The No. 12 Utah football team maintained its perfect season on Saturday night, Oct. 10, with a 41-24 victory over Kansas at a sold-out Rice-Eccles Stadium. Behind a career-best performance from wide receiver Ricky Johnson and a 90-yard touchdown run by Wayshawn Parker, the Utes moved to 5-0 on the season, marking the program's first 5-0 start since 2015.
Johnson Leads Offensive Charge
Ricky Johnson served as a primary catalyst for the Utes' offensive surge, recording a career-best 104 receiving yards on five targets. Johnson caught a two-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Devon Dampier during the third quarter to help restore Utah's lead. His performance was part of an offensive effort that saw the Utes total 541 yards of offense, including 258 passing yards and 283 rushing yards.
Parker Dominates on the Ground
Wayshawn Parker delivered a standout performance, tallying 171 rushing yards and 207 all-purpose yards. Parker scored two touchdowns, including a 5-yard run on the opening drive and a 90-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. The 90-yard sprint was the longest play of the season for Utah and the first 90-plus yard rushing play for the team since the 2021 game against Stanford. Parker has now recorded 150-plus rushing yards in back-to-back games, a feat not achieved by a Utah player since 2021.
Dampier Hits Career Milestones
Quarterback Devon Dampier directed the offense with 238 passing yards and 71 rushing yards, contributing to four total touchdowns. Dampier completed 23 of 30 passes and recorded three passing touchdowns and one rushing touchdown. With the win, Dampier has now reached 1,041 career rushing yards at Utah, making him the fourth quarterback in program history to surpass the 1,000-yard rushing milestone. He currently holds a 15-2 record as the team's starter.
Defense Secures Key Stops
Utah's victory was secured by a resilient defense that held Kansas to just two touchdowns. A critical moment occurred in the fourth quarter when safety Rabbit Evans and linebacker Johnathan Hall stopped Kansas quarterback Isaiah Marshall at the one-yard line on fourth down, preventing a potential momentum shift. Evans finished with seven tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss, while Hall and cornerback Elijah Davis each recorded two pass breakups.
Atmosphere and Schedule Changes
The game was moved to a 6 p.m. MT kickoff from its original 8:15 p.m. schedule due to forecasts predicting inclement weather in Salt Lake City later on Saturday night. The victory marked the 99th consecutive sellout at Rice-Eccles Stadium, a streak dating back to the 2010 season opener, excluding three games during the pandemic-altered 2020 season. This win also extends Utah's winning streak to 11 games, the longest active streak in the Big 12.
Looking Ahead
Utah head coach Morgan Scalley noted that while the team showed resilience, there is room for improvement regarding discipline and execution. Scalley highlighted the team's ability to bounce back despite committing 10 penalties and losing the turnover battle for the first time this season. The Utes now look ahead to a road game against Colorado on Saturday, Oct. 17.
Program History and Dominance
The Utes have demonstrated significant dominance early in the 2026 season, winning all five of their games by at least 14 points. This marks only the fourth time in program history—previously in 1953, 1994, and 2004—that Utah has started 5-0 with such large margins of victory. The team has also scored 30 or more points in 11 consecutive games, a streak dating back to the 2025 season.
