LAS VEGAS — Utah quarterback Travis Wilson ran for three touchdowns and passed for another Saturday, leading the No. 23 Utes to a 45-10 rout of Colorado State in the Las Vegas Bowl.
Wilson rushed for a season-high 91 yards on 11 carries and completed 17 of 26 passes for 158 yards.
Utah (9-4) scored three times in the first quarter and finished with 548 total yards, including 359 on the ground. Devontae Booker ran for 162 yards and a TD and Troy McCormick ran for 86.
Colorado State (10-3) fell behind in the first three minutes and never got its vaunted offense in gear. The Rams played a ranked team for the first time this season — they have lost their last 16 games against teams in the Top 25.
Garrett Grayson completed 21 of 35 passes for 242 yards, but he was unable to avoid Utah’s rush in the second half when the Rams were forced to throw the ball.
Utah, which led the nation with 52 sacks, dropped Grayson twice in the game, one each by Jason Fanaika and Nate Orchard.
Grayson threw an interception and lost a fumble in the fourth quarter, and Utah turned both into touchdowns.
Wilson ran for a 12-yard touchdown and backup running back Bubba Poole scored on a 10-yard run.
Colorado State interim coach Dave Baldwin hoped to confuse Utah’s defense by using multiple formations, but it didn’t work. The Rams ran the ball early with little success and couldn’t mount a passing attack in the second half. They finished with 8 yards rushing.
Rams wide receiver Rashard Higgins caught seven passes for 109 yards.
Utah didn’t do much wrong in the opening half, taking a 24-10 lead, rolling up 327 yards and scoring on its first three possessions. The only time the Utes stumbled came on the final play of the second quarter, when a 38-yard field goal attempt by Andy Phillips hit the post.
But by then, the Utes were in high gear. They combined with Colorado State to score 31 points in the first period, a Las Vegas Bowl record, and used big plays to set up each of their touchdowns.
A 36-yard pass from Wilson to wide receiver Clay Kaelin on their initial drive put the Utes in position for a touchdown. Two plays later, Wilson scored on an 8-yard run.
On the next possession, McCormick broke two tackles for a 49-yard sideline run to set up a second Utah score, a 16-yard TD pass from Wilson to Delshawn McClellon.
Booker later ran off-tackle for a 60-yard score and a 21-7 lead late in the first quarter.
Colorado State used a trick play to get its only first-half touchdown, a pitch from Grayson to wide receiver Charles Lovett, who threw back downfield to Grayson for 39 yards.
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