Utah started slowly. The Utes closed the first half ferociously and wound up in a 17-17 tie with USC at the break of the Pac-12 Championship Game in Las Vegas.
Cam Rising led the touchdown drives for the Utes.
The first covered 63 yards in 11 plays and took more than 6 1/2 minutes.
Then, with time running down in the first half, Rising led a 14-play, 81-yard march that covered 1:38 and culminated with a 4-yard TD pass to Jaylen Dixon with 2 seconds left in the half.
The PAT tied the game at 17 and suddenly the rematch was looking like the thriller of the first meeting when Utah won 43-42 in the final seconds.
USC was hoping to lock down a spot in the College Football Playoff but Utah was not going to make it easy for the Trojans.