Freshman Wilson secrets No

• Eli Lederman, ESPN Personnel WriterSep 21, 2024, 10:32 PM ET

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  Eli Lederman covers college football and recruiting for ESPN.com. He signed up with ESPN in 2024 after covering the University of Oklahoma for Sellout Crowd and the Tulsa World.STILLWATER, Okla.

— With veteran quarterback Webcam Increasing sidelined for a 2nd straight week, No. 12 Utah turned to backup quarterback Isaac Wilson at Boone Pickens Arena on Saturday then leaned on the true freshman passer to land a statement triumph in the program’s inaugural Big 12 game.In his second profession start, Wilson went 17-of-29 for 207 yards with a goal and 2 interceptions, providing a series of crucial minutes and raising the Utes in a 22-19 win over No. 14 Oklahoma State to become the very first real freshman quarterback starter to beat an AP Top 25 opponent in program history.”I like that he simply kept hanging in there and never got

down on himself,” said Utah coach Kyle Whittingham.”Threw a couple of choices. Didn’t flinch. You saw his ability to run. He swindled that 40 -or 50-yard run. That was substantial at that point in time. Dipped his shoulder and made another difficult run down in the red zone that got us a first down. He’s simply a competitor. “Ahead of one of the most awaited games on the 2024 Huge 12 schedule,

ESPN reported Saturday that Increasing would be a game-time decision versus Oklahoma State. The seventh-year passer has not played since injuring his tossing hand against Baylor on Sept. 7. Wilson made his very first profession start versus Utah State in Week 3, completing 20 of his 33 passes for 239 backyards and 3 touchdowns in Increasing’s location throughout a 38-21 road victory.Whittingham informed press reporters that the two quarterbacks divided practice associates throughout Utah’s Week 3 preparation for Oklahoma State. On Saturday, Increasing used a protective glove on his tossing hand and took starter’s reps in pregame warmups before the Utes decided to opt for Wilson in a top-15 matchup of Huge 12 College Football Playoff hopefuls.”When he’s prepared, he’ll be all set, “Whittingham stated of Rising’s status.”That’s all I can state. We were hoping he ‘d be ready this week.” “It was literally a game-time choice,”Whittingham continued.

“Not game-day; it was game-time. We entered into the locker room after all the warmups, had a little conference and decided that the guy who provided us the best chance to win was Isaac. Webcam concurred. That’s what we did, which’s the instructions we went.”Whittingham said Utah was”without question “the more physical group Saturday after the Utes outgained Oklahoma State 249-48 on the ground and kept the football for 42:26 of game time. Sixth-year running back Micah Bernard led the ground attack, totaling a career-high 182 backyards to become the very first Utah rusher to eclipse 150 yards considering that Zack Moss gained 160 yards against Stanford in 2018. But the play of Wilson, the sibling of former BYU and current Denver Broncos quarterback Zach Wilson, was essential to a win that further sealed the Utes as early Huge 12 favorites this fall.A Utah high school state champion and ESPN’s 13th-ranked pocket passer in the 2024 class, Isaac Wilson started his second profession start for the Utes with a pair of incompletions before Oklahoma State safety Trey Rucker obstructed Wilson’s very first downfield toss of the day to end Utah’s 2nd offensive series.The unsteady start used a window into Wilson’s grace and maturity. The 6-foot-2, 202-pound signal-caller followed the interception with completions on 11 of his next 14 passes, including 5 tosses of 15-plus yards. Wilson’s positive fourth-quarter read was the distinction on a 45-yard touchdown throw

to tight end Brant Kuithe on what proved to be the definitive rating before the Utes fended off a late Oklahoma State comeback bid.But Wilson’s best minutes came when the young passer used his legs. Dealing with fourth-and-short in the second quarter, Wilson barreled through Cowboys cornerback Korie Black, keeping alive an 11-play, 62-yard goal drive that consumed 6:28 of game clock.Wilson displayed his speed minutes after halftime when he left the pocket and burst beyond the Oklahoma State defense for a 48-yard run. He turned to his legs once again for a fourth-down conversion in the fourth quarter, another in a series of important plays Wilson carried out on a day Utah converted on four of its 5 fourth-down efforts to topple its first top-15 opponent considering that 2018.

“The group’s trusting me, so I have to go make a play,” Wilson stated when asked where he drew his self-confidence in pressure scenarios.” They were providing us absolutely no coverage pretty much the whole game. Nobody was male up on me. So, when I broke that pocket, I understood it was going to be there.”Utah’s smooth transition at quarterback was a stark contrast to the quarterbacking fiasco that unfolded on the opposite sideline Saturday.Seventh-year Oklahoma State QB Alan Bowman opened with completions on four of his very first 10 tosses then finished just two of his next 12 efforts before halftime, ending up the very first half 8-of-22 for 89 yards and an interception. With the Cowboys tracking 10-3 at the break, coach Mike Gundy opened the second half with redshirt sophomore quarterback Attic Rangel under center.Across the four series Rangel oversaw, the Cowboys got 32 backyards and one initially down on 15 plays

while Utah built a 22-3 benefit throughout the early stages of the fourth quarter. Bowman later reentered the game with 9:26 staying and was obstructed on his second series before finishing his final eight passes with a pair of touchdowns as Oklahoma State installed a late resurgence, gaining 127 lawns on its final 2 offensive drives.The Cowboys’offense that exploded in the closing stages just

made the unit that had a hard time so strongly for the initial 55 minutes all the more perplexing. In spite of Bowman’s inconsistent performance and short-lived benching, Gundy committed to the veteran passer as Oklahoma State’s starter moving forward as the Cowboys stare down a Week 5 trip to No. 13 Kansas State.”Often, you got to get a guy out and soothe him down a bit,”Gundy stated. “I simply felt like we weren’t getting good play and we needed a relief pitcher. Get someone else therein

. And Attic had a hard day. So, you switch back.”