Recap: Utah vs. T-C-U
Sports Network | November 07, 2008
Salt Lake City, UT (Sports Network) - Brian Johnson completed 24-of-39 passes for 230 yards, but no completion was bigger than his nine-yard touchdown pass to Freddie Brown with 48 seconds left, as No. 10 Utah held on for a 13-10 win over No. 11 TCU to keep its unbeaten season and BCS hopes alive.
Brown's touchdown catch gave the Utes (10-0, 6-0 Mountain West) a three-point lead in the final minute, and Robert Johnson's interception of an Andy Dalton pass at the Utah 15 with 11 seconds left sealed the win.
Aaron Brown rushed for 106 yards on 15 carries for the Horned Frogs (9-2, 6-1), who missed two short field goals in the fourth quarter that could have extended their lead.
Dalton completed 16-of-37 passes for 251 yards with no touchdowns and two picks for TCU, which had won five straight since its only other loss, a 35-10 defeat at Oklahoma on September 27.
Jimmy Young had six catches for 97 yards, and Ryan Christian gained 69 yards through the air on four catches, running for another 35 yards and a score on 11 carries for the Horned Frogs.
Freddie Brown's go-ahead touchdown capped a nine-catch, 105-yard day for the Utah receiver. The Utes are 10-0 for the second time in school history and are two wins shy of a 12-0 regular season, with games at San Diego State and at home against BYU remaining.
TCU kicker Ross Evans had a chance to push his club up by seven points, but his 26-yard field goal attempt clanked off the left upright with 5:49 left in regulation. Utah couldn't take advantage of the misfire, though, and answered with a three-and-out.
A 22-yard completion from Dalton to Young set up another field goal try for Evans, this one from 35 yards out. Evans pushed it wide right, though, and again the Utes dodged a bullet with 2:48 to play.
Johnson responded by leading Utah on a nine-play, 80-yard drive. He rebounded from overthrowing a wide open Brent Casteel in front of end zone on 3rd-and-5 by hitting Brown for an 11-yard gain on fourth down, setting Utah up at the TCU 15-yard-line.
After a six-yard pass to Bradon Godfrey, Johnson dropped back and quickly found Brown on the inside slant. Brown got inside position on his defender and easily made the catch for the go-ahead score.
Dalton and the Horned Frogs threatened, moving to the Utah 48, but his deep pass was picked off down the left sideline by Johnson, and the Utes' perfect season remained intact.
Utah won despite being outgained 416-275, including a disparity of 165-45 in rushing yards in favor of TCU.
It was all TCU early, as the Horned Frogs scored on their first two drives. Evans opened the scoring with a 37-yard field goal, and Christian's three-yard TD run gave TCU a 10-0 lead with 6:16 left in the first quarter. Two Louie Sakoda field goals -- a 49-yarder in the first quarter and a 37-yarder to close the second -- pulled the Utes to within 10-6 entering the half.
Utah owns the all-time series, 5-1...The leading rusher for the Utes was Matt Asiata, who gained 19 yards on six carries...Utah converted 4-of-15 third downs, while TCU converted 8-of-19.
