Utah Football Shocks Pac-12 Rivals: Utes’ Dramatic Win Reignites College Playoff Hopes

Utah quarterback Devon Dampier will suit up for tonight’s Big 12 clash with Colorado after being upgraded from “questionable” to “available” on the final pre-game injury report, a welcome boost for a Utah Utes team chasing its sixth win of the 2025 season. The junior signal-caller exited last week’s 24-21 loss to BYU with a lower-leg issue but practiced without limitation during Thursday’s closed session, according to team sources. Dampier has completed 68.7 percent of his passes for 1,754 yards, 13 touchdowns and three interceptions while adding 442 rushing yards and five scores, numbers that rank top-five among Big 12 quarterbacks in total offense. Backup Byrd Ficklin took first-team reps early in the week and remains on standby as head coach Kyle Whittingham manages Dampier’s workload. Colorado’s staff, meanwhile, spent Friday night re-installing spy packages to contain a potentially limited Dampier, a source told Sports Illustrated. Utah (5-2, 2-2 Big 12) enters Week 9 tied for sixth in the conference but boasts the nation’s best third-down conversion rate (57.6 percent). The Buffaloes (3-4, 1-3) are surrendering 432.1 yards per game and have allowed 13 plays of 40-plus yards this season, an area Dampier’s dual-threat ability can exploit if his mobility holds up. Key matchups to watch • Edge Jonah Elliss vs. Colorado LT Gerad Wiley – Elliss leads the Big 12 with 7.5 sacks and faces a line that has yielded 19. • Utah slot WR Mikey Matthews vs. CB Travis Hunter – Dampier’s quick-game safety valve draws an All-America candidate; Matthews averages 8.2 yards after catch. • Red-zone efficiency – Utah scores touchdowns on 71 percent of trips, Colorado just 54 percent; Dampier’s legs are pivotal inside the 20. What’s at stake A win keeps Utah in the Big 12 title conversation before a two-week road swing to TCU and Oklahoma State. It would also make the Utes bowl-eligible for an 11th straight year under Whittingham. Colorado needs an upset to avoid its first four-game conference skid since 2021. How to watch Kickoff: 10:15 p.m. ET, Rice-Eccles Stadium TV: FS1 | Stream: Fox Sports App Line: Utah ‑8.5 | O/U: 55.5 Bottom line If Dampier plays close to full speed, Utah’s balanced attack should overwhelm a depleted Colorado defense. But if the leg flares up and Ficklin is forced into extended duty, the Buffaloes’ opportunistic secondary could flip the script in Salt Lake City.