‘The first half was about as good as football as we’ve played here’: Utah dominates Colorado in QB Byrd Ficklin’s first start

You couldn’t have scripted a better beginning to Byrd Ficklin’s first-ever start.

On the second play of the game between Utah and Colorado Saturday night at Rice-Eccles Stadium, the Utes’ freshman quarterback faked a handoff to NaQuari Rogers and Colorado bit, tackling Rogers.

By the time the Buffaloes realized it was a quarterback keeper, Ficklin was five yards down the field with a head of steam, making a couple of quick cuts and running untouched into the end zone.

It was a 63-yard touchdown run — the longest ever by a Ute freshman starting quarterback — and a dream start for Utah.

Usual starting quarterback Devon Dampier missed his first game of the season on Saturday with an ankle injury, which he reaggravated during the third quarter of last weekend’s game against BYU.

Though he