Highlights, key plays and photos from No. 13 Utah’s escape over Kansas

The Deseret News is providing live coverage of Friday’s game between No. 13 Utah and Kansas. Check back for updates throughout the game.

Final score

Utah 31, Kansas 21

It wasn’t the kind of performance that will impress the College Football Playoff committee, but it’s a win.

And that’s all that matters for Utah and its slim hopes of making the Big 12 championship game.

The Utes flipped momentum with two game-changing takeaways in the red zone in the fourth quarter and escaped their trip to Lawrence with the win.

Kansas, which led 14-10 going into the fourth quarter, had a chance to go up two scores before Jackson Bennee picked off Jalon Daniels in the end zone when the quarterback was just trying to throw the ball away.

Utah responded with a touchdown drive that ended with a 28-yard Larry Simmons touchdown catch.

Kansas, which had 290 rushing yards, again moved the ball downfield again, but on third and goal, Scooby Davis intercepted another poor Daniels pass and returned it 97 yards for a touchdown, making it 24-14.

While the Jayhawks cut it to one score after that, Utah scored once more — on a 48-yard touchdown pass to Larry Simmons after faking the QB keeper — to put the game away.

Utah ended up with 414 total yards, including 95 rushing yards from Wayshawn Parker, while Kansas put up 477 yards but lost the turnover battle three to one.

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Fourth quarter

Utah 31, Kansas 21

2:14 — Kansas must have forgotten how Utah scored its first touchdown.

With the Utes facing third-and-5 and needing a first down to run out the clock, Utah went for the home run ball and it paid off — Devon Dampier faked the run on an RPO and found a wide-open Larry Simmons for a 48-yard touchdown. Utah 31, Kansas 21.

That’s the same play how the Utes scored their first touchdown of the game.

That should seal a 10th win for Utah this year.

5:32 — Kansas isn’t going away — despite finding ways to sabotage itself.

The Jayhawks responded to the pick-six with a touchdown drive, scoring on a 21-yard Leyton Cure catch. Utah 24, Kansas 21.

It’s a one-score game again.

7:52 — Kansas is on ANOTHER level of ineptitude.

With another chance to take the lead, the Jayhawks went with a questionable play call, had Jalon Daniels try to hit his receiver in the flat — when Kansas has put up nearly 300 rushing yards today — and SCooby Davis picked the ball and ran 97 yards for the touchdown. Utah 24, Kansas 14.

It been a game that’s beyond ugly and the Utes’ defense is having another bad day, but Utah SHOULD win at this point.

12:26 — Now that’s an answer.

Utah needed just four plays to capitalize on Kansas’ absent-minded turnover in the red zone and the Utes are ahead again on a 28-yard touchdown pass to Larry Simmons. Utah 17, Kansas 14.

Utah quickly moved the ball upfield on a 15-yard pass interference and a 32-yard pass to Wayshawn Parker to set up the score.

13:39 — What a mindbogglingly bad turnover.

With Kansas facing a second-and-goal at Utah’s 12-yard line, Jalon Daniels tried to escape the Utes’ pressure on a broken play and attempted to throw the ball out of the back of the end zone.

Problem is, he didn’t get enough on the ball, and Jackson Bennee came up with a game-changing interception.

Can Utah capitalize?

Third quarter

Kansas 14, Utah 10

8:15 — Kansas is back in the field, after Jalon Daniels scored on a 1-yard keeper. Kansas 14, Utah 10.

The Jayhawks moved the ball 67 yards, capitalizing on an opportunity after Utah moved into Kansas territory on the first drive of the second half but had an fourth-down incompletion turn the ball over on downs.

The drive was sparked by a 34-yard pass to Emmanuel Henderson Jr. to move the ball into Utah territory.

Halftime

Utah 10, Kansas 7

That was an ugly first half.

The Utes take a lead into the break after connecting on a field goal and capitalizing on a brilliant RPO call that resulted in a touchdown.

The Jayhawks scored their lone touchdown on a drive that was aided by two 15-yard penalties.

Beyond that, Utah missed on a chance to build a double-digit lead late in the first half and Kansas squandered two chances to score when it moved inside the red zone on its first two drives.

The Utes have 207 yards of total offense, to 174 for the Jayhawks.

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Second quarter

Utah 10, Kansas 7

9:24 — What a great response from Utah.

The Utes’ first touchdown of the day came on brilliant play call, as Devon Dampier faked the keeper, then stepped back and found a wide-open JJ Buchanan behind the defense for a 58-yard touchdown. Utah 10, Kansas 7.

12:03 — The third time is the charm for Kansas.

After the Jayhawks moved the ball into the Utah red zone on their first two drives but came away with no points, Kansas took the lead on a Daniel Hishaw Jr. 7-yard touchdown run. Kansas 7, Utah 3.

The Jayhawks’ 73-yard scoring drive got a big boost from two 15-yard penalties on Utah’s defense.

First quarter

Utah 3, Kansas 0

8:40 — The Utes settle for three points on a Dillon Curtis 34-yard field goal after a fumbled snap on third down inside the red zone, when Devon Dampier was looking to his right when the ball was snapped and his glanced off his shoulder pads. Utah 3, Kansas 0.

Utah moved the ball into scoring position with four straight Wayshawn Parker rushes, including a 34-yarder on his first carry. He already has 56 rushing yards.

11:20 — The first turnover of the day happens on the first drive, as Smith Snowden intercepted a Jalon Daniels pass on third down, then returned it 17 yards to the Utah 35.

It ended a once-promising drive for Kansas.

How to watch the game

The game between Utah and Kansas will be televised on ESPN and will be live streamed on Watch ESPN. The game kicks off at 10 a.m. MST.

Pregame prep

Here are a few stories to get you ready for the game between the Utes and Jayhawks.