No. 13-ranked Utah rushed for touchdowns of 64, 67 and 74 yards, Elijah Davis scored on a pick-six, and the Utes cruised to a 55-28 rout of Baylor on Saturday in Waco, Texas.
Byrd Ficklin ran for the first of the long touchdown carries for Utah (8-2, 5-2) on a 67-yard dash early in the first quarter, extending its 14-7 lead to a multiple-score advantage the Utes held most of the rest of the way.
Wayshawn Parker carried for a 64-yard touchdown in the second quarter, then Ficklin broke off another of 74 yards in the third quarter.
Utah’s potent rushing attack totaled 380 yards, led by Ficklin’s 166. Parker ran for 129 yards, NaQuari Rogers and Nate Johns each gained 27 yards, and Devon Dampier finished with 23.
Dampier passed for two scores, the second travelling five yards to Parker, set up by Jackson Bennee’s interception of Baylor’s Sawyer Robertson in the fourth quarter.
The Utes also scored in the first quarter on Davis’ 65-yard return of his pick of Robertson. The Davis interception for a score came shortly after Dampier’s 25-yard touchdown strike to Dallen Bentley.
Robertson went 29-of-58 passing for the Bears (5-5, 3-4), totaling 430 yards with three touchdowns. Two of his scores went to Josh Cameron, the first on a goal-line toss in the second quarter that cut Utah’s initial lead in half.
Robertson found Cameron again for a 29-yard score just before halftime, part of Cameron’s 165 yards on 13 receptions.
Baylor scored early in the second half on a 31-yard Connor Hawkins field goal to pull the Bears within eight points, but it would get no closer as the Utes piled on three straight touchdowns.
NaQuari Rogers carried for a three-yard touchdown between Ficklin’s second long run and Dampier’s second touchdown pass.
Rogers tacked on another goal-line score to answer Robertson’s 18-yard, Kole Wilson scoring grab.
Wilson finished with four receptions for 87 yards in the loss, while Ashtyn Hawkins hauled in seven passes for 119 yards.
