Senior night in Rice Eccles Stadium had many ups and downs, as the Utes had a chance to tie the game up at the end of regulation, but came up just short as a Cole Becker field goal sailed right, allowing Iowa State to come away with the win, 31-28. 

Despite the loss, the seniors were honored for the hard work and dedication they have given to the program over their time as Utes. 

Head Coach Kyle Whittingham said he was “very proud of what [the seniors] have been able to accomplish … They deserved better this season; they deserved better tonight.”

Recap

The Utes were the first to hit the scoreboard, after their first drive of the game found them 34 yards out of the end zone at fourth down. Becker kicked the field goal home, putting the Utes ahead of the Cyclones by three.

Iowa State turned right around on the next drive, finding themselves in a similar spot as the Utes. The Cyclones attempted a field goal, 37 yards out, which was subsequently blocked by Caleb Lohner. A holding call on the Utes’ Junior Tafuna turned the play into a first down, and before long Iowa State had their first touchdown in Utah territory, stepping ahead of their hosts.

Down after the first quarter, Utah came back in the second with a play fans have been waiting for all season — a short pass from the Iowa State quarterback was intercepted by Lander Barton, who ran the ball a quick 87 yards down the line for a touchdown to make it 10-7. Barton’s interception return marked the 21st consecutive season with a pick-six for the Utes which is the longest active streak in FBS.

“It was fun at the time, just didn’t want to go down,” Barton said about the play. “Overall, just wanted to get a W tonight.”

Unfortunately the high didn’t last long, as the Cyclones completed a deep pass down the field to push the team all the way to the Utah eight yard line. An all too easy rush handed Iowa State their second touchdown of the night, shoving past the Utes again at 10-14.

Utah continued to stay on the Cyclones’ heels, despite a few Isaac Wilson passes giving the Utes negative yardage. After a failed third down at the 47 yard line, Utah opted for the field goal, which Becker completed to put the Utes at 13.

Another Iowa State field goal later, Utah couldn’t seem to catch up by the end of the first half. The situation felt even more dire after the Utes fumbled the ball just a short 23 yards out, which the Cyclones were quick to capitalize on, finding another touchdown to widen the gap to 13-24.

The fourth quarter began in a less than elegant fashion, but a positive one nonetheless for Utah. A blocked Iowa State punt sent the ball tumbling into the endzone, as both sides grappled for it on the ground. David Washington recovered it for the Utes, rendering it a touchdown for Utah. Luke Bottari helped complete the two-point conversion, helping the Utes catch up at 21-24.

Down to the last few minutes, Bottari executed a 40-yard rush, bringing the Utes right back into the Red Zone. A quick Micah Bernard rush found the endzone, soaring past Iowa State at 28-24.

With less than two minutes to go, fans looked on as the Utes repeated a fatal mistake that has plagued the team all season. Unable to make the final stop against the Cyclones, Iowa State sashayed right back into the Utah endzone, sneaking ahead at 28-31. A 54 yard field goal opportunity in the final seconds of the match offered hope for Ute fans, but regrettably Becker could not complete it.

Analysis

Wilson led the Utes in passing with 74 yards on 8/8 passing before he was sidelined to an injury, allowing Bottari to take over at quarterback. Bottari was excellent in his short time, completing 5/9 passes for 55 yards and rushing four times for 47 yards to help keep the Utes in this game down the stretch. 

Bernard had a tough time getting anything going on the group but was able to find the endzone in the fourth quarter as he rushed for 42 yards on 17 carries in his final game at Rice Eccles Stadium. 

Daidren Zipper was the leading receiver on the night for Utah, coming down with 4 catches for 66 yards with a long of 46. 

With the loss tonight, Utah is officially ineligible to make a bowl game but will head to UCF next week for their final regular season at 6:00 p.m. MST.

a.thomas@dailyutahchronicle.com

@abbey0thomas

k.garrison@dailyutahchronicle.com

@KyleGarrison2

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The University of Maine System (UMS) Board of Trustees (BoT) met on Nov. 17 and 18 at the Wells Conference Center on campus. The 16-member board, appointed by the Governor and approved by the Maine State Legislature, oversees UMS academic programs, faculty tenure, tuition and budgets. The public comment portion began at 9:45 a.m. and concluded around 11:30 a.m., with 21 speakers total. Eighteen of them addressed the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, while others raised concerns about student worker compensation and the allocation of funding within the UMS five-year capital plan.

Before public commentary commenced, BoT Chair Trish Riley welcomed attendees and took time to mention some positive achievements before calling for the first speaker of the morning, noting record enrollment and retention numbers from UMS. 

