Mika Tafua Returns Fumble For 68-Yard TD
Nov 16, 2019, 7:47 PM | Updated: 10:27 pm
Utah Utes defensive end Mika Tafua (42) celebrates a touchdown after picking up a UCLA fumble as Utah and UCLA play a college football game in Salt Lake City at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2019. (Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)
(Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Utah Utes defensive end Mika Tafua recovered a fumble and returned it 68-yards for a touchdown.
Utes safety Julian Blackmon sacked UCLA quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson and knocked the ball out while doing so.
Tafua ran over to the ball and scooped it up and had nothing but green grass in front of him.
Scoop and score!@Utah_Football returns the fumble 68 yards to take an 18-point lead pic.twitter.com/RsDrvD3N0k
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 17, 2019
It’s the fourth fumble recovery of the season for Tafua, which leads the team. He scored his first defensive touchdown of his career.
Blackmon forced his second fumble of the season.
The touchdown gave Utah a 21-3 lead in the second quarter. Utah was down 3-0 in the first quarter but then picked up a rushing touchdown by Tyler Huntley and Zack Moss before Tafua’s scoop and score.
Utah took a 28-3 lead at the half when Moss ran in his second touchdown of the game late in the second quarter.
The Utes’ defense held UCLA to 185 total yards of offense, 123 passing and 62 rushing.
