FORT WORTH, TEXAS — Darrell Mack pounded his way for 100 yards rushing with a touchdown and Utah won its fourth straight game since starting quarterback Brian Johnson returned from an injury, beating TCU 27-20 on Thursday night.
Mack’s fourth straight 100-yard game – on 32 carries – and Johnson’s return coincide with the winning streak that has kept the Utes (5-3, 2-2 Mountain West) on the fringe of contending for the conference title.
Johnson, who missed three games after separating his shoulder in the season opener, completed 13-of-20 passes for 120 yards and a touchdown. His only interception didn’t hurt the Utes.
Chris Manfredini kicked a 41-yard field goal for TCU (4-4, 1-3) with 2:07 left and the Horned Frogs thought they had the ball back when David Hawthorne recovered an onside kick. But officials ruled Hawthorne touched the ball before it went 10 yards, and confirmed that after a lengthy replay review.
TCU’s Andy Dalton, a redshirt quarterback who won the starting job in preseason drills, was 20-of-45 for 159 yards with four interceptions.
Martail Burnett, Utah’s 262-pound senior defensive end, returned one of the interceptions 55 yards for a touchdown with 54 seconds left in the first half.