“There’s so much good going on in this University system that we just want to take a minute to congratulate everyone for the enrollment numbers, and the very great strides in retention,” said Riley. 

Riley continued by assuring attendees that the Board received and read materials from various individuals providing public commentary. The theme of commentary centered around the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. In response, Riley pre-empted the public commentary session with a reminder. 

“We provided at that time [Spring 2024], a full listing of the University of Maine System’s investments in Israel in response to those inquiries…It was last spring and I know things change, but that is available and we’re more than happy to share it again,” said Riley. 

Given the extent of commentary about Gaza, Riley prioritized speakers addressing other issues to group topics together. The first was Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Maine at Augusta (UMA) James Cook, who presented findings on UMA student worker pay. His report replicated a study conducted in July 2022 by UMaine Professor of Political Science Rob Glover and Alumnus Tamra Benson.

Cook’s data was gathered from surveys distributed to all UMA student employees in the spring of 2023.

“A large majority of the students there indicated agreement that they enjoy their job at the University of Maine at Augusta. But less than half indicated satisfaction with the level of pay they received working for UMA. 61% reported being paid minimum wage, and no student reported being paid more than $15.99 an hour. Of student workers with children, all but one reported being paid minimum wage,” said Cook. 

Cook emphasized that student employees typically are older and do not have the same support systems as the typical college student, meaning that costs associated with supporting oneself can interfere with academic success. 

“Most student workers are older than the traditional 18-21 year old age range for college students. Less than a third live with their parents, and less than a third report that someone else pays for their housing,” said Cook. 

Another key comment came from fourth-year political science student Meredyth Waters, who shared her thoughts on the balance of funding allocations within the UMS five-year capital plan, which was released in late November 2024. In particular, Waters juxtaposed the lack of projects dedicated to liberal arts with STEM initiatives, which receive a significant amount of funding. 

“All of the funding projects were very much aligned with STEM, and research, and stuff that I think will hurt the liberal arts programs at this university…If you go into Stevens Hall, you’re going to find the paint is falling off the walls, right? And still, yet, we are making sure that we are preparing ‘factories of the future’ and building brand new engineering buildings that are shiny and beautiful,” said Waters. “But we are leaving out a great portion of the student population when we are doing that.”

Waters acknowledged that many buildings are donor-funded and “kind of free,” but also suggested that deferred maintenance issues will ultimately lead to liberal arts students bearing the brunt of costs, given they are provided no direct value from these buildings development.

“In 40 years, we’re gonna have the same deferred maintenance problems that we do now with those buildings. And liberal arts students are going to be paying the deferred maintenance on those buildings in 40 years even though they’re free now,” said Waters. “Buildings that they don’t step foot in, buildings that don’t represent them, buildings they don’t learn in.”

The meeting ended with extensive discussion on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which many referred to as an ongoing genocide and apartheid state. They urged the Board to take immediate action by divesting from companies partnered with Israel and issuing a public statement on the conflict, similar to the Board’s stance during South African apartheid. Secondary education graduate student Ashley Hebert compared the situations in her commentary to the Board. 

“I feel that the administration here has made significant progress with social issues including divestment from the fossil fuel industry. I know that we have the capacity to oppose these violations of humanitarian law as a learning community. We have passed divestment measures before, including in response to the apartheid system in South Africa,” said Hebert. “We are currently witnessing another apartheid state, and it is carrying out indiscriminate violence against civilians, the majority of which were women and children.”

Hebert continued by echoing other speakers’ concerns about scholasticide, which the organization Scholars Against the War on Palestine has defined as the systematic destruction of educational institutions and the targeting of educators and students, particularly in conflict zones.

“According to U.N. experts, as of this April, over 80% of schools have been damaged or destroyed by the Israeli assault on Gaza, with more than 5,479 students, 261 teachers and 95 university professors killed and many thousands more injured. As a future teacher and student here, it is important to see that due to the ongoing siege, the 2024 class of Gaza was unable to graduate and it is very likely that the class of 2025 will not be able to graduate either,” said Hebert. 

Others emphasized the importance of divestment, including senior computer science student Lucas Bent, who illuminated future job security concerns given the current system–wide stance. 

“As a senior in computer science, I’m of course looking for opportunities to work and further my career after graduation. But, as I wandered around the engineering and computing job fair this year, I felt lost. I could never work for any of those companies, nor would many of my peers. We could never knowingly work for a company which profits off of providing weapons and technology to a war machine committing human atrocities as we speak,” said Bent. 

