Traveling to Salt Lake City to battle No. 12 Utah, the SUU football team fell 49-0 in its season opener on Thursday night.
The Utes (1-0) got on the board first in the opening quarter after the first T-birds drive stalled. Cam Rising found Dijon Stanley for a 64-yard score at the 8:46 mark of the opening period to put the home team ahead 7-0.
Utah continued to add points in the second quarter, scoring four more touchdowns to extend its lead to 35-0. Rising threw for all four scores, completing three to tight end Brant Kuithe and adding another to Stanley.
SUU found its first defensive spark right before the halftime break, as defensive end Walker Harris sacked Utah quarterback Isaac Wilson. On the next play, cornerback Lacarea Pleasant-Johnson reeled in an interception, the first forced turnover on the season.
That is an LPJ INT @LacareaP31 pic.twitter.com/mlUhZXbYMy
— Southern Utah Football (@SUUFB_) August 30, 2024
The third quarter was a quiet one for both sides, as the Utes added a Mike Mitchell 4-yard rushing score to make it 42-0 with 4:23 remaining in the frame.
Utah scored its final touchdown of the game early in the last quarter, taking the 49-0 lead with 11:05 to play.
Southern Utah was able to force a second interception in the final period and nearly got on the scoreboard near the end of the game. With just under two minutes to play, the T-birds attempted a 48-yard field goal, but the kick was no good.
Postgame thoughts
Up next
Southern Utah (0-1) finishes a two-game road trip next, journeying to El Paso, TX to face Conference USA member UTEP on Saturday, September 7.
The game will kick off at 7 p.m. MT and can be seen on ESPN+.
