Author: Jesse

Cincinnati, trailing 24-7 at halftime Saturday on the road against Utah, came out of the second-half gates hot.

The Bearcats forced a punt on the Utes’ first drive of the third quarter, then Cincinnati quarterback Brendan Sorsby connected with Cyrus Allen for an 88-yard touchdown.

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Utah blitzed, Allen got behind cornerback Smith Snowden and Sorsby threw a perfect pass.

With the touchdown, Cincinnati closed the gap to 10 points, and suddenly, the Bearcats had significant momentum — especially when Ute quarterback Devon Dampier threw an interception deep in Cincinnati territory on the ensuing drive.

Dampier had all day on third-and-19, but instead of throwing it away, he forced a throw and was picked off.

The black-clad fans at Rice-Eccles Stadium, who were energetic and loud from the opening snap, fell silent.

There was a palpable nervousness. After seeing their fair share of letdowns in big games, including two this year, there had to be some Utah fans thinking, “not again.”

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But Utah’s defense came onto the field for the biggest series of the game and delivered with a three-and-out and Dampier ended the next drive with an 11-yard touchdown pass to Creed Whittemore, who muscled his way into the end zone for his first touchdown as a Ute.

“That was huge to swing the momentum back in our favor. They did come out and score, cut the margin and we needed to answer and we did with the defensive stop and then the offense got in gear again,” Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said.

A Cincinnati three-and-out later, and the Bearcats were forced to punt again.

Mana Carvalho, who already had a 23-yard punt return earlier in the game, fielded the punt, made a Bearcat defender miss around the 40-yard line and was off to the races.

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Punter Max Fletcher was one of the last lines of defense, and Carvalho sped right by him. Bearcat cornerback Kye Stokes got his hands on Carvalho around the five-yard line, but the freshman punt returner would not be denied, dragging Stokes with him into the end zone.

Two games after a costly fumble against BYU, Carvalho found redemption — a 75-yard punt return touchdown to put Utah up 38-14.

Utah didn’t shrink when Cincinnati was threatening down 10. The No. 24 Utes rose to the occasion, went on a 14-0 run and delivered a 45-14 win over No. 17 Cincinnati.

After missing last week’s game against Colorado, Dampier was back under center for the Utes, leading the team out of the tunnel, a moment that meant more to him this week.

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“Being out last week, it just made me kind of realize when I ran out that tunnel today, just seeing everybody, it was great. I felt it a little bit more today,” Dampier said.

“You go by so many of those memories so fast you don’t really think about them, but yeah, it gave me a lot of realization and I’m happy to be a Ute. They showed out tonight, the blackout was there and yeah, I’m happy we delivered,”

Almost as if to prove that Dampier was ready to roll, offensive coordinator Jason Beck called a quarterback run on the Utes’ first play of the game.

The junior signal-caller threw for 213 yards, two touchdowns and an interception on 52% completion and added 78 yards rushing.

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Dampier had four passes of 20 or more yards, the most impressive of which was a 46-yard pass to Ryan Davis.

Utah snapped the ball to running back Wayshawn Parker, who handed the ball off to Dampier, who then stepped back and launched the ball to an open Davis.

“It was that trick play, so I had to shuffle, kind of give a block look … Supposed to slip the safety outside, that’s what it usually is, but he was kind of flatfooted so I just stuck my foot in the ground, beat him inside and I just prayed that (when) I turned around, the ball was in the air,” Davis said.

“It was, and yeah, I just saw it in the air, and so I told myself I have to come down with it and did and yeah, that was a good play. I’m very excited we called it, finally,” Davis said.

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As he has been all season, Davis was Dampier’s go-to target Saturday. With 132 yards and a touchdown on eight catches, it was Davis’ best game as a Ute.

“He has been so valuable to us this year. He catches everything. You throw it in his general direction, he’s going to come down with it,” Whittingham said.

“He’s also good running after the catch. He gets tough yards after the catch and such a savvy, crafty receiver. He’s as smart of a receiver as I’ve ever been around, knows how to get open, knows how to work the zones and space.”

