So this is a plot twist. Utah quarterback Cam Rising, who torched USC for over 400 passing yards on Oct. 15, did not start the Utes’ Thursday night game against Washington State, due to a knee injury.
This knee injury was kept under wraps, literally and figuratively. Rising did take the field for warm-ups before the Washington State game in Pullman, and he did so with his knee in a sleeve. No one knew before the game that Rising would not play, though the wrapping was conspicuous. It was not believed to be serious enough to keep him from actually playing.
Here are some more details from Salt Lake Tribune reporter Josh Newman: