This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Los Angeles •The Utah Utes have celebrated a year of transformation as they made the leap from the overlooked Mountain West to the mighty Pac-12. On Saturday they were reminded that it still doesn't matter what logo is on their uniforms or what historic arenas in which they do battle, one thing will never change for them — close losses still hurt, a lot.
Those on the outside might pick up their Sunday papers, see the Utes lost to USC just 17-14 in the Coliseum and think that the little ole team from Salt Lake City did all right in their Pac-12 debut against the Trojans (2-0, 1-0).
There was no such thoughts among the Utes (1-1, 0-1) though, all they felt was agony. As a program, they've moved past the point of feeling good about close losses to any team.
"We didn't come down here for a moral victory," linebacker Chaz Walker said, watching USC's players celebrate the blocked field goal on the last play of the game. "We came here for a win."
The victory was right there too, or at least the chance for one. All the Utes needed was for walk-on kicker Coleman Petersen to make a 41-yard field goal to send the game into overtime. Instead the kick, deemed a little low by coach Kyle Whittingham, was blocked by USC's Matt Kalil.
USC's players stormed the field in celebration as a win over the Utes, probably thought of as a foregone conclusion beforehand by many, became something to cherish in the end.
For the Utes, what could have been a champagne night turned into a bitter drink of reality. Football, no matter how you play it or who you play, still stinks when you lose.
"We fought hard and we gave ourselves a chance," Utah offensive lineman John Cullen said. "But we didn't come to just play, we came to win. Hats off to USC, they played better than we did."
That the Utes were still in position to extend the game into overtime was an achievement in itself, considering how much the offense struggled in the final quarter. The Utes had the ball five times and came away empty each time.
"They gave us as many opportunities as they could have to score touchdowns and we couldn't do it," said quarterback Jordan Wynn, who was 19-for-32 for 201 yards and a touchdown. "It's frustrating for the offense as whole to be moving the ball up and down the field and we just couldn't find a way to get any points."
Utah's last drive started on its own 33-yard line with 1:01 remaining. Passes of 18 yards and 10 yards from Wynn to Dres Anderson and DeVonte Christopher, respectively, plus a reversed call on a fourth down spot that went in Utah's favor and a pass interference call on USC got the Utes in range of a field goal.
Unfortunately, Petersen, who made field goals from 37 and 44 yards out against Montana State, couldn't get the ball safely over USC's line.
Utah's players were stunned at the quick turn of events, particularly Wynn who was one of 32 California players hoping to beat a team he grew up watching.
"That is something you live for growing up, to have a chance at the end of the fourth quarter driving in the Coliseum to win the game and we just didn't finish it," he said.
The offense had its problems, for sure, but so did the defense early. USC quarterback Matt Barkley was 18-for-27 for 246 yards and a touchdown with one interception while Marc Tyler rushed 16 times for 75 yards and a touchdown.
There were senseless penalties too, including a personal foul that helped set up USC's third-quarter touchdown that gave the Trojans a 17-7 lead.
But Utah coach Kyle Whittingham shrugged off all those issues, noting USC had its share of problems too.
"It was a tough loss, obviously, but I'm proud of the way the guys hung in there and fought and battled every step of the way," he said.
Christopher was still stunned after the game, remembering how fast the team went from feeling hope to feeling disappointment.
"It hurt more than anything," he said. "But that happens, it's football."
It's football, no matter what league the Utes are a part of this year.
Twitter: @lyawodraska —
Storylines
R In short • The Utes' 41-yard field-goal attempt is blocked, preserving USC's win.
Key stat • Utah is scoreless on five possessions in the fourth quarter.
Key moment • The Utes attempt the FG rather than running another play with 11 seconds left.