Devon Dampier tossed three touchdown passes, two to Braden Pegan, to help No. 11 Utah notch a 27-24 victory over Colorado on Saturday night in Big 12 play at Boulder, Colo.
Hunter Andrews also had a scoring reception and James Chenault Jr. made a key interception for the Utes (6-0, 3-0 Big 12). Utah stretched its winning streak to 12 games, the longest active streak in FBS after Indiana and Notre Dame lost earlier Saturday.
Wayshawn Parker rushed for 98 yards on 23 carries for Utah, which defeated Colorado for the ninth time in the past 10 meetings. Dampier completed 24 of 41 passes for 278 yards and was intercepted twice.
Isaac Wilson, a former Utah starting quarterback, completed 18 of 30 passes for 256 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions for the Buffaloes (2-4, 0-3).
Jaquail Smith caught a touchdown pass and had 141 scrimmage yards (73 rushing, 68 receiving) for Colorado, which dropped its fourth straight game.
DeKalon Taylor rushed for a score and DeAndre Moore Jr. had a touchdown grab.
Utah blew a 13-point halftime lead but regained the lead when Dampier threw a 16-yard strike to Pegan for a 20-17 lead with 1:06 to go in the third quarter.
In the fourth quarter, Chenault picked off Wilson and returned it 30 yards to the Colorado 22-yard line with 5:09 remaining.
Three plays later, Dampier saw Pegan open in the middle of the field and hit him for a 6-yard score to make it 27-17 with 3:43 to play.
The Buffaloes rallied with Wilson throwing a 2-yard scoring pass to Moore to cut the Utah lead to three with 1:21 remaining.
Colorado later took over possession with 56 seconds left and its final play was Wilson’s incomplete heave into the end zone.
The Buffaloes trailed by 13 after a forgettable first half but scored the first 17 points of the third quarter.
They got on the board on the third play of the quarter when Smith caught a short pass from Wilson at his own 35-yard line and broke two tackles while completing a 68-yard scoring play.
Colorado then went ahead 14-13 when Taylor took a pitch from Wilson and scored from the 18 with 9:45 left in the third quarter.
Naeten Mitchell intercepted Dampier nearly two minutes later to set up a 32-yard field goal by Elliott Arnold with 4:24 left.
Utah held the ball for 22:03 in its dominating first half and outgained Colorado 248-70.
Utah drove 75 yards on 12 plays with its first possession and Dampier connected with Andrews on the 8-yard scoring pass.
The Utes had a 17-play, 84-yard drive stall. It chewed 8:35 off the clock and ended with Dillon Curtis’ 27-yard field goal with 8:58 remaining in the half.
Curtis hit a 29-yard field goal as time expired to give Utah the 13-0 halftime lead.
