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Utah BCS bound after thrashing BYU

Sun 23rd, November 2008

Salt Lake City, UT (Sports Network) - Brian Johnson completed 30 of 36 passes for 303 yards and four touchdowns as the eighth-ranked Utah Utes beat No.16 BYU, 48-24, to win the Mountain West Conference championship and secure a spot in a BCS game.

Freddie Brown had eight catches for 97 yards and Brent Casteel scored twice on six catches for 60 yards for the Utes (12-0, 8-0 MWC), who scored three unanswered touchdowns in the final quarter.

B-Y-U's Max Hall was intercepted five times while completing 21 of 41 passes for 205 yards, but the Cougars (10-2, 6-2) were denied their third straight conference title.

The teams exchanged field goals in the opening quarter. Utah's Louie Sakoda kicked a 37-yarder with 9:48 remaining and Mitch Payne of the Cougars matched that with a 40-yarder with 8:27 left.

Utah appeared to take control with a pair of touchdowns. Johnson connected with Brent Casteel with a 16-yard pass with 4:25 remaining in the first quarter. Then with 13:44 remaining in the half, Matt Asiata ran five yards to make the score 17-3.

However, BYU answered back with a 23-yard and two-yard scoring runs by Harvey Unga to make the score 17-17 with 6:26 left in the half.

Sakoda then kicked a 35-yard field goal and Johnson's 32-yard TD pass to David Reed with 15 seconds left made it 27-17 at the break.

BYU had the only score in the third quarter, an 11-yard run by Hall with 6:46 left to cut the Utah lead to 27-24.

Utah got back on the board with 14:31 to play with an eight-yard pass from Johnson to Casteel.

Paul Kruger's 30-yard interception return to the four set up a four-yard scoring pass from Asiata to Chris Joppru with 12 minutes remaining.

Sean Smith's interception of a Hall pass gave the Utes the ball at the Cougars' 46 yard line. Johnson finished off the drive with a one-yard touchdown pass to Colt Sampson with 2:48 to play.

Game Notes

The Utes have won their last 13 contests and lead the series with BYU 53-33-4. Reed had four catches for 60 yards and Jereme Brooks added five receptions for 49 yards. Unga ran for 116 yards on 15 carries and teammate Austin Collie had 10 receptions for 104 yards.