Utah made many great plays, but let’s be real: Pac-12 refs crushed USC in this game

In a 1-point game, two obviously awful calls handed Utah 14 points. We can debate other calls, but two roughing penalties totally changed two Utah possessions.

Let’s be clear to say this, just so no one can perceive that we won’t give credit where due: Utah’s tandem of tight end Dalton Kincaid and quarterback Cam Rising were spectacular against USC on Saturday night in Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City.

Those two young men are celebrating a victory over the Trojans, and no one should tell them they didn’t deserve it. They did absolutely everything they could, and so no one should tell them they didn’t earn their win. Utah certainly fought and scratched for this victory in a game it trailed by 14 points earlier in the proceedings. Utah stepped up, and that’s definitely part of the story here.

Yet: USC was wronged. Severely. We can all admit that, too.

Let’s go through the most important details of Saturday night’s debacle in Salt Lake City: