Utah’s Season Comes To An End With Disappointing Loss To Texas In Alamo Bowl
Dec 31, 2019, 9:21 PM | Updated: Jan 2, 2020, 11:29 am
SAN ANTONIO, Tex. – The 11th ranked University of Utah football team sputtered on offense and fell to the Texas Longhorns, 38-10 in the Alamo Bowl.
It was a tough start offensively for the Utes as they didn’t get past the 50-yard line until late in the second quarter. The Longhorns took advantage of their stifling defense with a 10-0 lead at the halftime break.
Utah didn’t score their first points of the game until Jadon Redding made a 32-yard field goal with 4:58 left in the third quarter to cut the Texas lead to 17-3. Late in the third quarter, the Longhorns took a 24-3 advantage on a touchdown run by quarterback Sam Ehlinger.
The Utes answered with their first and only touchdown of the game when quarterback Tyler Huntley found Demari Simpkins for a four-yard score to give Utah some life early in the fourth quarter, but Texas put the game away with a touchdown from Ehlinger to Devin Duvernay and then another score one minute later.
It didn’t end the way we wanted, but there is still so much to be proud of this season.
Thanks to all our fans who cheered us on in San Antonio, and those who supported us from home. #GoUtes pic.twitter.com/3WDgqVYtca
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) January 1, 2020
The Texas defense was outstanding in getting Huntley uncomfortable in the pocket. They had 5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss. Linebacker Joseph Ossai recorded 9 tackles, including 6 tackles for a loss and 3 sacks.
A couple of positives for the Utes saw both Bradlee Anae and Zack Moss breaking school records. Anae had a half of a sack to put his career total to 30, passing Hunter Dimick for the school record for most career sacks. Also, Moss passed Steve Odom for the most career all-purpose yards in school history.
For Utah, Huntley completed 15 of his 23 pass attempts for 126 yards and one touchdown. He also ran the ball 16 times for 33 yards. Moss recorded 57 rushing yards on 16 attempts, along with two catches for 14 yards.
“We took more of a vacation instead of preparing for the game,” Huntley said after the game.
Ehlinger had 201 passing yards on 12-18 passing, 3 touchdowns and one interception. Running back Keaontay Ingram rushed for 108 yards on 13 carries and one touchdown. Duvernay hauled in 3 receptions for 92 yards and one touchdown.
The Utes have lost their second straight bowl game after losing to Northwestern in the Holiday Bowl last season. The loser of the Pac-12 Championship game is now 0-9 in bowl games after the conference title game defeat.
“The last two games we got outplayed and out coached,” head coach Kyle Whittingham said after the game.
Utah finished their season with an 11-3 record. They will open the 2020 season against the BYU Cougars at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Saturday, September 5, 2020.
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