{"id":84193,"date":"2022-10-01T22:55:01","date_gmt":"2022-10-01T22:55:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/clark-phillips-3-picks-guide-no-12-utah-past-oregon-state-42-16\/"},"modified":"2022-10-01T22:55:01","modified_gmt":"2022-10-01T22:55:01","slug":"clark-phillips-3-picks-guide-no-12-utah-past-oregon-state-42-16","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/clark-phillips-3-picks-guide-no-12-utah-past-oregon-state-42-16\/","title":{"rendered":"Clark Phillips’ 3 picks guide No. 12 Utah past Oregon State 42-16"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Estimated read time: 5-6 minutes<\/p>\n

SALT LAKE CITY \u2014 Utah safety RJ Hubert closed in, saw the ball coming his way in the end zone, and ran for his life for 70 yards after he picked off the pass from Oregon State backup quarterback Ben Gulbranson.<\/p>\n

Hubert’s pick was the third of four interceptions on the day for the Utes, but one that changed the momentum of the game. Utah needed just two plays after the interception to find the end zone on a 22-yard rushing touchdown by Jaylen Dixon to give the home team a 19-point lead in the third quarter.<\/p>\n

In a matter of three plays, Oregon State went from fighting for a one-score game to a convincing Utah lead.<\/p>\n

On the next drive for Utah, Cam Rising connected on a laser pass to tight end Dalton Kincaid for a 4-yard touchdown to put distance on an Oregon State team that stalled out at the end. Utah won 42-16 and opened up conference play at 2-0 with a road trip to an undefeated UCLA lined up next week.<\/p>\n

“I think this football team took another step forward this week and we’ve just got to keep doing that, that’s the key,” Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham said. “You want to try and win a championship? You’ve got to get better week after week after week.”<\/p>\n

Hubert’s interception changed the momentum of the game, but it was Clark Phillips III who made sure Oregon State had no chance on a defense that gave up 417 total yards of offense to the Beavers. The cornerback managed three interceptions in the game, including a pick-six touchdown that was returned 38 yards, to leave no doubt of who the best defender on the field was Saturday afternoon.<\/p>\n

Of his three interceptions, two came in the first quarter, and his last came on Oregon State’s final drive of the day. Gulbranson led the Beavers to Utah’s 5-yard line but threw a pass to the right corner of the end zone that was picked off by Phillips to end Oregon State’s scoring chances.<\/p>\n

“I’ll be honest, a lot of preparation that goes on every single week,” Phillips said about his day. “But, shoot, God said this week was the one that we was gonna get three.<\/p>\n

“We noticed formational trends, and coach (Morgan) Scalley put us in a position to be able to capitalize on it,” Phillips added about his pick-six touchdown. “I just so happened to be the outside corner on that play. And as soon as I seen the ball snapped and the quarterback look, I said this is the one and hopefully we score.”<\/p>\n

With his three picks, Phillips is now tied for the second most interceptions in a game in program history (six players have had three interceptions or more in a game). The last player to get three interceptions in a game was Robert Johnson against Colorado State in 2009.<\/p>\n

Hubert, who finished with a team-high 12 tackles, said the turnovers are “telling as to the work we put in through the week” and credited the defensive front seven for their work to put the defensive backs in a position to get interceptions. “The stats come in mine and Clark’s name, but we don’t hear enough about the guys up front that force those throws.”<\/p>\n

Gulbranson, who checked into the game in the second quarter after starting quarterback Chance Nolan left due to a neck strain, finished under center and was 12-of-20 passing for 177 yards and two interceptions. Nolan was just 2-of-7 passing for 26 yards and two interceptions (six total in back-to-back weeks) before leaving the game.<\/p>\n

Rising completed 19-of-25 passes for 199 yards and three touchdowns. He added 73 yards on the ground as the team’s leading rusher on seven carries, including a 24-yard rushing touchdown where he stiff-armed a defender and then dragged another as he stretched for the end zone for the score.<\/p>\n

It was the first game without Rising’s favorite target, senior tight end Brant Kuithe, who was out of the lineup with a season-ending knee injury. Rising spread the ball around to eight different targets to move the offense, with Devaughn Vele leading with 94 yards and one touchdown.<\/p>\n

And while the final score was a convincing one against a good Oregon State (3-2, 0-2 Pac-12) team, it wasn’t always easy for Utah (4-1, 2-0 Pac-12) in a day game at Rice-Eccles Stadium.<\/p>\n

“It wasn’t our best football,” Whittingham said of his team. “Way too soft in the run game in the first half, buckled down and played much better on defense in the second half.”<\/p>\n

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\"Utah<\/picture><\/div>
Utah Utes quarterback Cameron Rising (7) reaches out to stiff-arm Oregon State Beavers defensive back Alex Austin (5) during a run as Utah and Oregon State play at Rice Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. (Photo: Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Utah controlled a 21-13 lead at halftime, but the score felt empty.<\/p>\n

And if Phillips’ pick-six touchdown was taken away in the first quarter, the game would have been much closer than the score showed. The visiting Beavers outgained the Utes at the halftime break 219 total yards to 139 and had bigger chunk plays to move the offense. In total, the Beavers outgained the Utes 417-361 in total yardage.<\/p>\n

But much like Utah, Oregon State couldn’t take advantage of its opportunities, including a late drive at the end of the first half where Tre’Shaun Harrison escaped for 63-yard run on third down to get the Beavers on the 5-yard line. Utah’s defense was too much to handle and Oregon State was forced to settle for a 26-yard field goal.<\/p>\n

Prior to that drive, Rising led his best drive of the first half in a balanced approach between the run and pass. But on third down, Utah’s coaches mixed it up and had Ja’Quinden Jackson step up in the wildcat package with Rising lined up wide. A high snap forced Jackson to scramble to the ball in an effort to avoid a turnover.<\/p>\n

But the damage \u2014 and momentum \u2014 was already done. In a matter of minutes, Utah went from a potential score to a defense reeling against a strong Oregon State run game to settle for an eventual field goal.<\/p>\n

The Utes got senior linebacker Mohamoud Diabete back in the lineup after missing some time due to injury, but were without wide receiver Solomon Enis for an undisclosed reason ahead of kickoff.<\/p>\n

Utah returns to play next Saturday (1:30 pm MDT, FOX or FS1) on the road in an afternoon game against UCLA (5-0, 2-0 Pac-12) at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.<\/p>\n

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