The conversation presented three primary demands for the UMS BoT moving forward. Speakers requested the Board maintain transparency by continuing to publicly disclose all investments, fully divest from Israel-based companies and those doing business with or in Israel and end partnerships with companies supplying weapons and technology used against Palestinians in Gaza.

The UMS BoT will meet again on Jan.12, 2025 at the University of Southern Maine. Those interested in watching public commentary and meeting proceedings can view all board meetings through the UMS BoT Youtube channel.

Fourth down execution and special teams in the fourth quarter haunted Minnesota against Penn State, falling short of upsetting the No. 4 team 25-26 in Minneapolis.

Late in the fourth quarter leading by one point, Penn State head coach James Franklin elected to fake a punt on his side of the field and picked up 32 yards. Three plays later, Franklin opted to be aggressive again by going for it on fourth-and-one, and a tush push gave the Nittany Lions a first down.

Fourth down execution and special teams in the fourth quarter secured No. 4 Penn State’s win over Minnesota 26-25 in Minneapolis.

Franklin poetically chose to go for it on fourth-and-one with a passing play on the final play of the game where Penn State quarterback Drew Allar found Tyler Warren for the first down.

Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck said his team played their hearts out, but Penn State is one of the best teams in the country.

“This is one of the top five teams I’ve ever played against as a football coach,” Fleck said.

The Gophers got off to a hot start and kept the Nittany Lions out of their element for most of the game.

Minnesota mounted a march of nine plays for 70 yards on their opening drive, capped off by a 20-yard touchdown run from Marcus Major.

The Gophers’ defense stuffed the Nittany Lions on third-and-short on Penn State’s first two drives, revving up the crowd inside Huntington Bank Stadium. After the Gophers’ first punt of the game, Penn State went for it on fourth-and-five and Anthony Smith jumped all over Allar for a 12-yard sack.

Max Brosmer unleashed a missile-like throw with a Nittany Lion defender in his face to Daniel Jackson for 23 yards. After stalling, Gophers kicker Dragan Kesich hammered a 48-yard field goal through the posts to give Minnesota a 10-point lead.

The Gophers’ defense made three third-down stops in the first quarter against the fifth-best third-down team in the nation. The Nittany Lions offense is averaging 454.1 yards per game this season and proved the point with a 45-yard touchdown pass from Allar to Omari Evans, 10-7 Gophers.

Miscommunication between Gophers corners Justin Walley and Ethan Robinson allowed Evans to roam free and walk into the endzone.

Fleck said his defense played exceptionally well against one of the best offenses in the country aside from a mental lapse.

“We had one miscommunication on the big explosive play, but other than that they played their tail ends off I couldn’t be more proud of that defense,” Fleck said.

The Gophers’ defense bent but did not break, helped by a second-down sack by defensive back Jack Henderson. 

Penn State kicker Ryan Barker drilled a 45-yard field goal to tie the game halfway through the second quarter. Minnesota responded moments later when Mark Crawford pinned the Nittany Lions at their three-yard line. Derek LeCaptain blocked the Penn State punt and Minnesota took over at the 21-yard line.

Offensive coordinator Greg Harbaugh Jr., who tirelessly refines his game plan each week, went with a bit of trickery. Harbaugh drew up a double reverse pass and Brosmer found a wide-open Jameson Geers for the touchdown.

The Nittany Lions responded by cruising into Minnesota territory with the help of a defensive pass interference. Allar powered into the endzone for what looked like the game-tying touchdown with 19 seconds in the half.

Henderson breached the Penn State line on the extra point attempt blocking the kick, and Robinson returned it for two points giving Minnesota a 19-16 lead at halftime.

Henderson said he saw a gap in Penn State’s field goal unit he thought he could exploit during the week.

“Really just determination in the first PAT (point after touchdown) I got a glimpse of daylight and so I knew on the next couple I’d have an opportunity to make it so I just fired through that hole,” Henderson said.

The PAT returned for two for the Gophers since Mario Reese back in 2006.

Minnesota put together a sustained drive to open the third quarter and Kesich delivered again with a 42-yard field goal doubling his team’s lead.

Even as stout as the Gophers run defense was all night, Nick Singleton rumbled into the endzone and this time Barker made the PAT, 23-22 Penn State, their first lead of the game.

Looking for a response on the first play of the fourth quarter the Gophers turned the football over. Brosmer dropped the ball and Penn State safety Zakee Wheatley recovered.

Brosmer said the two turnovers are something that cannot happen.

“At the end of the day I know it happens in football but I know that I can be way better and put my team in a better situation to go out and score more points,” Brosmer said.

Minnesota’s defense held strong keeping the Nittany Lions out of the endzone leading to a 32-yard field goal by Barker, 26-22 Penn State.

