The No. 21 Utah Utes opened the 2026 season with a 66-14 victory over the Idaho Vandals at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Thursday night, according to a September 4 report. The win marked Morgan Scalley’s first regular-season game as head coach after Kyle Whittingham departed following 21 seasons at the program.
Quarterback Devon Dampier led an explosive offense, completing 13 of 18 passes for 176 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. Dampier also contributed 31 rushing yards before exiting the game with the Utes leading 38-7 in the second half. His performance extended a streak of eight consecutive games with multiple touchdown passes.
Running back Wayshawn Parker recorded three touchdowns in the win, including two receiving touchdowns and a 21-yard rushing score. Parker finished the game with 71 rushing yards, marking his first three-touchdown performance.
Utah's offense totaled 633 yards, including 364 rushing yards and 269 passing yards. This performance was Utah's highest yardage total since 2022 and ranks among the seven highest single-game offensive totals in program history. The team also recorded 33 first downs.
The Utah defense limited Idaho to 225 total yards. The Utes forced turnovers on Idaho's first two possessions, with Hunter Andrews recording an interception and Rabbit Evans recovering a fumble. Idaho's scoring came via Hayden Kincheloe and quarterback Joshua Wood, who also added a 22-yard rushing touchdown.
The 66-14 result represents the largest margin of victory and the most points scored by Utah in the 29-game history of the series. The victory also extended Utah's home-opening winning streak to 18 games, excluding the 2020 season. The Utes will next host Arkansas on Saturday, Sept. 12.
