Tailgate/Game Notes

The final regular season game (and final tailgate) of the year came went out on a high note with an overtime victory of 41-34 over the rival Cougars.  The tailgate got underway about 10am in the Marriot Center parking lot with a total of about 15 tailgaters making the trip down south.  To be honest, there were certainly more Ute tailgaters in this lot than Y tailgaters?!  The Y may put a competitive football team together from time to time but they certainly will not put together a competitive tailgate tradition like the Utes - that much we witnessed!  On the menu this beautiful sunny fall day were Chicago dogs, cheeseburgers, and of course brats.  Troy C. once again did not disappoint with the return of his "perfect hot chocolate".  Rob C., being the only Y fan (along with his nephew Matt)  was dishing out the smack talk at the tailgate amongst all the other Ute fans.  Rob even mentioned that "I've never been so sure of a blowout win as I am today!".  A bet between Landon C. and Rob came down to the Utes winning and us being allowed to fly our 'Utah Utes' flag at the Y/U tailgate next season and NOT a "Y" flag.

The Utes were 15 point underdogs heading into the game due to a season-ending knee injury to starting sophomore QB-Brian Johnson in the New Mexico game the previous week.  This led to jr. transfer QB-Brett Ratliff getting his first Div. I start as a Ute and he didn't disappoint.  Ratliff threw for four touchdowns and ran for a surprising 112 yards and another TD on the ground.  The Cougars rallied from a 10 point deficit to force overtime but the Utes scored quickly in OT with a Ratliff to LaTendresse 25 yard touchdown pass.  The Cougars then had a chance to tie but QB-John Beck's fourth down pass fell incomplete due to a relentless Ute defense - giving the the Utes their fourth straight win over BYU.  In his last game as a Ute, RB-Quinton Ganther ran for 131 yards.