Proud in Defeat, Still 2-4: Isaac Wilson's Rally Falls One Interception Short as No. 11 Utah Escapes Folsom 27-24

By Cam Sutton, RF Sports Radio Colorado voice

Buffs fans, that one is going to sting all week. Colorado was down 13-0 and looked finished, took the lead in the third quarter, and had the ball at the end with a shot. It still came up short against an unbeaten Utah team.

The facts

No. 11 Utah beat Colorado 27-24 on Saturday night, Oct. 17, at Folsom Field before a sellout crowd of 52,489, per Utah Athletics and the AP. Utah led 13-0 at halftime after outgaining Colorado 248-70, per CoTrib's recap. Three plays into the second half, Isaac Wilson hit JaQuail Smith on a 68-yard touchdown, and DeKalon Taylor's touchdown run gave Colorado a 14-13 lead — the first time Utah had trailed since Week 2. Naeten Mitchell intercepted Devon Dampier, and Elliott Arnold's 32-yard field goal made it 17-13.

Utah answered with Dampier's 16-yard touchdown pass to Braden Pegan. Then, with 5:09 left, James Chenault Jr. intercepted Wilson and returned it to the Colorado 22, and Pegan caught a 6-yard score three plays later for a 27-17 lead. Wilson drove 83 yards and threw a 2-yard touchdown to DeAndre Moore Jr. with 1:21 left. Colorado got the ball back with 56 seconds left, but a promising play was wiped out by an illegal forward pass penalty and the final heave was batted down.

Wilson finished 18-of-30 for 256 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions against his former team. Dampier went 24-of-41 for 278 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. Utah is 6-0 with an FBS-best 12-game winning streak; Colorado is 2-4 and 0-3 in the Big 12, its fourth straight loss. Deion Sanders said he told his players, "I'm really proud of y'all," which he said he never does after a loss. Wilson put the late pick on himself: "We need a win. That starts with me."

RF Sports Radio's take (opinion)

My take: moral victories do not count in the standings, but this one counts in the locker room. A team that was outgained 248-70 in the first half could have quit. Instead, the Buffs made Utah sweat for the first time in weeks. That is what Sanders was talking about, and I believe him.

Now the hard part. At 2-4, Colorado needs wins, not lessons. Wilson's second-half play — the strike to Smith, the late 83-yard drive — is why he is the guy. The two interceptions are why the record is what it is. Eight first-half penalties for 82 yards, per CoTrib, did not help either.

My call: Colorado plays Oklahoma State tough but loses 31-24 in Stillwater. That is a prediction, not a report. If Wilson plays a clean game with zero turnovers, the Buffs snap the skid.

What to watch next

Colorado visits Oklahoma State on Saturday, Oct. 24, at 6 p.m. Central on FS1. Watch Wilson's turnovers, the first-half penalty count, and Smith's touches. For the Rumble in the Rockies preview, read our Oct. 16 Rumble in the Rockies preview, and follow the Colorado Football page.

Radio question: was Saturday night a sign that Colorado is turning a corner, or just another close loss for a 2-4 team?

Sources: Utah Athletics — Postgame notes: No. 11 Utah at Colorado; CoTrib — Colorado rally falls short as No. 11 Utah holds on 27-24; AP News — Dampier throws 3 TD passes as No. 11 Utah withstands Colorado rally; USA TODAY — Deion Sanders did something after Colorado's loss he says he never does; Big 12 — Colorado at Oklahoma State: how to watch.