Utes defense shuts down Oklahoma State, 22-19

STILLWATER, Okla. (ABC4 Sports) – Isaac Wilson didn’t find out until about 20 minutes before kickoff that he was going to start at quarterback in Utah’s first ever Big 12 Conference game.

But the freshman wasn’t rattled at all.

Wilson completed 17 of 29 passes for 207 yards and a touchdown, as #12 Utah held off a late Oklahoma State rally to beat the 14th-ranked Cowboys on a sweltering day in Stillwater, 22-19.

Micah Bernard rushed for a career-high 182 yards, while Brant Kuithe rushed for a touchdown and caught another for the Utes. Wilson also rushed for 41 yards, making his second career start in place of Cam Rising, who tried to test his injured fingers before the game, but couldn’t give it a go.

“I have to be prepared and I felt like I did some good and did some bad,” Wilson said. “But the defense and this guy right here [Micah Bernard] really pulled it out for us.”

“It feels great,” Bernard said about the victory. “We have goals of winning a Big 12 Championship, that’s one down, but we still have a long way to go.”

Cole Becker kicked three field goals for Utah (4-0, 1-0).

Oklahoma State’s Alan Bowman, benched after an ineffective first half, returned midway through the fourth quarter and passed for two touchdowns and two 2-point conversions to help Oklahoma State (3-1, 0-1) trim Utah’s lead to three points.

But behind a five-yard run by Bernard on third-and-three, the Utes were able to grind the clock down.

“Made that more dramatic than we needed to, but we handled it well and got the win,” Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said. “Proud of our guys. Didn’t always play as smart as we needed to. Had a chance to put the game away completely, let them back in it.”

Bowman, who was 8 of 22 for 89 yards in the first half, finished with 206 yards and two interceptions. Sophomore Garret Rangel played the third quarter and part of the fourth before Bowman returned with 9:26 left and the Cowboys trailing 16-3.

Utah held Oklahoma State’s Ollie Gordon II to 42 yards rushing. Gordon won the Doak Walker Award for the nation’s best running back last season.

“Offensively, we were awful,” Oklahoma State head Mike Gundy said. “We couldn’t get any quarterback play, and then all of a sudden, late in the game we start playing better at quarterback. They won the game, but we certainly did a lot of things to help them.”

Alaka’i Gillman and Elijah Davis both had interceptions for Utah, while Van Fillinger recorded the Utes’ lone sack of the the game.

“It’s all about our culture. RSNB, relentless, smart, nasty, ballhawks,” said defensive back Smith Snowden. “Coach Scalley does a great job to get us prepared and have a good feeling of what they want to do and what they want to run, so I feel like it’s definitely coach having us prepared.”

Dorian Singer had his best game since transferring to Utah. Singer had seven catches for 96 yards to lead the Utes receivers.

“It felt really great being out there with the guys and driving up and down the field and moving the ball really well,” Singer said.

Utah turned the ball over three times in the first half but still led 10-3. Cowboys safety Trey Rucker intercepted Wilson twice. The Utes’ defense limited Oklahoma State to 119 yards and five first downs. Gordon carried the ball six times for 16 yards before the break.

The teams traded field goals before Utah forced a punt and drove 64 yards in 11 plays for the only touchdown of the first half. Kuithe scored on a direct snap from the 1-yard line.

The Utes played without starters Connor O’Toole and Karene Reid on defense, but they still took away Gordon and Bowman. Utah limited Oklahoma State to 285 yards and forced eight punts.

Utah next comes home to host Arizona on Saturday, September 28th at 8:15 p.m.

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