What might have otherwise been simply seen as a routine roadie for the favored Utah Utes on Saturday at West Virginia had transformed into a most significant affair, maybe even a crucible of sorts for a team on the brink.
The question was, on the brink of what exactly?
As it turned out, on the brink of blowing up — in every possible positive way. Kyle Whittingham had called for more explosive plays from his offense and he got them in nuclear fashion against this opponent.
“Not a whole lot wrong with this game,” he said afterward.
After fizzling against Texas Tech in their Big 12 opener at home last week, in a game that had a whole lot wrong with it, a showing that raised doubts about their ability to … you know, block and run and pass and catch and get into the end zone, the Utes in response could have either turned directly into the deficit facing them and made things right or they could have melted down and seized up and …
Mountain momma, shush your mouth.
Mountain momma’s mouth was shushed.
The odds that advantaged them by a fraction shy of two touchdowns in Morgantown, a normally rowdy place where Utah had never played before, meant nothing once the marching Pride of West Virginia had played “Take Me Home, Country Roads” in the pregame. What did mean something was the determined manner in which the Utes made their rearranged fate so very real.
There was no double-clutching, no stumbling and bumbling, no hangover of any kind this time around.
The Utes balled out.
Whittingham correctly called his offense “potent.”
Utah repeatedly moved down the field with ease and with efficiency, scoring on its first three possessions and continuing on from there, mercilessly throttling the Mountaineers. In contrast, the Utes gave their foes only scant chances to rack up points of their own. Whittingham has said time and time again that the greatest offenses are balanced ones. Well, here the Utes rolled up 242 rushing yards and 290 passing yards. All told, they gathered in 33 first downs.
Utah won by the rather serious count of 48-14.
In doing so, the Utes reestablished themselves as what they were thought to be — a most dangerous outfit — before Texas Tech sullied their designs on sitting atop the Big 12 from start to finish. Losing by 24 points on your home field will have that general effect.
Nothing soothes that kind of sting like the balm of a lopsided road win. And this Ute victory was as lopsided as a tossed half-filled jug of moonshine.
Devon Dampier was not perfect — he did throw a sloppy bloop ball that was picked in the second quarter, after Utah was already up, 21-zip — but was close enough, passing for 237 yards and four touchdowns. Only four Ute passes hit the ground throughout.
Utah’s offensive line bullied West Virginia’s defensive front. Its running backs clubbed would-be tacklers. And its receivers showed up in a way that had been absent, catching 25 passes, five for touchdowns.
Morgan Scalley’s defense was stellar, with the exception of a long-ball touchdown given up in the third quarter, and a meaningless West Virginia score later. Yardage was surrendered, but most of it only after the game was decided. Early on, the Mountaineers found little consistency on attack. And full knowledge of that fact gave substantial confidence to Utah’s offense, a group that was hardly lacking in self-esteem at any time on this day.
All of it repaired and regenerated and rejuvenated the Utes, giving hope to them that last week’s loss was not a harbinger, it was an aberration. That’s a point Utah football will have to prove to itself and others week in and week out, even in the preparation they put in this next week, when the Utes have a bye. Focus will be required thereafter against Arizona State at Rice-Eccles and then BYU at LaVell’s Place. And after that, against the regular run of conference teams, with yet another bye mixed in.
As much as the Utes wanted to bounce back after their first-season flop to own the Big 12 outright in their second go-round, indeed, they will have to buy it on time now, quarter by quarter, half by half, win by win. That’s the way it was always going to be, but the early loss to the Red Raiders exaggerated the notion, placing them in a hole from where their credit will have to be earned.
And Texas Tech will be brought up, again and again, even when Utah faces the aforementioned teams, and also Colorado and Cincinnati and Baylor and Kansas State and Kansas. That defeat will either drag the Utes down or it will help define a remarkable comeback. It will be an anchor draped around their necks or it will be a motivation pushing them toward a chance at a championship.
On Saturday, it was the latter. Their performance here was the sort of harbinger they can accept and use, one they can wrap their arms around and move forward with, not an aberration they must reject and run away from.
Either way, every single game is a crucible now for a team on the brink, a brink the Utes will dance on all year.