awayTeamLogo Utah 30 homeTeamLogo Colorado 7
Saturday, November 17, 2018 01:30 PM (ET)

No. 19 Utah explodes in 2nd half to bury Colorado

Field Level Media
Nov 17, 2018

Jason Shelley passed for 221 yards and two touchdowns, Armand Shyne ran for 55 yards and another score, and the No. 19 Utah Utes moved closer to clinching the Pac-12 South with a 30-7 win over Colorado in Boulder, Colo., on Saturday.

Jaylen Dixon had four catches for 125 yards and a score for the Utes (8-3, 6-3).

Utah was able to move the ball despite raw conditions. Temperatures were in the 30s and snow fell throughout the game.

Buffaloes quarterback Steven Montez passed for just 84 yards and an interception before leaving with a leg injury in the fourth quarter. Colorado (5-6, 2-6) has lost six in a row and needs a win next week to become bowl eligible after starting the season 5-0.

Shelley, a redshirt freshman, took over as the Utes starter when Tyler Huntley was lost for the season with a broken collarbone. The Utes have won two straight with Shelley starting.

It took him awhile to get going Saturday but Utah rolled after falling behind 7-0. The Buffaloes got the early lead on Travon McMillian's 13-yard run late in the first quarter.

Utah tied it when Shelley connected with Samson Nacua from 10 yards out with 9:54 left in the first half.

It stayed that way until the second half, when the first of Matt Gay's three field goals - a 33-yarder -- gave the Utes a 10-7 lead midway through the third quarter. Shelley then hit Dixon with a 47-yard touchdown pass and Shyne scored on a 1-yard plunge to make it 24-7 with seven seconds left in the third.

Gay hit field goals of 31 and 51 yards in the fourth quarter to cap the scoring.

Colorado couldn't generate much offense after McMillian's score. The Buffaloes had five punts, two interceptions and a fumble after that touchdown and used three quarterbacks. Twice, they lost the ball on downs.

Tyler Lytle relieved Montez in the fourth and passed for 55 yards and had an interception. Sam Noyer finished the game for the struggling Buffaloes with 23 passing yards.

--Field Level Media

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