Salt Lake City, UT (SportsNetwork.com) – Led by an Oregon convoy, Joe Walker
raced into the end zone while Utah was celebrating an apparent touchdown at
the other end.
It was a 14-point swing in the matter of seconds and the Utes never recovered.
Marcus Mariota threw three touchdown passes and ran in another as the fifth-
ranked Ducks defeated No. 20 Utah 51-27 on Saturday night.
Utah was set to take a 14-0 lead after Kaelin Clay beat the Oregon secondary
for what looked like a 78-yard touchdown early in the second quarter.
There was just one problem.
He celebrated too soon.
On a 3rd-and-5 at the Utah 22, Travis Wilson fired a strike to a streaking
Clay over the middle near the Oregon 40. Clay beat Erick Dargan in a foot race
en route to the end zone, but dropped the ball in celebration at the 1 prior
to crossing the goal line.
The ball lay on the field for a few seconds as the referee never signaled for
a touchdown. After a brief scuffle in the end zone and another fumble, Walker
picked up the loose ball and ran 100 yards the other way along the right
sideline to tie the game at 7-7.
As the play was under review, Clay was in disbelief on the Utah bench and
lowered his headband over his eyes as the referee confirmed the Oregon
touchdown.
It was the beginning of a 24 straight points for the Ducks (9-1, 6-1 Pac-12),
who clinched the Pac-12 North with the victory.
Oregon has won five straight since a loss at home to Arizona on Oct. 2.
