Our defense played well and held a team that was averaging 45 points per game and a bunch of yards to probably almost half. We were just one play away at the end there that didn’t allow us to come away with the ‘W. – Coach Kyle Whittingham
BERKELEY, Calif. — One play, the final play.
That’s what it came down to in 18th-ranked Utah’s 28-23 loss at California Saturday.
Running back Zack Moss was tripped up for no gain on third-and-goal from the 1-yard line as time expired — leaving the Utes that short of remaining undefeated. Instead, they fell to 4-1 overall and 1-1 in Pac-12 play.
“A tough game to lose but I’m proud of our guys for how they hung in there and fought back — just like they’ve done many times previously in the season,” said Utah coach Kyle Whittingham, who added that the Utes “just came up a play short there at the end.”
The decisive stop capped a wild finish that included a timeout that Whittingham insists he didn’t call in the closing seconds, leaving the Utes without an opportunity for four snaps instead of three before time ticked away.
It followed a fourth-down pass interference call in the end zone that gave Utah the ball on the Cal 2 with just 14 seconds to go.
Although Whittingham credited the Bears (3-2,1-1) for making plays in the end, he said the miscommunication with the referee was a “huge factor” in the outcome.
“I didn’t call a timeout. I tried to get the ref’s attention as he ran down and I said ‘If the ball is in play and the clock is running, look to me for a timeout after the next snap,’” said Whittingham, who explained that the official didn’t look at him so he ran down the sideline screaming his intentions once again. “The ref asked if I wanted a timeout and I said ‘No, I didn’t want a timeout. I want to call one if, after this play, the clock is running.’ The ref calls timeout. Go figure.”
As a result, Whittingham said it limited the number of times Utah could run the ball in the remaining time. Between runs by Moss, quarterback Troy Williams just missed on a bootleg pass to tight end Evan Moeai on the right side of the end zone. Whittingham said the Utes went to their bread-and-butter run play on the last snap.
“We just came up a play short there at the end,” he added. “Our defense played well and held a team that was averaging 45 points per game and a bunch of yards to probably almost half. We were just one play away at the end there that didn’t allow us to come away with the ‘W.’”
Before leaving the field at Memorial Stadium, running back Armand Shyne noted that the Utes were “so close” to getting in there “but it just didn’t work out that way.”
Utah wound up with 442 yards of total offense and 30 first downs in the loss. California prevailed despite being held to 362 yards and 17 first downs.
“The people we play are pretty evenly matched teams. So it comes down to who makes a couple of plays down the stretch,” said Bears coach Sonny Dykes. “I was really proud of our defensive guys.”
It didn’t take long for Cal’s high-powered offense, however, to put points on the board. The Bears, who entered the contest averaging a conference-high 594.5 yards per game, needed just five plays and 80 seconds to score a touchdown. They capped off the opening possession with a 40-yard scoring strike from quarterback Davis Webb, the national leader in passing yards and touchdown throws, to Chad Hansen, who topped the country in receptions per game.
Leading 7-0 after Matt Anderson followed with the PAT, Cal forced Utah to punt on its first two drives. The Bears cashed in on the second one when the offense went on another quick march downfield. A 39-yard touchdown toss from Webb to Demetris Robertson concluded a four-play drive that took just 1:33 off the clock.
Besides the 14-0 deficit with 4:08 remaining in the first quarter, Utah trailed badly in several statistical categories. Cal held large advantages in total yardage (174-21) and first downs (8-2).
The Utes chipped away at the margins in the second quarter. They scored on two straight possessions to start things off, beginning with a 40-yard field goal by Andy Phillips.
Utah’s next drive mirrored Whittingham’s pregame remarks that the best way to defend Cal’s offense is to keep them off the field. The Utes ran 21 plays while holding the ball for 9:08. The 95-yard expedition concluded with a 4-yard touchdown run by Shyne.
The final two minutes of the half proved eventful. However, Cal’s 14-10 lead remained intact. Cornerback Brian Allen picked off a pass from Webb, giving Utah possession near midfield with 1:03 left in the quarter, but the Utes were unable to make something of it. A 48-yard field goal attempt by Phillips fell short less than 30 seconds later.
By halftime, Cal’s edge in total offense was reduced to 207-180. Utah pulled ahead in first downs by a 13-9 margin. The Utes topped the Bears in time of possession by more than 9½ minutes.
Utah’s clock mastery continued after an exchange of punts to open the third quarter. The Utes used 6:23, covering 59 yards on 13 plays, to take their first lead on a 1-yard touchdown run by Shyne. Phillips contributed the extra point to make it 17-14.
Cal responded quickly, though, to pull back in front — this time for good. A 24-yard scoring strike from Webb to Hansen finished off an eight-play sequence that took only 2:35 to complete.
The Bears went on to carry a four-point lead into the final quarter.
After opening the season with nine consecutive fourth-down successes on offense, Utah’s first denial proved to be pivotal.
A shortfall on fourth-and-1 from the Cal 11-yard line early in the fourth quarter — a run by Moss — ushered in a momentum shift resulting in a 56-yard touchdown pass from Webb to Robertson six plays later.
Whittingham said he had “no regrets whatsoever” in opting to go for it.
“None. We wouldn’t be in the position we were in the game had we not gone for numerous fourth downs,” he explained.
The Utes, Whittignham added, went into the game with a mindset to be aggressive. He said there are going to be setbacks — it’s not going to work out every single time — but it gave them a chance to hang in the game.
Right to the very end, as it turned out.
Utah cut the gap to its final margin on a 1-yard touchdown run by Moss with 6:41 left to play, closing out a six-play drive that covered 75 yards. A two-point conversion attempt failed.
The Utes got the ball back in fast fashion. The Bears were forced to punt after three plays. Defensive end Pita Taumoepenu set things up with a 12-yard sack of Webb on second down.
Utah’s final drive began on the Cal 49 and led to multiple opportunities in the red zone down the stretch.
“We fell one play short and we lost,” Allen said.
The Utes return to action Saturday (8 p.m., FS1) at home against Arizona.
Email: dirk@deseretnews.com
Twitter: @DirkFacer