Parker also was key in a dominant Utah performance — the Utes gained 480 total yards — with 104 yards and a touchdown.

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Parker has emerged as the Utes’ RB1, and Utah rewarded him with 17 carries.

“He’s starting to separate himself. It was a concerted effort on our part to get him more touches because when you look his production, he deserves more,” Whittingham said.

While Sorsby had his moments of brilliance on Saturday, he was largely contained by the Utes’ defense. His 33% completion rate was his lowest of the season by 19 percentage points, and he threw his first interception since Aug. 28.

There were a few coverage lapses, but overall, the Utes’ secondary did a good job of covering Cincinnati’s talented receivers. Cornerback Don Saunders had two pass breakups, and Scooby Davis, Snowden and Blake Cotton all had timely pass deflections.

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“Secondary did an outstanding job. They did get a few things on us here and there, but for the most part we were in position on just about every deep ball and pass,” Whittingham said.

The Utes had to rebuild their cornerbacks room after losing nearly every player to graduation or the transfer portal, and they have reloaded with the additions of Cotton and Saunders.

“I think we really hit the jackpot in the portal with those corners that we took,” Whittingham said.

Two key stops by the Utes’ defense deep in their own territory were the difference in the first half. After Cincinnati easily drove down the field on pitches to running back Manny Covey, Sorsby faked the pitch on Utah’s 22-yard line and kept it, running untouched to the end zone to tie the game at seven.

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The Bearcats exploited weakness in the Utes’ run defense on the next two drives to get to the red zone, and Utah’s defense bent but didn’t break.

Down 14-7, Cincinnati’s Tawee Walker rushed for a 41-yard gain at the end of the first quarter to get the Bearcats to the Utah 23-yard line, but John Henry Daley stuffed Chance Williams on first down and the Utes forced two Sorsby incompletions.

Kicker Stephen Rusnak missed the 42-yard field goal, but the Utes couldn’t do anything with the ensuing possession.

When Cincinnati got the ball back, Sorsby — who started out 1 for 8 —dropped a 45-yard pass right in the bucket for Cyrus Allen to get into the Utah red zone.

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On the next play, though, linebacker Johnathan Hall jarred the ball loose on a Sorsby keeper.

There were some shaky moments from Utah’s defense in the first half, but after saving those 10 points, Scalley’s unit locked the Bearcats down, forcing a punt and then picking off Sorsby, though Smith Snowden fumbled the ball after the interception.

The Utes’ offense capitalized on the defensive stops, scoring a field goal and a touchdown to take a 24-7 lead into halftime. Dampier connected with Davis on a 46-yard deep shot and the Utes finished off the drive with a NaQuari Rogers touchdown run.

Saturday’s game was an absolute must-win for the Utes. In a big-time game on a national stage with “College GameDay” broadcasting live from Salt Lake City, Kyle Whittingham’s team turned in a statement victory.

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“I couldn’t be more proud of the football team, coaching staff, just the whole building,” Whittingham said. “We’re starting to get some momentum now and just love coaching these guys, love being around them and leadership is tremendous and just got to keep it going.”

They’ll need help, but the Utes are very much alive in the Big 12 championship race with three games to go and is playing like a championship-caliber team.

“There’s still a way for us to get to the championship. That’s still on our mind. That’s been our goal since the beginning,” Dampier said.”… We know we got to win out from here on out.

“One game at a time, that’s how we take it, and then this was the game that we had to come out and win.”

The weaker slates almost always deliver an upset or two and Week 10 delivered in a big way.

Unranked SMU made a late comeback to send an early game to overtime, and then beat No. 10 Miami on a short TD run after Carson Beck threw an interception on the Hurricanes’ possession. The loss will likely have ACC and CFP implications for Miami.

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No. 20 Texas got things started previously with a crucial SEC win over No. 9 Vanderbilt as Arch Manning picked the Commodores apart before a late Vandy rally made things interesting. In the afternoon window, No. 5 Georgia was the beneficiary of another controversial late call and escaped with a win over Florida.

During the evening games, No. 8 Georgia Tech suffered a surprise loss to NC State and No. 18 Oklahoma overwhelmed No. 14 Tennessee in a solid road win. And in the nightcap, No. 24 Utah bludgeoned No. 17 Cincinnati 45-14 to cap Saturday’s action.

