The Utah Utes entered Week 13 with high hopes, after a resounding 55-28 victory a week ago over Baylor gave them a #12 CFP ranking to go with their 8-2 record. With a 5-2 conference mark, they still had an outside chance at making the Big 12 Championship with a win.
The Kansas State Wildcats, who reached 5-5 with a 14-6 win last week over Oklahoma State, were a 17-point underdog and had only a 14% chance to win at kickoff. Their bowl hopes were on life support, and they desperately needed a win.
During last week's win over Baylor, the Utes gave up over 400 yards in the air. Concerns were raised about the defense, but it was thought that a home game, with so much on the line, would cure those ills.
And while both teams punted on their first possessions, it was off to the races after that. Kansas State ran over, around, and through the Ute defense for over 300 yards on the ground, to take a 31-21 lead at the half, stunning the home crowd.
The third quarter saw signs of life from Utah. With a touchdown throw by Devon Dampier to Dallen Bentley, the Utes closed the gap to 31-28, and after forcing a Kansas State punt, Byrd Ficklin capped the following drive with a TD run that gave the Utes a 35-31 lead.
Kansas State responded with a grueling 14-play drive that took over 8 minutes of game time, ending with an Avery Johnson TD pass to Garrett Oakley to give the Wildcats a 38-35 lead and control of the game.
A Utah three and out on the next drive ended the third quarter, and Kansas State took full advantage of a tired Utes defense, going on another lengthy drive to start the fourth quarter. 13 plays and 6:15 later, the Wildcats kicked a field goal to make it 41-35.
The Utes fumbled several plays later, and K-State capitalized with a 24 yard touchdown run by Joe Jackson to take a 47-35 lead, and elected to go for the two point conversion.
However, Tao Johnson of Utah intercepted the try and ran it back, pulling the Utes within 10, 47-37 in a play that woke the Rice-Eccles crowd up from their slumber, and turned the momentum back in Utah's favor.
And from there, Utah came to a 4th and 1 on their side of the field, just after the two minute timeout, and Devon Dampier took off for a run for 58 yards that got them in the red zone, and a few plays later Dampier punched it in for the go-ahead touchdown, giving the Utes a 51-47 lead.
Kansas State wasn't done, and with just under 50 seconds left, Avery Johnson took a shot in the middle of the field, only to have it intercepted by Utah's Lander Barton, ending any hopes of a Wildcat victory and sending the Utes faithful into hysteria.
With the win, Utah narrowly keeps it's CFP hopes alive, at 9-2. They will need to fix their suddenly leaky defense, as Kansas State went for 472 yards on the ground for the night.
The Utes need other teams to lose to reach the Big 12 title game, but as Lloyd Christmas once said, "So you're telling me there's a chance?" The Utes will hold onto that hope for another week and live in the glory of this comeback victory.