Brosmer picked apart the Nittany Lions’ defense until first-and-goal. Penn State shored up in the red zone and trailing by four the Gophers settled for a 26-yard field goal with under six minutes to play.

Penn State ran a fake punt on fourth-and-one, and Luke Reynolds picked up 32 yards. Once again the Gophers’ defense came up with a third-down stop but Franklin went again and a tush push got the first down.

Minnesota, expecting push on the final play, was unable to cover Warren, who broke free, and Allar put the ball on him for the game-sealing fourth down conversion.

While Saturday’s match was the last one at Huntington Bank Stadium this year, the Gophers still have a meeting set with a 5-6 Wisconsin team at Camp Randall Stadium for the annual battle for Paul Bunyan’s Axe on Friday at 11:00 a.m.

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Trojans give an Irish goodbye to perfect start

No. 3 USC was dominated on offense and defense at home by No. 6 Notre Dame.

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By HENRY MODE

November 24, 2024

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Sophomore guard JuJu Watkins faced a pointed defensive scheme Saturday against Notre Dame, but she still finished with 24 points. (Marcus Heatherly / Daily Trojan)

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As tipoff of Saturday afternoon’s highly anticipated battle between No. 3 USC and No. 6 Notre Dame approached, the vibes inside Galen Center could not have been better. DJ Mal-Ski played just about every song on Kendrick Lamar’s new album “GNX,” and sophomore guard JuJju Watkins’ sister, Mali Watkins, performed a beautiful rendition of the national anthem, proving that the Trojan superstar isn’t the only one in her family with impressive talent. 

When fans in the sold-out crowd began to find their seats, they repeatedly roared at the sight of yet another celebrity doing the same. Rapper Snoop Dogg, actor Michael B. Jordan and WNBA legend Candace Parker were just a few of the names to appear at the star-studded, nationally televised affair. 

Fans looked euphoric, anxiously awaiting the first leg of perhaps the most high-profile doubleheader in USC sports history — with the Trojan football team set to battle UCLA for the Victory Bell at the Rose Bowl a few hours later.

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But notably, star sophomore guard Hannah Hidalgo and the Fighting Irish (5-0) were not smiling. They were not reveling in the stage, the crowd or the A-listers sitting courtside. Notre Dame was ready to play, win and send a message to the rest of the country. 

“I came into the game knowing that this was going to be a big hoopla game. [Notre Dame Head Coach Niele Ivey] preached it this whole week, that they were going to bring in all the celebrities and fans they needed,” Hidalgo said. “So yeah, I saw them, but I’m not so focused on that. I’m focused on winning with my team.”

Talking the talk postgame may have been the easy part, but Hidalgo certainly earned the right within the game’s 40 minutes. She played 39 of them — looking as fresh and energetic in the fourth quarter as she did in the first frame of Notre Dame’s 74-61 win over USC (4-1).

Hidalgo, whose historic freshman campaign in 2023-24 lived largely in the shadow of Watkins’, made it clear Saturday that she remembers that, clearly. 

From the opening whistle, Hidalgo’s energy was menacing and relentless. She loudly roared after hitting shots over flailing Trojan defenders, pumping her fists toward anyone within a one-mile radius not wearing blue and gold. With 3:37 left in the first half, after Hidalgo stripped the ball off Watkins’ leg out of bounds, she sprinted down the court to celebrate the turnover — leaping in the air and posing directly in front of the Trojan faithful.

While Hidalgo certainly made her mark on the offensive end, scoring 24 points and dishing out eight assists, her defensive ferocity will haunt the dreams of the Trojans in the coming weeks. It was graduate guard Sonia Citron who took on the Watkins assignment, allowing Hidalgo to roam around, trap the superstar Trojan guard and generally, just wreak havoc.

“I think they did their jobs,” said Head Coach Lindsay Gottlieb. “They put length on [Watkins] with Citron and [sophomore guard Cassandre Prosper], and they sent [Hidalgo] running around like the disruptor that she is.”

Citron, primarily known for her offensive ability, did a fantastic job frustrating Watkins with her size and defensive tenacity. Up until the 4:02 mark of the second quarter, the 2024 AP First Team All-American had connected on one of eight field goal attempts and was struggling to make any impact on the game. 

“What I take away from this game is that [Citron] can guard anybody in the nation,” Hidalgo said. “She is one of the best defenders in the nation.”

Watkins was more effective in the second half, finishing with 24 points, six rebounds and five assists, but for a Trojan squad that has been lauded for the depth and talent it accumulated this summer, offensive contributions from the rest of the roster were few and far between. 

