Salt Lake City – Eric Weddle, part-time quarterback at Utah, hurt Colorado State more than Eric Weddle the full-time cornerback at Utah, who will likely be a repeat winner of the Mountain West Conference defensive player of the year.
Then, again, there weren’t many Utes on the offensive side Saturday who didn’t damage the last remnants of CSU pride in Utah’s 35-22 victory.
CSU gave up a season high five touchdowns and 526 yards. Not coincidentally, a Utah team given to self-destruction put together three 80-yard scoring drives for the first time this season. Nine Utes ran the ball and eight receivers caught passes from Weddle and Brett Ratliff.
“We knew we weren’t going to get to a bowl if we didn’t beat CSU,” said Weddle, who ran for 16 yards and a touchdown and passed for 25 yards. “We were not going to let them beat us in the fourth quarter like they did last year.”
Utah (6-4, 4-2 Mountain West) couldn’t move the ball an inch for a score last year against CSU, so they gained revenge with their season-high offense.
Colorado State (4-6, 1-5) can no longer fault the lack of a running game for its woes and a five-game losing streak.
The Rams ran well enough for the first time all year to set up the passing game – and then dropped the passes. With 75 yards rushing at halftime, the Rams exceeded the output of three previous games. The 148-yard final also exceeded the 104-yard total of the last three games. But CSU’s defense finally collapsed under the weight of trying to shoulder the team all season.
“The coaches work so many hours. I feel sorry for them,” said CSU safety Klint Kubiak, who had his first career interception. “They put us in the right position to make the plays. It’s not on them, it’s on us.”
Rams H-back Kory Sperry had four drops or missed connections of catchable passes, although pass interference was called on one of those plays.
“With my wing span, I should come down with those,” the 6-foot-6, 250-pound junior said.
Utah scored on its opening drive, and unlike many games when CSU’s defense then stepped up, the Utes kept scoring.
Weddle completed his first career pass for 25 yards on the next drive and ran in from the 6 for a 14-0 lead.
The Rams closed within a score when Luke Roberts caught a deep ball from Caleb Hanie on Weddle. Roberts nearly lost his balance but recovered on the last 10 yards for a 51-yard play with 11:25 left in the first half.
CSU nearly tied it up after a turnover exchange, and the Rams used two of Utah’s 10 penalties to get in position for a 5-yard run by Gartrell Johnson.
But in a repeat of a snafu against New Mexico two games ago, holder Jimmie Kaylor couldn’t handle the snap and there was no PAT.
Utah answered immediately to go into halftime ahead 21-13. The Utes pulled away in the third quarter, answering a Jason Smith field goal with a Darryl Poston 14-yard run.
“We were moving the ball and there was some confidence on our sideline, but they would come right back and take the ball 70 yards down the field,” CSU coach Sonny Lubick said. “It was a more offensive game than I expected.”
THE GRADES
Offense
C: First glimpse of a running game thanks to first-quarter foundation by Nnamdi Ohaeri and career-high 75 yards by Caleb Hanie. Too much of the usual second-half inconsistency with four punts. Rams kept dropping passes throughout the game.
Defense
D: Worst outing of the season helped the Utes look more like their 2004 machine than the present edition that has self-destructed through much of the fall. Rams gave up a season-high 526 yards.
Special teams
D: Again, no evidence of a punt-return game, although Alex Square came in to help out with kickoff returns. CSU missed a PAT for the second time in three games because of a badly botched hold. At least place-kicker Jason Smith has emerged from his slump and kicked a field goal for the third consecutive game.
Overall
D: Utah came out more determined to win this one, and CSU seems to have lost its confidence and determination. As soon as CSU finds a patch for one shortfall, another one crops up. The defense couldn’t have been expected to carry the team the entire season.
Natalie Meisler can be reached at 303-954-1295 or nmeisler@denverpost.com.