Here’s how to watch college football in Week 10, and you can follow all the action below (scroll for live updates).

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One month into a federal government shutdown, tens of thousands of the poorest Utahns will go through November without the aid that ensures they have access to groceries.

The state’s all-Republican top elected officials announced Thursday that Utah will give as much as $4 million — half a million each week — to supplement the Utah Food Bank until the government reopens and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program resumes.

But before mentioning the funding increase, a news release from Gov. Spencer Cox, Senate President Stuart Adams and House Speaker Mike Schultz made clear who they believe is to blame, saying the state is responding to an “ongoing Democratic government shutdown.”

The message follows a trend of partisan finger-pointing across the country as the lowest-income Americans head toward Thanksgiving uncertain about where they might get food.

And Utah Republicans’ statement comes as more Americans blame the GOP than the congressional minority for the nearly monthlong shutdown, according to a Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll.

SNAP funding stopped

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which administers the SNAP program, initially said it would use contingency funds to ensure SNAP recipients continued to receive their benefits despite the government shutdown, but the agency recently reversed course.

Announcing it will not issue benefits Nov. 1, USDA placed a bold note at the top of its website telling visitors — while using anti-immigrant and anti-transgender language — the absence of SNAP benefits is the fault of U.S. Senate Democrats.

“We are approaching an inflection point for Senate Democrats,” the federal agency wrote. “They can continue to hold out for healthcare for illegal aliens and gender mutilation procedures or reopen the government so mothers, babies, and the most vulnerable among us can receive critical nutrition assistance.”

The USDA’s comments followed a slew of federal agencies under President Donald Trump’s administration sharing messages earlier this month condemning Democrats for the funding lapse, and prompting accusations of violations of the Hatch Act, which bars federal employees from engaging in partisan politics.

“While Utah works to support its citizens,” state officials said in the release, “Democrats in Congress continue playing political games, putting working families at risk, hurting veterans, workers and communities nationwide, leaving essential personnel unpaid and critical services unfunded.”

Some blue states have shared messages placing responsibility for the SNAP pause on the White House, and more than two dozen Democratic governors and attorneys general are suing the Trump administration for suspending the food benefits. A federal judge was expected to issue a ruling Thursday, but indicated she believes the federal government should at least partially fund the program.

Beyond the politicized pronouncement, it’s unclear where Utah is pulling the attached extra funding for food banks from, and when such a disbursement was approved. When spokespeople for the governor’s office, the Senate and the House of Representatives were asked Thursday, only a representative for the governor responded.

“The Legislature and the Governor have allocated $500,000, with the Utah Legislature committing up to an additional $3.5 million — $500,000 per week, or until the federal government reopens,” Cox’s spokesperson wrote.

The Utah Food Bank brings in millions annually, and the majority of its revenue is through contracts with government entities. Lawmakers, earlier this year, approved a law allowing Utahns to contribute part of their tax return to the food bank.

Former state Rep. Brian King, now the chair of the Utah Democratic Party, suggested the Republican trio turn their attention to influencing Utah’s federal delegation and other members of their own party to take action to end the shutdown.

“Republicans control the Senate, Congress, and the White House. All six members of the Utah delegation are Republicans,” King wrote in a statement. “Instead of using taxpayer resources to disclaim responsibility, I recommend Governor Cox, Speaker Schultz, and President Adams demand that Trump and their buddies in Congress come to the negotiating table, end the shutdown, and stop holding crucial food assistance hostage. This is entirely a crisis of their own making.”

The government, as of Thursday, has been shut down for 30 days.

‘Completely separate buckets’

At the heart of the closure is a fight over health care funding. Senate Democrats have refused to cross the aisle and vote for a short-term continuing resolution unless Republicans agree to extend enhanced premium tax credits that help millions of Americans — and thousands of Utahns — pay for Affordable Care Act health insurance.

Members of Utah’s congressional delegation have consistently blamed Democrats for the shutdown throughout October, as well as for the expiration of the enhanced subsidies, as Democrats were in control of Congress when the tax credits were expanded in 2021.

