Utah football fans with good memories worry whenever an afternoon kickoff time is announced, knowing the Utes traditionally perform better under the lights of Rice-Eccles Stadium in the Pac-12 era.
Yet as darkness took hold in the second half Saturday, the Utes were fading. The initial glow of quarterback Jason Shelley’s first start dimmed and Utah fell behind Oregon, playing into a second-half trend of the team’s three defeats this season.
That’s what made Utah’s last two drives so impressive in a 32-25 victory. The offense had produced a total of 81 yards on five second-half possessions as of midway through the fourth quarter, when a blocked punt helped Oregon take a 25-22 lead.