Utah quarterback Cameron Rising is the kind of player you want to have the ball when the game is on the line. And it worked out perfectly Saturday night when No. 20 Utah dealt No. 7 USC its first loss of the season.
Down by seven, Utah opened its final drive in the home game with more than six minutes left on the clock. Plenty of time to find the end zone and tie it up.
Rising and tight end Dalton Kincaid not only led their team marching up the field, but they also helped eat up most of the clock before Rising ran for a one-yard touchdown on 4th-and-goal with just 48 seconds left.
Utah scores on 4th down! pic.twitter.com/tuzj9bdXdP
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 16, 2022
But instead of tying it with the easy extra point, Utah coach Kyle Whittingham opted for the two-point conversion and the lead — or a disastrously embarrassing ending if it failed — showing just how much confidence he has in his quarterback.
Sure enough, Rising ran it in for the two-point conversion, giving Utah — which was down 21-7 at one point and looking poised for its third loss of the year — a 43-42 lead and ultimately the victory, spoiling the Trojans’ once-perfect season.
UTAH LEADS!@Utah_Football converts for 2 to take the 1-point lead late! pic.twitter.com/e2R04hx8SI
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 16, 2022
Rising looked to throw it initially before spotting a hole up the middle and cruising into the end zone for the two points.
Utah was able to keep USC from scoring in the final seconds of the game and held on for the one-point victory. And especially on a day when Utah was honoring two late players, Aaron Lowe and Ty Jordan, this win in front of the home crowd was particularly special.
Afterward, Whittingham simply said about Rising on the two-point conversion: “He’s a playmaker. He gets it done.”
Rising completed 30-of-44 passes for 415 yards and two touchdowns while adding 60 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns to his stat line.
