FB: Utes Fall to Notre Dame, 28-3 
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FacebookNov. 13, 2010
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Freshman Tommy Rees threw three touchdown passes in his first collegiate start and Notre Dame used two Utah special teams mistakes Saturday to rout the slumping Utes (No. 14 BCS, No. 15 AP) 28-3.
Returning from a week off, Notre Dame (5-5) played like a fresh team and moved within one win of becoming eligible for a bowl. Utah (8-2), meanwhile, looked like a team still reeling from its 47-7 loss to TCU a week earlier.
The victory was Notre Dame's first over a team ranked in the AP top 25 since 2006, when the Irish defeated Penn State.
Robert Blanton blocked a Utah punt, picked up the ball and ran in for a TD late in the opening period. And a fumble on the second-half kickoff by star Utah returner Shaky Smithson was quickly turned into the first of two Rees-to-Duval Kamara TD passes.
Rees, who replaced injured starter Dayne Crist during a loss to Tulsa two weeks ago, got better as the game progressed and finished 13 of 20 for 129 yards.
Notre Dame's maligned defense bottled up Utah -- which came in averaging 41 points per game -- and stopped the Utes from scoring in the second half after they reached the 6 and 12 on separate drives.
Utah quarterback Jordan Wynn completed 24 of 39 for 195 yards and was shaken up with just more than five minutes left after taking a hard hit after delivering a pass. He returned to the game two plays later.
