Devon Dampier shook his head as he walked off the field.
The junior quarterback had just thrown his first interception of the season.
And the Utes — for the second week in a row — were off to a slow start offensively. They had two fumbles in addition to Dampier’s interception. Utah was 3 of 8 on third down. The Utes ended the first half with only 145 yards of total offense.
But unlike its win against Wyoming, No. 16 Utah’s (3-1, 0-1 Big 12) offensive struggles continued into the second half, resulting in a 34-10 loss to No. 17 Texas Tech on Saturday in Salt Lake City.
(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Utes quarterback Devon Dampier (4) looks to throw the ball against the Texas Tech Red Raiders during the game in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025.
Dampier finished the game with 162 passing yards, 27 rushing yards, two interceptions and no touchdowns.
“I think the biggest thing is just staying efficient,” Dampier said of Utah’s offensive struggles. “[We were] putting ourselves in a lot of third-and-longs, those are hard to overcome. In football, you try to stay as efficient as possible.”
Texas Tech’s backup quarterback, Will Hammond, finished with 169 yards and two touchdowns on 13-of-16 passing. He also ran for 61 yards.
(Chris Samuels | The Salt Lake Tribune) The crowd cheers on the set of Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff before Utah plays Texas Tech in Salt Lake City, Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025.
To open the first quarter, Texas Tech struck first on a 1-yard rushing touchdown from Cameron Dickey. A 73-yard pass from quarterback Behren Morton set up the Red Raiders’ score.
Despite Utah’s offensive struggles, its defense kept it in the contest through the first three quarters. Morton threw interceptions to Utah safety Tao Johnson and defensive back Jackson Bennee, before leaving the game because of an injury.
Texas Tech extended its lead to a 10-0 margin following a 58-yard field goal.
Freshman kicker Dillon Curtis then gave Utah its first score with a 32-yard attempt. Texas Tech led 10-3 entering the third quarter.
The Red Raiders scored again on a 25-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter, giving them a 13-3 lead over the Utes. After a three-quarter touchdown drought, sophomore running back Wayshawn Parker scored on a 5-yard rush, bringing Utah back within three points with 10:22 remaining.
With Hammond under center, Tech stormed back the very next drive, scoring a 24-yard touchdown. Dickey added another touchdown in the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach for the Utes.
(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Utes celebrate after a play against the Texas Tech Red Raiders during the game in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025.
“We didn’t do anything to help our own cause,” Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham said. “We have to review the film, fix our deficiencies, and get back at it come Monday. I mean, you can’t sit around and feel sorry for yourself.”
Next, Utah will travel to West Virginia at 1:30 p.m. MT next Saturday in Morgantown, W.V.