Oregon State plays bully ball and gives the No. 10 Utah Utes the boot

Utah came to Corvallis undefeated. It didn't leave that way.

JJ Anderson photo for The I-5 Corridor.

CORVALLIS — To get the obvious out of the way early: Utah is not the same football team without quarterback Cam Rising. It’s been that way since Week 1, even as the Utes have played their typical bullying brand of football to the tune of a 4-0 record.

Florida? Thumped.

Baylor? Thumped.

UCLA? Just last week the Utes limited UCLA’s high-powered offense to seven points on 243 total yards and won 14-7 to climb to No. 10 in the country. 

Thumped.

So when the Utes took the ball on the first drive of the game Friday against No. 19 Oregon State, marched down field and quickly faced a fourth-and-6 in Beaver territory, it seemed like the Utes knew exactly what they were doing when they left the offense on the field.

Pound their way to a conversion. Get some points. Let the clock bleed out until another Pac-12 win has been acquired through attrition.

That’s how the defending conference champions drew it up, at least.