Big plays, defense power Utah past BYU, 54-10

BYU couldn't hold onto the ball and Utah made them pay.

On BYU's first drive for scrimmage, Jake Heaps chased down an errant snap and tried to pick the call up and throw it. The ball came out of his hand backward and defensive lineman Derrick Shelby fell on it in the end zone for a Utah touchdown.

That set the tone as John White scored three touchdowns, Jordan Wynn passed for two scores and Utah forced seven BYU turnovers to cruise to a 54-10 victory Saturday night in a rare lopsided game between the rivals.

''Turnovers played a huge role in the game,'' BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall said.

The loss snapped the Cougars' four-game home winning streak and was their first to an in-state opponent since 2005.

Utah (2-1) trailed 10-7 late in the second quarter until Wynn beat a blitz and found tight end Jake Murphy open for a 30-yard touchdown pass.

''The first half was much more how we prepared the game to go. The second half was not,'' Mendenhall said.

Wynn tossed a 59-yard scoring pass to Dres Anderson on the opening possession of the second half, and the Utes never looked back.

White scored on runs of 1, 62 and 35 yards.

The game's scoring started and ended with touchdowns by Utah's defense.

Jake Heaps passed for 305 yards and a 32-yard second-quarter TD, but tossed an interception and fumbled twice.

BYU's run game was non-existent as the Cougars carried 22 times for just 11 yards.

''We're still looking for the balance we'd like to have. I credit Utah for that. We didn't run the ball correctly,'' Mendenhall said.

The Cougars gained just two yards in the third quarter as Utah ran away with the game.

''We were outcoached, outplayed and basically outexecuted,'' Mendenhall said.

An ecstatic Utah coach Kyle Whittingham ran toward the Utah cheering section afterward and gave high-fives to everyone along the rail. Now he has a bye to look forward to, then a full slate of Pac-12 games and a chance to go to a BCS bowl.

''There were so many great performances tonight. I don't know where to begin. So many positives coming out of this game,'' Whittingham said.

First-year independent BYU (1-2) faces Central Florida on Friday.

Wynn finished 16 of 30 for 239 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.

White had 22 carries for a career-high 183 yards. He had 9 yards on nine carries at halftime.

''I had to patient, but when I had openings I just relied on instinct,'' White said.

This game - the first in 113 years the schools played as non-conference opponents - started as dramatically as last year's meeting ended. It was the largest margin of victory for Utah since the Utes won 49-0 in 1922.

On BYU's third play from scrimmage, Heaps lost the fumble for the 7-0 Utah lead.

The Utes had a chance to extend their lead after linebacker Chaz Walker forced a Josh Quezada fumble on the next series. But a big hit by Travis Uale dislodged what would have been a touchdown catch by DeVonte Christopher, and Coleman Peterson missed the 29-yard field goal try.

Heaps overcame the jittery start and some early boos to give BYU a 10-7 lead with 6:23 left in the first half on a 32-yard pass to Ross Apo, who beat cornerback Conroy Black down the sideline. It was a perfect pass from Heaps and put him over the 200-yard passing mark for the game.

''In big games like this, if you don't turn the football over then you win the game. Our offense was able to move the football tonight but we couldn't find the end zone,'' Heaps said.

But the game shifted on stellar play by Murphy, son of former Atlanta Braves All-Star outfielder Dale Murphy, who initially committed to BYU after high school but changed his mind after serving his church mission.

Murphy caught three consecutive passes, including the 30-yard TD catch, to cap a six-play, 63-yard drive. It gave Utah a 14-10 lead with 32 seconds left in the first half, and all the momentum it needed.

''We took what the defense was giving and Jake was getting open. On the touchdown he was supposed to be the clear route but I looked up and he was wide open and I got him the ball,'' Wynn said.

The Utes scored 30 straight points in the second half, capped by yet another defensive touchdown, this time after BYU backup quarterback Riley Nelson fumbled and Utah freshman V.J. Fehoko raced 57 yards the other way for the final margin.

The win showed that the Utes might have the firepower to compete in the Pac-12 Conference.

But for BYU, it could be a long season as an independent.