Wayshawn Parker ran for a career-high 174 yards and two touchdowns to lead No. 15 Utah to a 31-17 victory over Iowa State on Saturday in Ames, Iowa
Parker also had 65 yards receiving and added another touchdown on five catches to lead the Utes in the passing game. He averaged 9.7 yards per carry while putting together his sixth career 100-yard game. In Utah’s first three games, Parker totaled 154 yards and three scores on the ground.
Devon Dampier threw for 206 yards and two touchdowns while completing 67% (18-of-27) of his passes. Utah (4-0, 1-0 Big 12) tallied 411 total yards while averaging 6.9 yards per play.
Jaylen Raynor threw for 205 yards and a touchdown and also ran for a score to lead Iowa State. Raynor struggled with consistency, completing just 53% of his passes (21-of-40) and throwing two interceptions.
The Cyclones (2-2, 0-1) trailed 24-3 at halftime before rallying to make it a one-score game in the fourth quarter. Raynor connected with Dominic Overby on a 22-yard pass to cut Utah’s lead to 24-17 with 10:48 left.
Parker slammed the door on the comeback by taking a short pass in for a 13-yard touchdown with 2:58 remaining. Jackson Bennee intercepted Raynor one play later.
Parker signaled how dominant Utah would be on offense in the first half when he raced 54 yards for a touchdown on the Utes’ first play from scrimmage.
Utah scored on four of its first five drives to take a 24-3 halftime lead. The Utes averaged 8.5 yards per play in the first half and went 2-of-2 in the red zone.
Parker was the catalyst for making everything run smoothly. He piled up 144 all-purpose yards in the first half alone — five more than Iowa State totaled as a team. His successful fourth-down run set up Utah’s second touchdown — a 24-yard catch by Braden Pegan — a play later.
Parker scored the Utes’ third touchdown himself, taking an option pitch in from a yard out after catching passes of 16 yards and 22 yards to get Utah down near the goal line.
The Cyclones did not get their first touchdown until Raynor scored on an 8-yard bootleg run midway through the third quarter to cut Utah’s lead to 24-10. Iowa State covered 82 yards in 12 plays while taking nearly seven minutes off the clock.