USC was without standout freshman guard Kennedy Smith, who would be sidelined indefinitely after undergoing surgery, but the way the squad was designed was not supposed to be a problem. The likes of preseason AP All-American graduate forward Kiki Iriafen, two-time All-Pacific-12 graduate guard Talia von Oelhoffen and longtime standout senior center Rayah Marshall running alongside Watkins should be enough for the Trojans to hang with anyone.

Add in energetic freshmen guards Kayleigh Heckel and Avery Howell, also top-ranked recruits, and Smith’s absence should not be an excuse. USC’s roster is full of big names with big reputations, but Saturday, they simply did not show up. 

Notre Dame’s star backcourt, Hidalgo and junior guard Olivia Miles, did the opposite — perhaps proving they are even better than advertised. The dynamic duo combined for 44 points, 15 assists, 14 rebounds and eight steals, dominating any guards Gottlieb threw on the court in every facet of the game. 

“They’re very dynamic, they’re both a threat. ‘Where do you put your perimeter defenders? What do you do with the bigs?” Gottlieb said. “You feel like you’re doing a decent job on Miles and she goes crazy in the second half. You think you’re making them take a tough shot and then [Hidalgo] gets out in transition.”

Ivey constantly sent size and double teams at Watkins, gifting Iriafen advantageous matchups with smaller opponents in the post. A game like Saturday’s is exactly why Gottlieb brought her to USC, to be a trump card when teams risk everything to stop Watkins. 

But at least for now, that vision of the team does not exist. Iriafen shot 5-15 from the field, repeatedly failing to capitalize on good opportunities near the rim and often looking fairly lethargic in the process.  

The rest of the supporting cast did not look much better. The Trojan bench scored zero points in 31 minutes of action, and the team shot a combined one of 13 from 3-point range. 

It is evident that Watkins needs to be better for the team to reach its ceiling, but with the defensive looks the sophomore is getting, the rest of USC’s big names will need to be more consistent for the Trojans to maintain a base level good enough to consistently win games with such a difficult schedule.

While it is understandable to sound the alarm bells when a team with high expectations underperforms, context is in USC’s favor. The Trojans have an almost entirely new roster, in stark contrast to a Fighting Irish group that has countless reps together. And, the purpose of scheduling difficult nonconference games is to use them as a measuring stick and figure out how to be best equipped to take on the best teams in the nation.

“You don’t schedule this game because you think [it’s] going to be a 40-point win. You schedule it because you have an opportunity to have a great crowd, play well and give yourself a signature early-season win — or you get exposed,” Gottlieb said. “I would have chosen option one if that was my decision to make, but our only choice is to be exposed, stay together and get better.”

USC will be back in action at the Women’s Acrisure Holiday Invitational in Palm Springs, California, first taking on Seton Hall University (4-1) Wednesday at 4 p.m. at Acrisure Arena.

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Trojans have rosy night on the road, best crosstown rival UCLA

A fourth-quarter comeback led USC to a win over its biggest foe.

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By HENRY MODE

November 23, 2024

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Redshirt sophomore quarterback Jayden Maiava completed 19 of 35 passes for 221 yards and a touchdown in the victory, and is now 2-0 as a starter for USC. (Jake Berg / Daily Trojan)

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While it has not been the season that USC football fans dreamt of in August, the Trojans had a big-time night Saturday in Pasadena — riding a second-half comeback to best their bitter crosstown rivals UCLA 19-13 at the Rose Bowl Stadium.

The Trojans (6-5, 4-5 Big Ten) were unable to find the end zone in the first three quarters of the game, but when it mattered most, Head Coach Lincoln Riley and co. made no mistake, scoring their first touchdown after an electric series of plays. On second and 4 from the UCLA (4-7, 3-6) 43-yard line, some Trojan trickery caught the Bruins off guard — a pair of wideouts connected on a double pass, with sophomore Makai Lemon finding a wide-open senior Kyron Hudson for a 39-yard gain.

On the very next play, after a Caleb Williams-esque escape from redshirt sophomore quarterback Jayden Maiava in the pocket, the redshirt sophomore found sophomore wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane in the left corner of the end zone, putting USC up 16-13 with 6:55 remaining in the fourth quarter. 

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The Trojans trailed deep into the second half, but with about nine minutes left, it was the USC defense which was able to turn the tides. On third and 5 from UCLA’s 31-yard line, D’Anton Lynn brought the heat — sending both of his middle linebackers at redshirt senior quarterback Ethan Garbers. Senior linebacker Easton Mascarenas-Arnold got home, bringing down the redshirt senior signal caller and forcing a punt.

