TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Utah's season hung in the balance, yet Devon Dampier remained calm as he walked into the huddle.
His teammates were a little more hyped, knowing exactly what was going to happen next.
“I'm the very relaxed type out there,” Dampier said. “I don't really say too much, but my teammates were coming to me, like, ‘This is your Heisman moment.'”
They may be right.
Dampier started the season as an afterthought in the Heisman Trophy race. The way he's played this season, particularly the past two weeks, has put him among the favorites to have his named called in New York next month. Playing on an undefeated team has certainly helped.
Following successive clutch performances against No. 12 BYU and No. 22 Arizona, Dampier now has the third-best chance to win the Heisman by most oddsmakers, behind Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith and Miami quarterback Darian Mensah.
"His dedication and leadership have been a difference-maker for this team.” Utah coach Morgan Scalley said.
Coming off an emotional win over rival BYU in the Holy War, the second-ranked Utes (10-0, 7-0 Big 12, No. 2 CFP) had the odds stacked against them in Saturday's road game against No. 22 Arizona.
An FAA ground stop on Friday made it so the team couldn't get out of Salt Lake City until Saturday. The Utes arrived in Tucson a little after noon for a kickoff pushed back three hours until 8:30 p.m. local time.
Arizona had won seven straight home games and was coming off a midnight miracle against TCU. The Wildcats also have Noah Fifita, one of the nation's best quarterbacks.
Dampier and Fifita traded big plays from opposite sides of the field all night in a game that crossed over into the next day. Fifita appeared to have the knockout blow when he hit Isaiah Mizell on a 10-yard touchdown pass, putting the Wildcats up 39-33 with just over three minutes left.
Calm amid the chaos at Arizona Stadium, Dampier need two plays to keep Utah's undefeated season alive, hitting Creed Whittemore in stride for a 70-yard touchdown with 2:25 left in the fourth quarter.
The Utes won the game 40-39, extending their winning streak to 16 straight games over two seasons while strengthening their Big 12 championship and College Football Playoff hopes.
“Devon Dampier did Devon,” Scalley said. “There was no one besides him who was going to have that ball on that last play.”
Dampier has been one of the nation's best dual-threat quarterbacks all season. He's thrown for 2,257 yards and 22 touchdowns, rushed for 582 yards and nine more scores.
The past two weeks have moved him toward the top of the Heisman conversation.
In the win against BYU, Dampier accounted for four touchdowns and 266 yards of offense in the first Holy War between top-10 teams (BYU was No. 7 at the time).
Dampier had a couple of key turnovers against Arizona, but shook those off to rally the Utes to a win, accounting for four touchdowns and 304 yards. His touchdown pass to Whittemore not only was the winning play on a wild night, it solidified his status as a Heisman Trophy favorite.
“I didn't grow up with a lot of attention and now that I'm getting it, I've always prayed for this,” Dampier said. “I guess I prayed for it so much, I kind of expected it at some point to happen.”
Dampier's teammates have always known it. Now the rest of the country is getting to see it, too.
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