Utah Tech Football Drops To Colorado State Following Second-Half Run
Sep 30, 2023, 9:21 PM | Updated: Oct 2, 2023, 1:42 pm
FORT COLLINS, Colo. – The Utah Tech Trailblazers lost to the Colorado State Rams, 41-20, after getting outscored 20-3 in the second half.
The Blazers had dropped CSU’s lead to as low as one-point but a second-half run from the Rams killed any hopes of a road win.
First Half
The Rams got the ball first at home and put together an 85-yard scoring drive.
Tory Horton caught three straight passes in Utah Tech territory for a total of 54 yards.
TOUCHDOWN! BF-N from 21 yards out finds Horton for SIX!
Aggies 7, Trailblazers 0 pic.twitter.com/yoFxo5chFh
— Colorado State Football (@CSUFootball) September 30, 2023
The Trailblazers started to put together a response but CSU safety Jack Howell intercepted QB Kobe Tracy in the red zone.
On the next play, Tory Horton was the target again. This time on a 76-yard bomb.
14 turned on those afterburners 🏃♂️💨🔥 https://t.co/hWNYL9H0fl pic.twitter.com/gbmMFqOKPA
— Colorado State Football (@CSUFootball) September 30, 2023
The CSU defense forced a three-and-out on Utah Tech’s next possession.
Even though things looked bleak for the Blazers early, they kept fighting.
DB Bryant Weekly pulled down his first interception of the year to give the ball back to the Blazers.
1Q – Bryant Weekly with his first interception of the season gives the ball back to the Blazer offense.#UtahTechBlazers | #UACFootball pic.twitter.com/NjGsFhqgxm
— Utah Tech Football (@UtahTechFB) September 30, 2023
RB Chris Street found a hole and ran for 28 yards to set up a field goal.
On the next play, Rams QB Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi scrambled out of the pocket and got hit. He dropped the ball as a result and the Blazers hopped on it.
On offense, Beau Sparks caught a 33-yard pass from Tracy and reached across the goal line for a TD.
2Q – …. Kobe Tracy finding Beau Sparks over the middle for a 33-yd TOUCHDOWN! Trailblazers cut the CSU deficit to 14-10 early in the second quarter. #UtahTechBlazers | #UACFootball pic.twitter.com/YgrbC2mXzp
— Utah Tech Football (@UtahTechFB) September 30, 2023
The Rams got the ball back and marched down the field where QB Fowler-Nicolos scrambled into the end zone for six.
The Trailblazers responded with their own long drive which ended in a TD reception by Beau Sparks.
2Q/4:44 – TOUCHDOWN! Kobe Tracy hits Beau Sparks in the corner of the end zone for the duo’s second TD connection of the night!#UtahTechBlazers | #UACFootball pic.twitter.com/md2s6letSE
— Utah Tech Football (@UtahTechFB) October 1, 2023
Sparks recorded his second touchdown of the first half with the second-quarter catch.
Utah Tech trailed Colorado State, 21-17, going into the halftime break.
Halftime in Fort Collins.#UtahTechBlazers | #UACFootball pic.twitter.com/TBj3TrLrf0
— Utah Tech Football (@UtahTechFB) October 1, 2023
Second Half
The Trailblazers started the second half with the ball but quickly went three-and-out.
They brought the same energy on defense, forcing a three-and-out for the Rams offense.
UTU kicker Connor Brooksby nailed a 52-yard field goal on their next drive to make it a one-point game.
3Q – Rickie Johnson with the diving grab for 22 yards to get into Ram territory! The grab leads to a season-long 52-yard Connor Brooksby FG to make it a 21-20 game with 7:28 to go in the quarter.#UtahTechBlazers | #UACFootball pic.twitter.com/2MfQY4VgT2
— Utah Tech Football (@UtahTechFB) October 1, 2023
On Colorado State’s next drive, they made it all the way into the red zone before Fowler-Nicolosi threw his second pick of the game.
Amari Duncan pulled down his first interception of the year.
3Q – INTERCEPTION! Amari Duncan with his first INT of the season, and the third Rams turnover of the night, as the Blazer Defense turns CSU away in the red zone!#UtahTechBlazers | #UACFootball pic.twitter.com/WPbHiu7Jhi
— Utah Tech Football (@UtahTechFB) October 1, 2023
Following the interception, things began to go south for the Trailblazers.
Utah Tech went three-and-out and gave up a touchdown on each of the next two CSU drives.
The first was a two-yard run from Vann Schield and the second was a 42-yard reception from Dallin Holker.
😳 @D_HOLKER doing @D_HOLKER things! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/LoXy1vAzZV
— Colorado State Football (@CSUFootball) October 1, 2023
It didn’t end there.
Utah Tech turned it over on downs and the Rams capitalized, finding Horton for his third touchdown of the game.
The Blazers trailed 41-20 following the barrage.
3⃣ TUDDYS FOR 14 𝐓𝐎𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓! @toryhorton11 hauls it in for a 6-yard TD! pic.twitter.com/uqnm2bYLqg
— Colorado State Football (@CSUFootball) October 1, 2023
The Blazers turned the ball over on downs one last time as the clock expired.
Utah Tech drops to 1-3 following the loss to Mountain West foe Colorado State.
Utah Tech football returns home for a match against the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks at Greater Zion Stadium on October 7.
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Chandler Holt is a co-host for the Jazz Notes podcast and a Digital Sports Producer for sports.ksl.com, specializing in all things basketball and football. Follow Chandler on Twitter @ChandlerHoltKSL or on Threads @chandlerho1t.