From the start of the game, Maiava and the Trojans were able to move the ball consistently — amassing 239 yards of first half offense. However, USC was unable to punch the ball in, repeatedly stalling out in the red zone after a series of flailing shotgun runs and unsuccessful fade attempts to the corner of the end zone. 

Riley’s offense had -2 yards in goal-to-go situations across the opening 30 minutes, as the offensive guru displayed a lack of creativity in search of the game’s first touchdown. The Trojans settled for three consecutive chip shot field goals from redshirt senior kicker Michael Lantz to carry a 9-3 lead into halftime.

In the third quarter, it was the Bruins who finally found the end zone — on a clever screen pass to senior tight end Moliki Matavao which went for 10 yards and a score. The touchdown came after a methodical seven-play, 54-yard touchdown drive. 

The momentum stayed with the Bruins throughout the third and beginning of the fourth quarter, as USC struggled to stop the UCLA offense or find a consistent rhythm on the other side of the ball. A 10-play, 80-yard field goal drive extended their lead to 13-9, and on the following possession, Maiava took a brutal sack on 3rd and 9 from the Bruins’ 32-yard line to take the Trojans out of field goal range with 12:02 remaining in the game.

But after some magic from the USC offense, the Trojans took the lead with just under seven minutes remaining and on the very next drive, Lynn’s defense came up just as big, when on fourth and 1 from his own 34-yard line, Garbers attempted a quarterback sneak and was stuffed by redshirt senior linebacker Mason Cobb. 

USC got the ball back with 4:59 to go, taking advantage of the excellent field position to tack on a field goal and extend its lead to 19-13.

And with 1:52 remaining, the Trojans got the final stop they needed, as Garbers could not find Matavao on fourth and 10. A few kneel downs from Maiava later, USC secured a huge road win over its biggest rival.

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Houston defensive back Ajani Carter (12) chases Baylor wide receiver Josh Cameron (34) during the second half of an NCAA college Football game, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Houston, Texas. | Raphael Fernandez/The Cougar

It wasn’t the “Houston Blue” debut the Cougars were looking for, as they fell 20-10 to the Baylor Bears in a game defined by turnovers and lack of red zone execution.

In fact, it was the fourth game this season that the Cougar offense failed to score a touchdown.

“We had some miscues in the kicking game and didn’t play as well as we needed to offensively,” coach Willie Fritz said. “I know you’ve heard me say it fifty times, gotta play well in all three phases to win ballgames.”

The opening quarter saw an exchange of interceptions from both teams. On just Baylor’s third play, senior quarterback Sawyer Robertson was picked off by junior cornerback Jeremiah Wilson, putting Houston in prime scoring position early at Baylor’s 33-yard line.

The Cougars would return the favor just a few plays later when sophomore quarterback Zeon Chriss threw an end-zone interception, adding to Houston’s red zone woes that have plagued them all season long.

Houston’s defense held strong and put them on the board, following a pick-six from Wilson, his second interception of the quarter, and the Cougars’ first defensive score of the season.

The usually sure-handed Robertson came into the game with just four interceptions on the year, but at quarter’s end would walk away with two more to his name, both courtesy of Wilson.

Regardless of who has been at quarterback this season for Houston, it has been a struggle to mount any offense through the air.

It wasn’t until the 8:26 mark of the second quarter that the Cougars would get their first completion of the game, a catch from junior wide receiver Stephon Johnson for 15 yards.

The 12 passing yards and two completions by Chriss in the first half were the fewest he has had in any first half this season. 

Houston’s inability to get stops on third and fourth downs played a sizable hand in their 17-7 deficit at the half. Baylor went 4-for-9 on third down and converted both of their fourth-down tries.

Baylor’s junior tight end Michael Trigg and redshirt freshman running back Bryson Washington were thorns on Houston’s side throughout the first half. Trigg had 56 yards after catch and 96 total in the half, while Washington had 77 yards on the ground in his twelve carries.

The Cougars began to find some form of rhythm offensively on the opening drive of the third quarter but senior Martin Jack Martin kicked a field goal that sailed wide left, leaving Houston with zero points to showcase following their most promising drive of the game.

Back-to-back sacks on second and third down from senior linebacker Jamal Morris and junior defensive back Latrell McCutchin Sr. gave the ball right back to Houston, for a drive that would last into the opening minutes of the fourth quarter.

Houston built off what worked in the opening drive of the third quarter while unlocking their passing game in the process. Behind nineteen and sixteen-yard completions, Chriss led the Cougars down to Baylor’s 12-yard line, but UH was held to yet another field goal attempt following a red-zone incompletion. 

