Devontae Booker makes big statement in Utah's win over Cal
Having “Heisman moments” are normally a prerequisite for winning the Heisman Trophy, whether it’s making a game-winning play to keep a perfect season alive or having a monster game against a big opponent in front of a national audience.
Utah running back Devontae Booker entered Saturday night’s game against Cal on the periphery of the Heisman conversation but stepped onto the national stage in a big way, running for 222 yards and two touchdowns to help lead the Utes to a 30-24 victory over Cal. It was the second 200-yard game of Booker's career, as he rushed for 229 against Oregon State in 2014.
Booker was once again the workhorse for the Fighting Whittinghams, toting the rock 34 times on the ground and catching four passes for 45 yards to total 267 yards of offense. His 40-yard touchdown run to put Utah up 10-7 late in the first quarter was a thing of beauty.
Booker wobbles but he won't. go. down. Crazy TD run, watch live on ESPN! #goutes #CALvsUTAH http://t.co/KOHSqbf3oZ
— Utah Athletics (@utahathletics) October 11, 2015
He did put it on the carpet once, a fumble that led to Cal's final score, but those kinds of turnovers tend to be forgotten in victories.
It’s seems to be the Year of the Running Back in college football in 2015, so Booker is in a crowded national backfield with the likes of LSU’s Leonard Fournette, Ohio State’s Ezekiel Elliott and Florida State’s Dalvin Cook, among others. It’ll be tough to get into the forefront of the conversation for Booker, but Saturday night was quite the statement.