Luke Bottari-Led Utah Tops Colorado in Final Pac-12 Game

The Italian Cowboy Luke Bottari leads the Utes to a win in their final Pac-12 game.

In their final game wearing a Utah uniform, the Seniors got the sending-off they deserved as the program played its final game under the Pac-12 banner.

The first quarter was rather uneventful until around the 4-minute mark when the Utes QB Luke Bottari capped off an 8-play, 58-yard drive with a 2-yard run across the pylon (his first in a Utah uniform) to give the Utes a 7-0 lead. 

15 takes it in for 6‼️

📺 @Pac12Network#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/yRjcNaRjUs

— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) November 25, 2023

The second quarter was home to a bit more action than the first as the Utes added to the lead with a 34-yard field goal courtesy of Cole Becker. Colorado responded despite not having star QB Shedeur Sanders with a backward pass to receiver Jimmy Horn Jr. who then launched the ball 30 yards to a wide-open Dylan Edwards to make the game 7-10. Utah responded with a long 6:39 drive that ended in another Cole Becker field goal, this time a bit shorter for 22 yards. With 1:38 left before the half, the Buffalos contributed a drive to give their kicker Alejandro Mata a 47-yard field goal attempt which he drained to make the game 10-13 going into the half. 

Bottari rushed for another score in the third to go up by a score of 20-10, which the Utes later added to with a field goal in the fourth quarter. Colorado did get a touchdown later that quarter, but the Utes were able to hold on to win 23-17.

The win ends the Utes' losing skid at two, while extending Colorado's to six.