CORVALLIS, Ore. — It was a night of heavy losses for the Utes.
Thursday's season opener at Oregon State featured three significant setbacks for Utah — the game, tailback Matt Asiata and quarterback Brian Johnson.
After losing Asiata to broken leg in the first quarter and Johnson to separated shoulder in the second, the Utes simply lacked the firepower to defeat the Beavers. They wound up dropping a 24-7 decision before a crowd of 40,409 at Reser Stadium.
The loss is Utah's second straight to a Pac-10 foe in a season opener. UCLA defeated the Utes 31-10 last year in the Rose Bowl.
This one, however, was marred by casualties to key personnel.
Asiata, the heralded transfer from Snow College, suffered his season-ending injury with 4:46 to play in the first quarter. He wound up with just 16 yards on four carries.
Johnson, who missed all of last season while recovering from knee surgery, injuried his shoulder with 3:14 remaining in the second quarter. His status is uncertain pending further tests.
Johnson's first outing in nearly two years resulted in 8-of-13 passing for 119 yards and a touchdown. He also netted 28 yards rushing on nine attempts.
Backup Tommy Grady was unable to get the Utes back into the end zone as a tight game slipped away and evolved into a blowout.
Utah scored first. A 36-yard touchdown pass from Johnson to Brent Casteel put the Utes ahead with 13:26 remaining in the second quarter. The score, which came on third-and-12, was set up by a turnover — an interception by Sean Smith.
It came in the midst of Oregon State's two-quarterback scheme. Sean Canfield started the first quarter and Lyle Moevao took over in the second. Smith, who wound with two interceptions by game's end, picked off Moevao's first pass on the Beavers' 34-yard line.
Leading 7-0 after Louie Sakoda added the PAT, Utah remained in front until Oregon State evened things up with 4:58 left in the half.
That's when running back Yvenson Bernard slipped through four would-be tacklers and scored on a 9-yard run. The Beavers kept the drive alive by converting on fourth-and-7 two plays earlier with a 17-yard pass from Moevao to Darrell Catchings.
Neither team had much of a statistical advantage in the first half. Besides the 7-7 halftime score, both teams had just seven first downs. Utah's 134 yards of offense were just eight more than Oregon State's total.
In the second half, however, a separation developed.
By the time Canfield and Catchings connected on a 6-yard scoring strike with 6:56 to go in the third quarter, the Beavers had more than a 14-7 lead. They also had 100 more yards than the Utes (238-138).
Bernard was responsible for much of the difference. He had a 54-yard run during the drive and later added a seven-yard reception on fourth-and-1 to set up the go-ahead touchdown for Oregon State.
The Beavers later added a 37-yard field goal by Alexis Serna to make it 17-7 with 2:51 left in the third quarter.
Things grew worse for the Utes early in the fourth when Bernard added a 10-yard touchdown run to the mix.
It capped all scoring in the contest — the first game in a challenging non-conference schedule for Utah. Dates with UCLA and Louisville loom.
Next up, however, is the Utes' Mountain West Conference opener. They'll face Air Force Saturday, Sept. 8 at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
E-mail: dirk@desnews.com