DALLAS — Under gray skies, Utah dominated West Virginia 30-14 in the Heart of Dallas Bowl on Tuesday.
A recap of the live updates throughout the game:
Final stats
— Utah outgained the Mountaineers 362-153
— With no running game to speak of, sophomore Chris Chugunov struggled to 9-of-28 passing for 129 yards with two interceptions.
— Utah’s Tyler Huntley completed 12-of-26 for 165 yards and lost a fumble, though he ran for two scores.
— Zack Moss ran for 150 yards on 20 carries, fueled by the first-quarter breakaway score.
Fourth quarter
— TURNOVER: After West Virginia recovered the onside kick, Chugunov’s deep sideline pass was intercepted by Julian Blackmon.
TOUCHDOWN: Ka’Raun White 18-yard pass from Chris Chugunov (1:58) Utah leads 20-14
After a 38-yard pass to Gary Jennings, Chugunov hit White with the fade route. Kennedy McKoy followed with a two-point pass to Trevon Wesco. (Drive: 5 plays, 67 yards in 2:11)
FIELD GOAL: Matt Gay 26-yarder (11:38) Utah leads 30-6
After the interception, the Utes set up Gay’s third kick of the afternoon. (Drive: 8 plays, 20 yards in 4:03)
— TURNOVER: Chugunov gave the ball right back to the Utes on the ensuing snap, overthrowing Ka’Raun White on a curl route. Utah’s Julian Blackmon returned it 24 yards to the Mountaineers’ 26.
— TURNOVER: Huntley fumbled at the WVU 30, where Adam Shuler recovered.
— WVU’s punt-to-first down ratio now stands at 9-to-3 after another three-and-out.
FIELD GOAL: Matt Gay 26-yarder (11:38) Utah leads 27-6
The Utes designed another gimmick play only to see Harris Handley drop a sure touchdown pass from receiver Demari Simpkins. That led to Gay’s second kick. (Drive: 4 plays, 7 yards in 1:38)
— A handoff between Chugunov and Martell Pettaway wound up on the ground where Utah’s Cody Barton recovered at the WVU 15.
TOUCHDOWN: Tyler Huntley 2-yard run (13:59) Utah leads 24-6
Utah converted a fourth-and-3 pass from Huntley to Carrington for a 32-yard touchdown, though the score was temporarily erased by a holding call. Pushed back to the 17, the Utes benefited from an Elijah Battle interference flag before Huntley scored on a read-option keeper. (Drive: 7 plays, 39 yards in 2:35)
Third quarter
— The Mountaineers’ uninspiring offensive performance continued with a Josh Sills personal foul negating a downfield completion. Cue punt No. 8, which Boobie Hobbs returned 19 yards to the WVU 39.
— A David Long sack and a false start backed up Utah to third-and-19, making Huntley’s 13-yard connection to Singleton inconsequential.
FIELD GOAL: Evan Staley 26-yard run (6:43) Utah leads 17-6
Not only did WVU fail to get a touchdown out of the turnover, it also failed to gain a yard. On third-and-goal, Chugunov overthrew a wide-open Simms on a crossing route. (Drive: 4 plays, 0 yards in 1:02)
— Utah’s three-and-out culminated in a near-disastrous punt attempt by Wishnowsky, who rugby-rolled into pressure and fumbled into the arms of Shane Commodore. The special-teamer was brought down at the Utes’ 9-yard line, giving the Mountaineers a huge opportunity.
— West Virginia punted for the seventh time in eight possessions after Chugunov’s third-down sideline pass to Ka’Raun White was ruled out of bounds.
— After a bobbled kick return forced Utah to open the second half from its own 8, the drive reached the 44 before David Long’s sack stopped the momentum. Two incompletions later, the Utes punted.
Halftime notes
— Utah outgained West Virginia 229-81.
— Chugunov is 7-of-17 for 73 yards, while Utah’s Huntley is 8-of-17 for 117 yards.
— WVU has 11 rushing attempts for 13 yards.
— The Utes are 4-of-9 on third downs while West Virginia 1-of-9.
Second quarter
— West Virginia nearly struck gold in the final seconds when a defender slipped leaving Simms to run free down the sideline. But Chugunov overthrew the wide-open receiver, negating a potential 74-yard touchdown.
FIELD GOAL: Matt Gay 29-yarder (1:08) Utah leads 17-3
The Utes widened the gap before the half. The key play: Raelon Singleton beating Mike Daniels for 39 yards on third down. (Drive: 9 plays, 56 yards in 3:12)
— For the fifth time in seven drives, West Virginia entertains the crowd with a three-and-out.
TOUCHDOWN: Tyler Huntley 2-yard run (5:46) Utah leads 14-3
After the muffed punt, Utah capitalized with three consecutive runs. On the TD, Huntley faked a pitch to the right before keeping around left end untouched. (Drive: 3 plays, 13 yards in 1:19)
— Kyzir White’s third-down sack got WVU’s defense off the field, but only momentarily. Punter Mitch Wishnowsky was bumped by a Mountaineers rusher on his rugby-style rollout and downfield came a more egregious mistake: Simms allowing the tumbling punt to ricochet off his shoulder pad. Utah’s Cody Barton recovered at the WVU 13-yard line.
— Despite decent starting position at its 32, there was nothing doing for WVU on this drive. Complicating matters, Chugunov took a big facemask-to-facemask hit from Filipo Mokofisi on a third-down incompletion. The quarterback stumbled toward the sideline with help from his linemen.
— Utah botched two chances to answer West Virginia’s kick on the ensuing drive. First, Huntley threw too hot for Siale Fakailoatonga, who was running free out of the slot. Then, off a quarterback-throwback flea flicker, fullback Jake Jackson dropped a potential 35-yard gainer. Xavier Preston ended the drive by sacking Huntley for an 11-yard loss.
FIELD GOAL: Evan Staley 28-yard run (13:09) Utah leads 7-3
Chugunov jumpstarted the drive with a 33-yard completion to Simms. Then, on fourth-and-3 from the Utes’ 35, he found Gary Jennings weaving out of the backfield for a 19-yard completion. Ultimately, two red-zone incompletions targeting Sills led to the field-goal attempt. (Drive: 11 plays, 67 yards in 4:29)
First quarter
— On third-and-1 at the Utah 34, David Long shot beneath the block of fullback Cody Ippolito for a TFL on Huntley.
— After a third straight punt, WVU has run nine plays for minus-4 yards.
— Pinned at its 4 by Billy Kinney’s punt, Utah flipped the field by driving to midfield over 11 plays.
— The Mountaineers suffered a second consecutive three-and-out, losing 5 yards in the process when Kennedy McKoy’s jet sweep “completion” to Marcus Simms was stopped in the backfield by the gap-shooting Phillip Afia. Chugunov missed Sills on a deep out, dropping to 0-of-3.
TOUCHDOWN: Zack Moss 58-yard run (11:37) Utah leads 7-0
Quarterback Tyler Huntley seems healthy enough. He kept twice for 21 yards before Moss popped free on a breakaway. (Drive: 4 plays, 83 yards in 1:48)
— West Virginia used the Wildcat once in a three-and-out series capped by Chugunov missing Sills on a crossing pattern
Pregame notes
— West Virginia’s offensive line, already missing senior guard Kyle Bosch, took another hit. Left tackle Yodny Cajuste has been ruled out with a hamstring injury sustained in practice this week.
— Our Four-Down Territory preview and Gold & Blue Lunch Report predictions.
— Utah is a 6.5-point favorite as we near kickoff.