SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Tavion Thomas rushed for a career-high 180 yards and Cameron Rising threw for three touchdowns to lead No. 13 Utah to a 42-7 win over Stanford on Saturday night.
Utah (8-2, 6-1 Pac-12) started slow on a below-freezing night in the shadow of the Wasatch Mountains, but scored 42 straight points after trailing 7-0 to Stanford (3-7, 1-7).
Utah's defense was suffocating after the initial score while Thomas recorded his first 100-yard rushing game since the season opener at Florida and eclipsed his previous high (177) set at Stanford last year.
Rising went 20-for-33 through the air for 219 yards with an interception to boost Utah's home winning streak to 14.
The Utes initially struggled to execute against Stanford, which allows the most rushing yards of any team in the conference. After three fourth-down conversions, including a fake punt, Utah finally scored on a Rising-to-Devaughn Vele 9-yard TD pass in the second quarter.
After that, the floodgates opened and Utah rolled to 514 total yards with 279 on the ground. At the same time, Stanford's entire offense failed to outgain Thomas, garnering just 177 total yards.
On Stanford's second drive, Tanner McKee evaded the rush and threw a 51-yard pass and then snuck in for a one-yard touchdown one play later.
In the end, McKee passed for 155 yards but didn't have much time to throw and was sacked seven times.
Stanford visits California next Saturday afternoon.