Aug 28, 2003

Final Stats

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Brandon Warfield ran for 173 yards and a touchdown as Utah beat Utah State 40-20 Thursday night in Urban Meyer's debut as the Utes' head coach.

Quarterback Brett Elliott added a touchdown on the ground and threw for another as Utah won its sixth straight over the Aggies in the series' 103rd game.

Warfield carried the ball 33 times, sometimes lining up as quarterback in shotgun formation or taking pitches off the option. Utah gained 202 of its 382 yards on the ground and matched Utah's high score from last season. Meyer's team at Bowling Green ranked third in the NCAA in scoring last season.

After Utah State fell behind 21-3 on Elliot's 1-yard touchdown run, the Aggies got a safety off a bad punt snap and a touchdown run by Travis Cox, who threw for 280 yards in his first start, to make it 21-12 at the end of the third quarter.

Utah's Bryan Borreson kicked field goals from 24 and 36 yards. Then Paris Warren, who caught seven passes for 103 yards, caught a 30-yard touchdown pass from backup QB Alex Smith with 4:57 left to put the game out of reach, 34-12.

Utah State gained 357 yards but Cox threw an interception to Morgan Scalley and was sacked on a fourth-down attempt on successive drives in the fourth quarter.

Brett Elliott threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Larry Miles on the Utes' second possession. But after Mark Estelle intercepted Elliott's pass on the next Utah drive, the Utes went back to a power running game.

Utah State's Justin Hamblin kicked a 21-yard field goal. Utah then ran 11 consecutive rushing plays, capped by Warfield's flip over a defender into the end zone for a 14-3 halftime lead.

Instead of rushing off the field after the win, Meyer directed the team to the front of the student section where they lifted their helmets in unison to the crowd and sang the Utah fight song.