SALT LAKE CITY — Justin Herbert hit Darren Carrington for a 17-yard touchdown pass with two seconds remaining to give Oregon a 30-28 upset victory over No. 11 Utah on Saturday, putting the Utes’ hopes of a Pac-12 championship in jeopardy.
Herbert led the Ducks, who have struggled all season and suffered several lopsided losses, on a 10-play, 75-yard drive in just over two minutes, capping it with the TD pass to Carrington. Carrington was initially called out of bounds but that call was reversed after a replay showed he got a foot down inbounds.
Herbert finished the game with 324 yards passing and three TDs. He also scored on a 1-yard run in the fourth quarter.
The Utes had taken a 28-24 lead with 2:18 remaining off a Troy Williams 30-yard touchdown pass but the Ducks then began their comeback drive.
Royce Freeman led the Ducks ground game with 129 yards. He also scored on a one-yard pass from Herbert early in the fourth.
Joe Williams rushed for 149 yards and a touchdown for Utah. The normally stout Utes defense gave up 575 yards of offense to Oregon.
Utah led 7-3 at halftime as both teams had several miscues in important moments.
The Ducks drove inside the Utah 40-yard line on all five first-half possessions, but came away with just three points. They failed to convert on fourth down on their first possession of the game and missed a 41-yard field late in the second quarter.
THE TAKEAWAY
OREGON: The Ducks are still simply running out the clock. Even with a win against Oregon State in the season finale, Oregon would fall shy of the six normally needed to be bowl eligible. This would be the first time since 2004 that Oregon missed a bowl game.
UTAH: The Utes have lost control of their own destiny. They now need Colorado to lose to Washington State to remain in the hunt to win the Pac-12 South Division for the first time since joining the league in 2011. Utah would then need to beat Colorado in the regular-season finale to earn a berth in the Pac-12 Championship game.
SACK KING
Utah defensive end Hunter Dimick set the school’s career sack record in the first quarter with a sack of Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert. He wasn’t done there, picking up sack No. 2 later on the same drive. He finished the day with two sacks after entering the day tied for the nation high with 12.
EJECTED
Oregon starting receiver Charles Nelson was ejected midway through the second quarter after being called for targeting. Nelson peeled back for a block on Justin Thomas as Herbert ran around the right end. Nelson’s shoulder pads mostly hit Thomas in the chest, but there was some contact between his helmet and Thomas’ facemask. Nelson entered the game with a team-high 47 receptions and 501 receiving yards.
UP NEXT
OREGON: The Ducks wrap up the season against in-state rival Oregon State in the Civil War.
UTAH: The Utes travel to face No. 12 Colorado next Saturday.
