SALT LAKE CITY — In the biggest spotlight of his young career, Utah freshman punt returner Mana Carvalho learned the hard way how quickly a love can turn to hate.

Late in the first half against BYU, Carvalho sprinted up to field a punt he had no business touching. The ball hit the turf, skipped off his hands, and suddenly the momentum evaporated.

Utah had just started to get into a groove with a tying touchdown — and in a blink, Utah fumbled it away, allowing BYU to convert a field goal just before halftime.

In a rivalry game defined by mistakes, fourth-down decisions, and turnovers, Carvalho’s error wasn’t the sole reason Utah lost. However, that didn’t stop the hate directed at Carvalho.

And in 2025 — with sports gambling legal in most of the country — the backlash was immediate and

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