“The Democrats put the expiration date on them because they were temporary, and now all of a sudden it’s Republicans’ fault that they’re expiring,” Sen. John Curtis said earlier this month.

Several other members of Utah’s congressional delegation have also placed blame for the shutdown on Democrats.

Rep. Blake Moore, of the 1st Congressional District, has also blamed Democrats and said the minority’s demands are inappropriate in the context of a government funding conversation.

“When we talk about a shutdown, we’re talking about 12 specific appropriations bills,” he said earlier this month. “None of them dictate what goes on with the Affordable Care Act. … You can’t solve [the] Obamacare debate discrepancy within an appropriations bill. They’re two completely separate buckets of funding.”

Republicans currently have control of all three branches of government.

Democrats have pushed back against the decision to cut off SNAP funding.

On Wednesday, congressional Democrats introduced legislation to extend SNAP funding despite the shutdown, and party leaders have accused President Donald Trump of “weaponizing hunger” by refusing to tap into contingency funds to pay for the program.

“The Republicans have been on a crusade against SNAP all year,” Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer of New York said this week. “They slashed it by $200 billion this summer to pay for their tax cuts for billionaires. So they’ve never wanted SNAP, and they don’t want it now. Again, they’re using these 40 million innocent people as pawns.”

Republicans rejected the proposal to expedite SNAP funding. Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota called the bill “a cynical attempt to provide political cover” and said Democrats should vote to reopen the government if they want funding dispersed.

“We’re not going to let them pick winners and losers,” Thune said Wednesday. “It’s time to fund everybody.”

Being in his ninth season in the NBA, it finally seems Lauri Markkanen has become hellbent on establishing himself as one of the most versatile power forwards in the league, someone who can leverage his size to score effortlessly from the perimeter as well as in the paint.

And from what Lou Williams has witnessed from the initial days of the 2025-26 season, he is convinced that Markannen deserves a chance to compete for a championship. In fact, Lou pleaded for Lauri to be traded before or at the 2026 deadline, emphasizing that now his game is fully developed, making him a truly reliable force for a real contender.

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Williams wants Markkanen to be traded out of the Utah Jazz

So far, the Utah Jazz have managed to win two of their first four games in the 2025-26 season, but the roster clearly lacks the star power or depth to compete with better-knit teams, as their success is mainly reliant on a handful of players.

Nevertheless, Markkanen has been the brightest spot for the Jazz as he not only became the first player after Karl Malone to drop a 50-point game, but over four games, he has recorded a scoring average of 34.0 points.

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That is why Williams boldly suggested that it is time for such a great player not to be good on a bad team, but rather to ensure his production gets the limelight it deserves – something that can only happen if the seven-foot forward brings himself to a solid playoff contender in the East or West.

“I hope he gets traded on the deadline. I just feel like he deserves to be on a playoff-contending team, and now that the Utah Jazz has some young pieces, they can kinda restart and rebuild around,” Williams said on an episode of the “Run It Back” show. “This is the time for Lauri to go somewhere else.”

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Can Lauri achieve success with the Jazz?

Indeed, the Jazz doesn’t have the experience or firepower to go toe-to-toe with proven championship teams like the Golden State Warriors, the Denver Nuggets, or the Oklahoma City Thunder.

However, what they do possess is boldness and hunger. With Markkanen’s offensive prowess leading the charge, even young guard Keyonte George is averaging 22.3 points per game, with Walker Kessler posting a double-double with 17.0 points per night and Brice Sensabaugh making impactful contributions off the bench. Safe to say that the Jazz have quietly assembled an intriguing young core.

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Sure enough, they might not be ready to contend for a title just yet, but they have enough talent to play the role of dark horses in the Western Conference, even in the 2025-26 season. That said, the bigger question looms: will Markkanen truly believe that this Jazz team can make meaningful progress, or will he eventually seek a move to a more established franchise where he can maximize his prime years chasing championships?

Given his current form and mindset, the Finnish big man will give his current team a chance before forcing his way out.

This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Nov 1, 2025, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.