Postgame Notes: No. 6 Utah at Cincinnati - University of Utah Athletics

Postgame Notes
No. 6 Utah 49, (at) Cincinnati 25
Cincinnati, Ohio (Nippert Stadium)
Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026
Kick: 3:50 p.m. ET | End: 7:12 ET
Attendance: 36,487

General

Utah is 8-0 for the sixth time in program history and first time since 2010. The Utes also started 8-0 in 1930, '94, 2004, '08 and '10.
Head coach Morgan Scalley is now 9-0 at the helm of the Utes. He is the first head coach in program history not only to start 9-0 but also to start their first full season 8-0.
Utah is now 2-0 all-time against Cincinnati.
The Utes have won three straight games played in the Eastern Time Zone (2026 at Cincinnati; 2025 at West Virginia; 2024 at UCF).
Utah won the coin toss and deferred to the second half. The Utes defended the South end zone to begin the game.
Utah's 49-point showing represented the ninth time in their last 14 games they've scored 40 points or more.

Offense

Utah scored 42 points in the first half; the most for the team since scoring 43 in the first half against Colorado last season.
Utah's 28-point second quarter represented the most points they've scored in a quarter since they scored 28 in the second quarter against Colorado on Nov. 26, 2022.
Utah did not punt until its first drive of the third quarter; prior to that the Utes had scored six touchdowns on four possessions.
The Utes were a perfect 4-for-4 on third-down conversion attempts in the first half.
Quarterback Devon Dampier reset the Utah career record for rushing yards by a quarterback and now has 1,228 rushing yards in his two seasons at Utah.
Dampier finished the day 22-of-29 passing for 260 yards and three touchdowns passes, the third time in Utah's last four games Dampier has thrown for three scores. He also rushed for 45 yards.
Dampier is now 18-2 as the starter at Utah. His 18 career wins tie Dampier for the sixth-most in program history (the record is 26).
Tight end Hunter Andrews had his first career game with multiple receiving touchdowns, set a career-best with 112 receiving yards and matched his career-best with five catches.
Andrews became the fourth different Utah player this season to post a 100-yard game. That last time happened was in 2005 (Travis Latendresse, John Madsen, Brian Hernandez and Paris Warren).
Andrews caught a four-yard touchdown pass from Devon Dampier to cap off Utah's game-opening drive. It was the seventh game-opening drive touchdown of the season for the Utes.
Wide receiver Braden Pegan has contributed multiple catches in all eight games this season.
Running back Wayshawn Parker had a 13-yard touchdown rush in the final minute of the first quarter. Parker has rushed for a touchdown in four of the last five games for Utah.
Running back Daniel Bray rushed for one touchdown and caught another. The latter was his first collegiate touchdown reception and he also posted multiple scores for the first time in his college career.
Utah has scored at least 14 points in the first quarter in five of eight games.
Utah piled up 269 rushing yards, the fifth time in 2026 they've topped 200 yards on the ground. They also logged multiple rushing touchdowns for the seventh time in eight games.

Defense

Utah scored defensive touchdowns in the game both on an interception (Elijah Davis; 39 yards) and fumble recovery (Rabbit Evans; 51 yards). The pick-six extended Utah's streak to 23 straight seasons with a pick-six, the longest known streak in FBS history.
Defensive end Ethan Day forced the fumble on Evans' scoop-and-score; it was Day's first as a Utah Ute and second of his collegiate career.
Utah last had a scoop-and-score when Karene Reid had one (11 yards) shortly after halftime in the 2022 game at No. 12 Oregon. Davis also had the team's last pick-six (97 yards) in the 2025 regular season finale at Kansas.
The last time Utah had both a scoop-and-score and pick-six in the same game was Oct. 11, 2008, at Wyoming. Sean Smith had the interception return and RJ Rice had the fumble recovery for the touchdown.
Defensive end Kash Dillon contributed a career-best seven tackles in the game, which also tied him for the team lead.
Safety Nate Ritchie came up with a third-down pass breakup during the first quarter. It was a crucial stop for Utah as it held Cincinnati to a field goal and preserved a 7-3 lead at the time for the Utes.
In the second quarter, Ritchie also hustled back on what would've otherwise been a long touchdown for Cincinnati; instead his tackle limited the play to a 63-yard completion. The Cincinnati drive lasted four more plays (and two penalties) and resulted in a missed field goal, rather than a touchdown.
Elijah Reed registered the first sack of his Utah career. Karson Kaufusi added to his team-leading total with his third sack of the season and set a career-high with five tackles.
Utah held Cincinnati to a combined 3-of-13 on third and fourth down conversion attempts.

Special Teams

Punter Orion Phillips averaged 51.5 yards on his two punts in the game.
Kicker Dillon Curtis connected on all seven of his PAT attempts on the day.

Players Mentioned

Hunter Andrews

Daniel Bray

Dillon Curtis

Devon Dampier

Elijah Davis

Ethan Day

Kash Dillon

Rabbit Evans

Karson Kaufusi

Wayshawn Parker

Braden Pegan

Orion Phillips

Elijah Reed

Nate Ritchie

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