Kansas State Wildcats at Utah Utes

Devon Dampier leads No. 13 Utah's rally for wild 51-47 win over Kansas State

“Believe until that clock says zero! This is a special team and we’re going to do something with it. Finished out the game strong,” Dampier said.

The game turned on an unusual play. After KSU took a 47-35 lead on Joe Jackson’s third rushing touchdown of the game, the Wildcats went for 2, but Utah’s Tao Johnson intercepted a tipped ball and returned it to the Kansas State end zone for 2 points to make it 47-37.

“If that play doesn’t happen, it's probably a different outcome,” coach Kyle Whittingham said. “It was four-point switch.”

The usually reserved coach was emotional after possibly his last game at Rice-Eccles Stadium. He has been considering retirement.

“That was one for the ages,” Whittingham said. “You can't dream that up.”

Dampier’s 20-yard TD toss to Larry Simmons got Utah within 47-44 with 2:47 left. After the Utes forced a punt, Dampier led the winning drive, setting up his go-ahead score with a 59-yard run to the 1 on fourth down.

“My confidence is high when all my teammates tell me I'm going to get it ... so to finish that drive after all the adversity, a game-winning drive with no errors felt good,” Dampier said.

Lander Barton intercepted Avery Johnson's pass with 49 seconds remaining to seal it for Utah (9-2, 6-2 Big 12, No. 12 CFP), which kept alive its hopes for a league title and a College Football Playoff berth.

“The whole game we made a lot of mistakes ... but to end it that way I was so happy for the boys, all of us seniors,” Barton said.

Jackson rushed for a school-record 293 yards for Kansas State (5-6, 4-4), topping Darren Sproles' mark of 292 yards set in 2004. The Wildcats finished with a program-record 472 yards rushing, the most by a Division I team in a loss since Army ran for 534 in a 52-49 loss to North Texas on Nov. 18, 2017.

Dampier threw for 259 yards and rushed for 94. Byrd Ficklin rushed for three touchdowns and Wayshawn Parker had 100 yards on 19 carries for Utah, which had 551 yards of offense to 574 for Kansas State.

VJ Payne knocked the ball out of Dampier's hand and Cody Stufflebean recovered the fumble at the Utah 26-yard line to set up Jackson's 24-yard TD rush midway through the fourth.

Dampier found Dallen Bentley for a 38-yard TD reception and Ficklin ran for his third TD to put Utah up 35-31 early in the third quarter. But Johnson threw to Garrett Oakley for a TD on fourth down and Luis Rodriguez added a 36-yard field goal to put KSU ahead 41-35 with 8:51 to play.

“Pressure makes diamonds,” Ficklin said he told Dampier in the fourth quarter. “Prove you are a diamond. Show who you are.”

Utah’s defensive leader, John Henry Daley, left the game with a leg injury late in the first quarter, when the defensive end already had two sacks and 3 1/2 tackles for loss. Daley grabbed his leg on a non-contact play and was helped to the locker room. Leading receiver Ryan Davis also left the game early with an injury.

Accepting coach Chris Klieman’s challenge to play “big boy, physical football,” Kansas State had 348 yards rushing in the first half, including 225 in the second quarter as the Wildcats led 31-21.

“One of the greatest efforts I’ve been a part of as a coach and it’s hard to say this because we lost the game," Klieman said.

Kansas State gashed the Utah defense on its way to five consecutive scoring drives — four TDs and a 22-yard field goal. Jackson gained 236 yards in the first half with TD runs of 66 and 80 yards. Antonio Martin Jr. and Johnson also rushed for scores.

Feeling the pressure after another loss, Klieman said: “I’ve given my ... life for this place for seven years. I’ve given everything for seven years and I think I deserve a little bit of respect.”

The takeaway Kansas State: Late in a disappointing season that began with Big 12 title hopes, the Wildcats put together an unforgettable display of power and speed on the ground but let Utah make all the big plays in the final three minutes.

Utah: The Utes' defense was overwhelmed by the Wildcats’ physicality on the line of scrimmage, but they found a way to salvage an unfathomable win, largely thanks to Dampier.

Up next Kansas State hosts Colorado next Saturday.

Utah visits Kansas on Friday.