Martin would successfully convert the field goal attempt from 24 yards, bringing Houston to within a score at 17-10 and scoring the first points by either team in the second half.

Baylor’s offense which was clicking on all cylinders in the first half, started the second ice-cold, with their first two drives resulting in three-and-outs, including their initial drive of the fourth. 

However, an errant throw by Chriss that fell into the hands of Baylor redshirt senior cornerback Lorando Johnson gave the Bears their best scoring opportunity since the second quarter, and they capitalized by drilling a 50-yard field goal to extend the Bears’ lead to 10.

The unraveling continued into the latter stages of the fourth, when junior return specialist Mekhi Mews’ fumble gave possession right back to Baylor, once again in Cougar territory.

It was Houston’s third turnover of the game, and ultimately one that stunted their hopes of rallying a late-game comeback. 

Trailing 20-10 with just 1:11 remaining in the game, Zeon Chriss would toss his third interception of the night, sealing the game, and making it impossible for Houston to reach the six-win bowl eligibility requirement.

Fritz reiterated the mentality he expected heading into the season finale.

“I just told ‘em all, anybody that doesn’t wanna go out to Utah and win the game next week, they ought to not play on the team,” he said. “We only got 12 of these opportunities, we got one left, so we need to put everything into it that we possibly can.”

Houston will next head to Provo, Utah, where the No.14 BYU Cougars will await them for the season finale at 9:15 on Nov. 30.

sports@thedailycougar.com

—
“Houston football feeling blue after costly loss to Baylor” was originally posted on The Cougar

FRESNO, Calif. – Hey, Nevada, Colorado State football has a favor to ask. 

Just about everything went wrong for CSU in its chase for the Mountain West title. With the 28-22 loss to Fresno State, the only way for CSU to reach the title game is to beat Utah State and hope Nevada can beat UNLV.  

Throughout the entirety of conference play the Rams have made their living by slowing the game down, trusting their defense and running the ball. 

FSU needed just one half of football to amass nearly 300 yards of offense, 143 of which came on the ground from Bryson Donelson. Allowing the 10th ranked rushing team in the MW to gash the middle of the defense like Donelson did is plain and simply inexcusable. 

With everything going wrong for CSU, Henry Blackburn gave the Rams one last chance. 

On fourth-and-goal at the 1-yard line, with 6:32 left to go in the half FSU quarterback Mikey Keene tried to jump the pile, looking to extend FSU’s lead to 14, only to be met by Blackburn at the peak. Keene fumbled the football and CSU had an opportunity to tie things up on the other end. 

But the offense couldn’t answer despite starting the drive with a 20-yard rush from Justin Marshall. Three plays after Marshall’s carry, CSU punted again and the Bulldogs drove the field 54 yards to go up 14. 

After another 4-play drive from CSU, FSU scored again and a 21-point lead at half was the final nail in the coffin for CSU.

For so long, games with as much hanging on the line as there was Saturday night have haunted CSU faithful. The loss is another one that can be thrown onto the pile. 

Coach Jay Norvell recently talked about how his team has won on offense, defense and special teams. None of those units could be found in Valley Children’s Stadium on Saturday night. 

With just 144 yards offensively for CSU to match FSU’s production, The Rams went into the half down 21 points, the largest halftime deficit they’ve had since week one. 

While things did get a little bit interesting in the second half, CSU couldn’t put the comeback together.

The Rams defense returned to form in the third quarter, holding Fresno State scoreless. Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi scampered in from nine yards out with 3:25 remaining in the quarter.

That could have been the second touchdown of the third quarter had the Rams converted on fourth down just six yards from pay dirt. That failed conversion was just one of the two prime opportunities CSU had to make things a lot more interesting. The second came in the fourth quarter with 10:49 left on the clock. Tommy Maher was streaking down the middle of the field wide open, but Fowler-Nicolosi just overthrew him, in what likely would have been a touchdown.

From that point, it was just about Fresno State hanging on and running the clock. A task they completed to perfection.

The Saturday night loss is one of the most haunting ones in recent memories, on par with the one last season against Hawaii. The Rams likely won’t be traveling to Boise State for their first ever MW Championship game.

Now its time to wait and see which bowl the Rams get to be a part of. While the 2024 season will almost certainly end with a ton of what-ifs, it’s also the best season CSU has had in six years. There is a lot of young talent on this roster and Norvell has done a great job recruiting, so there is a solid foundation from this year to build on.

Reach Damon Cook at sports@collegian.com or on Twitter @dwcook2001.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 46 million turkeys are eaten on Thanksgiving each year. 

