and another from linebacker Johnathan Hall — and three sacks.
Sophomore running back Wayshawn Parker scored the first touchdown of the game for a second consecutive week in a row. He gave the Utes a 7-0 lead following a 52-yard reception on a check-down pass from Dampier.
Parker finished with 102 scrimmage yards and two total touchdowns.
Bennee jumped in on the action with a 46-yard pick-six with 7:15 remaining in the first quarter.
His pick six extended Utah’s streak of consecutive seasons with an interception returned for a touchdown to 22, the longest-known streak in the FBS, according to a Ute athletics spokesperson.
By the half, the Utes led Cal Poly 35-6, following another passing score from Dampier and a pair of touchdown runs from running back NaQuari Rogers to end the second quarter.
In the second half, Dampier scored his final touchdown of the day on an 11-yard floater to junior tight end Dallen Bentley. Parker also notched his second score of the day on a 43-yard run up the middle.
Ficklin joined in on the action, scooting, juking and stiff-arming his way to a 38-yard score. The freshman finished with 53 yards on 4-of-4 passing, 55 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns.
Next, Utah will hit the road to take on Wyoming (2-0) at 6 p.m. on Sept. 13 in Laramie, Wyo.