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SEC? That’s no problem for No. 20 Utah, as the Utes clobber Arkansas 43-10

Utah’s offense puts up 442 yards of total offense in blowout win.

By https://s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/sltrib/684b2f12-8528-496e-97cc-4cfa23d2fc8b.jpg Jason Batacao
 | Sep. 13, 2026, 12:09 a.m.
| Updated: 7:13 p.m.

(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) Arkansas Razorbacks tackle Utah Utes tight end Hunter Andrews (10) during the game between the Utah Utes and the Arkansas Razorbacks in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026.

It’s not often an SEC team makes the trip out to Salt Lake City.

In fact, Saturday marked only the second time a program from the Southeastern Conference has played in Rice-Eccles Stadium.

After what happened, others may not be too eager to volunteer to be the next one up (though LSU is scheduled to make the trip in 2031).

No. 20 Utah (2-0) clobbered Arkansas (1-1) 43-10 on Saturday night. Senior quarterback Devon Dampier finished with 261 passing yards and two touchdowns, and added two more touchdowns on the ground.

“You look across college football, and there are upsets all over the place,” Utah head coach Morgan Scalley said to open his post-game presser on Saturday. “Teams are not necessarily playing consistent. For the first two weeks, I thought we’ve played consistent.”

Utah defensive tackle Jireh Moe had a coming-out party against the Hogs, powering his way to a sack and eight tackles on the night.

“Our analytics said that he was the best in the portal of anyone,” Scalley said of Moe. “And [teams] — because of his size — a lot of people shied away from him. We did not.”

Arkansas quarterback KJ Jackson got off to a hot start on the Razorbacks’ first drive, completing six of his first eight passes. Utah held in the red zone, though, holding Arkansas to a field goal. Utah responded with a 10-play, 75-yard drive the next series, which was capped off by a short run from Wayshawn Parker, giving Utah a 7-3 lead with 3:39 remaining in the first quarter.

In the second quarter, Utah’s offense got off to a rocky start after Dampier threw his first interception of the season. Safety Jackson Bennee got that back quickly, picking off Jackson to give Utah prime field position to score — and setting the tone for the rest of the night.

The Utes took a 15-3 lead with 9:23 left in the first half after Dampier scampered seven yards for the score. The drive was highlighted by a 13-yard keeper from sophomore quarterback Byrd Ficklin, where he tried to hurdle an ensuing defender out of bounds.

Utah was far from done.

Wayshawn Parker rumbled into pay dirt for his second touchdown of the game to give Utah a 22-3 lead with 1:55 left. Parker struck again to close the half, catching another touchdown pass from Dampier.

Utah held a 29-3 lead by the half, and Scalley’s group continued its offensive tidal wave into the second half.

On the Utes’ first possession, Dampier connected with tight end Noah Bennee for a 57-yard gain. He later found Parker for his second touchdown pass of the game, bringing the Utes’ lead to 36-3 with 12:03 left in the third.

Later, Dampier powered into the end zone for his second rushing touchdown late in the third to extend Utah’s lead to 43-3 early in the fourth quarter.

“A lot of defenses they get to focus on one guy. With us— you can’t do that,” Dampier said after the game. “Everybody’s respectable. Everybody’s able to get that ball and do something with it. So, just the fact that we have the weapons that we do ... I’m excited.”

Next, Utah will take on in-state rival Utah State (0-2) on Saturday, Sept. 19 at 1:30 p.m. MDT in Salt Lake City.

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