Turkey is a staple of Thanksgiving in the U.S., and even more so in Minnesota. 

Minnesota is the largest producer of turkeys in the country, making up 18% of turkey production, according to the 2023 Minnesota Turkey Fact Sheet from the Minnesota Turkey Growers Association. The state has more than 600 turkey farmers. 

President of the Minnesota Turkey Growers Association and general manager of Falhun Farms Jake Vlaminck said producing turkeys varies by the sex of the turkey. 

Vlaminck raises male turkeys, or toms, which are generally used for turkey breast and further processed meats like ground turkey. 

Female turkeys, called hens, tend to be sold as a whole bird because of their smaller size, Vlaminck said. 

Different turkey growers fit into different niches, Vlaminck said. Some farmers specialize in growing toms, while others specialize in hens or breeding and hatching turkeys. 

Hens are inseminated and eventually lay eggs in what is called a laying facility, Vlaminck said. The eggs are put in an incubator for 28 days until they hatch. 

When the chicks are a day old, they are separated by gender in a process called sexing, Vlaminck said. Once that step is complete, the chicks are sent to the growers.

“After they hatch, they’ll come to us and they have them already on feed and water,” Vlaminck said. “We just have to put them in the barns and get them used to finding the feed and water in the barn, as opposed to having it right up to their in their tray that they had from day one.”

As the toms grow, farmers ensure the birds have clean water to drink and a comfortable living area filled with wood shavings until they are fully mature, around 12 to 15 weeks old, Vlaminck said. Once they reach maturity they are ready to be slaughtered and further processed for different kinds of meat. 

Hens, on the other hand, are raised until they reach a certain weight, Vlaminck said. 

“The hens are harvested by weight because they want to have a certain weight that goes into the packaged turkey,” Vlaminck said. “Most people are looking for somewhere between a 12-16 pound turkey because most people have smaller gatherings.”

Carol Cardona, the Ben Pomeroy Chair of Avian Health in the University of Minnesota Veterinary School, said once turkeys are ready for slaughter they are herded from their enclosure into a truck where they are killed.

“They’re quite comfortable in the truck, and then they get off of the truck, and they’ll be stunned, so they become unconscious,” Cardona said. 

According to Vlaminck, the turkeys are stunned with carbon dioxide. 

Once the turkeys are slaughtered, they are bled out until there is no blood left in their body because people generally do not like the taste of it in their food, Cardona said. 

When slaughtering the turkey, it is important to make sure that the bird’s brain is no longer functioning but the heart is still beating and the muscles are still fresh, Cardona said. She added itmakes the meat taste better. 

“There’s stages to organ death. And so during the slaughter process, we’re trying to make that meat as fresh as possible,” Cardona said. “We make sure that the brain isn’t feeling anything and the animal is dead, but keep those organs fresh and alive so that the consumer gets the best tasting product possible.”

The meat is inspected by veterinarians before being prepared for retail to ensure that it is safe for consumption, Cardona said. 

“Veterinarians inspect those carcasses,” Cardona said. “And even though this bird was acting normal, it might have had a little cold or something, and so that inspector they might say this carcass is not safe to go to the food chain or they might be able to take out the part that had the disease on it, and send the rest of it through.”

Once a turkey is inspected, the meat is cleaned in a series of baths of varying temperatures to ensure it is safe for consumption, Cardona said.  

Once the meat is cleaned and free of bacteria, it is sent out for further processing to make products like ground turkey and sausages or is shrink-wrapped and put on the shelves for full birds and turkey breasts, Cardona said. 

Over the past few years, Vlaminck said he noticed the trend of “Friendsgiving,” where smaller groups of friends gather for the holiday instead of a large family, influencing the demand for different kinds of turkey meat around the holiday. 

“It gets the producers looking more for more Friendsgiving-friendly stuff,” Vlaminck said. “So maybe instead of a whole bird, it might be a boneless breast.”

The Friendsgiving trend has impacted hen growers as well, as farmers need to grow smaller birds, Vlaminck said. 

“They want those smaller birds there too,” Vlaminck said. “So they’ll maybe keep them alive a little bit less time, and they might change the feed ration a bit so they grow a little slower.”

Just as Thanksgiving is traditionally a holiday centered around spending time and sharing a meal with family, the business of growing turkeys is also family-focused, Vlaminck said. Falhun Farms is a family business started by his father-in-law and employs many of his family members. 

“It’s all family operation, and that’s the way turkey is in Minnesota,” Vlaminck said. “Turkey is family because it’s all family raised. And you think about enjoying turkey together as a family.”

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