'Grudge match' was over before it really began

LARAMIE, WYO. — So that's how you take the drama out of an emotional rematch.

You treat it like another routine stop on your route. You let opponent get meaningless touchdown in the last quarter. Oh, and when the lead gets really big, for heaven's sake, DON'T try an onside kick.

Saturday at windblown War Memorial Stadium, Utah wiped out Wyoming, 40-7. That makes it a two-year total score of 90-7. Not good for interstate relations, but a heck of a deal for the winner.

Nothing builds confidence like annihilation.

If you're waiting for the Utes to play the ever-elusive complete game, stop right there. They managed just two offensive touchdowns and totaled only 242 yards.

These guys are never going to operate like a Rolex for a whole game. Rather, they're going to do some nice stuff, stub their toes and keep on grinding. That's in large part due to a sporadic offense. The Utes converted on just four of 17 third-down conversions and didn't score off its offense in the last 26 minutes. Didn't matter.

Considering the margin of victory, feelings couldn't be terribly good between Utah and Wyoming, these days. Nevertheless, Saturday's "grudge match" didn't turn out to be much of anything. It was the same as last year, minus the piling on and the obscene gestures. Otherwise, SSDY — Same Score, Different Year.

"That was all behind us, no question, a dead issue," said Ute coach Kyle Whittingham. "We've moved on. You make a mistake — in my case — and you move on. I don't think that was a factor at all this year."

The Cowboys shot themselves in the foot — or the Utes pounced, depending on perspective — enough times in the early going that there was never a chance to get stoked. They fumbled on the opening kickoff, but recovered for the touchback. They threw an interception on their second possession, which turned into a touchdown; fumbled on a third possession. They had a punt blocked for a touchdown and threw another interception.

All totaled, Utah scored one touchdown on an interception, one on a blocked punt and a third on a fumble recovery.

Offense? When you're playing Wyoming, who needs it?

By the half it was 27-0, and the best idea of all was to get out of town before the storm blew in. High winds unhinged signs on the sidelines and chased fans from the stadium.

By halftime the crowd looked like the population of Ten Sleep: around 300.

"Wind from start to finish," said Whittingham.