A look at a pick-six from every season of Utah’s record-tying 20-year streak

In Utah’s win over Weber State, Lander Barton ensured that one of the most impressive stats in college football would live on.

Barton’s 23-yard interception return for a touchdown marked the 20th season that the Utes have had at least one pick-six in a season, tying Arizona State’s NCAA record of 20 consecutive seasons (2000-2019) with an interception return touchdown.

Since 2004, Utah has had 44 interception returns for a touchdown, and those game-changing plays usually result in a win for the Utes. In the last 20 years, the Utes are 36-3 when they get at least one pick-six.

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“I think it’s a five-year span, we have taken the ball away more than anybody in the country as far as picks and fumble recoveries,” Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said. “So when you have a lot of opportunities, you’re going to get some touchdowns out of them. So that’s probably the biggest reason I can tell you is we’ve got a defense that’s a bunch of ball hawks and is really good at turning the ball over.”

Here’s a look at one pick-six from every season the streak has been going, from 2004 to 2023.

2004: Steve Fifita vs. UNLV

In the pouring rain en route to Utah’s perfect 12-0 season, defensive tackle Steve Fifita got the pick-six streak started.

With 10:49 left in the third quarter, Fifita picked off UNLV quarterback Shane Steichen and dove forward into the end zone.

Fifita would also score a rushing touchdown against BYU to cap off the 11-0 regular season, but the interception return was his only defensive score of his career.

2005: Eric Weddle vs. Arizona

Weddle’s interception was key for the Utes in a 27-24 win over Arizona in Kyle Whittingham’s regular-season head coaching debut.

Weddle also forced a fumble in the win, and his 24-yard pick-six put Utah up 27-10 with 3:46 left in the third quarter, the last time Utah would score.

Utah held on for the rest of the game. Arizona got within three with nine minutes to go, but the Utes’ defense held strong to start the 2005 season 1-0.

Utah pick-sixes by season

2004: 2; 2005: 1; 2006: 5; 2007: 1; 2008: 3; 2009: 3; 2010: 1; 2011: 2; 2012: 1; 2013: 1; 2014: 3; 2015: 3; 2016: 2; 2017: 1; 2018: 3; 2019: 4; 2020: 1; 2021: 3; 2022: 3; 2023: 1

2006: Eric Shyne at Utah State

The Utes actually had two interceptions for touchdowns in a 48-0 rout over Utah State in Logan. Shyne scored Utah’s first touchdown of the game on the Aggies’ first drive. Shyne intercepted Aggies quarterback Leon Jackson and took it 21 yards to the house.

Stevenson Sylvester had a pick-six later in the game, going 45 yards to the house.

2007: Martail Burnett at TCU

Burnett, a defensive end, returned Andy Dalton’s interception 55 yards for a score. It was Burnett’s first career interception and it came just before halftime. Utah won 27-20 and improved to 5-3 overall with the win.

2008: Deshawn Richard at San Diego State

One game before Utah’s regular-season finale win over BYU to go to 12-0 and bust the BCS again, Utah took care of business at San Diego State, beating the Aztecs 63-14. Richard had not one, but two pick-sixes in the game.

Richard took interceptions to the house on two straight series, one for 89 yards and another for 38 yards. The pick-sixes put the Utes up 63-14, which would be the final score.

2009: Stevenson Sylvester vs. Cal (Poinsettia Bowl)

Sylvester’s 27-yard pick-six with five minutes left in the game sealed the win, giving the Utes a 16-point lead.

Down 14-0 early, Utah responded by scoring 27 straight points, extending its bowl win streak to nine.

Jordan Wynn threw for a career-high 338 yards and three touchdowns in the 37-27 win.

2010: Matt Martinez at New Mexico

Utah routed New Mexico 56-14 to improve to 3-0 on the season. Martinez’s 36-yard interception return put the Utes up 35-7 in the early third quarter.

With Wynn injured, Terrance Cain threw for 248 yards and three scores, going 20 for 23.

2011: Derrick Shelby at Pittsburgh

Shelby put the exclamation point on Utah’s win at Pitt with a 21-yard pick-six to cap off the Utes’ 26-14 win.

Coleman Petersen made four field goals in the win and John White added 171 rushing yards.

2012: Joe Krueger vs. Northern Colorado

Utah opened the season at home vs. Northern Colorado. The Utes won 41-0, with the final score coming on Krueger’s 23-yard pick-six.

Wynn threw for 200 yards and two scores and White rushed for 119 yards and a touchdown.

2013: Keith McGill vs. UCLA

The first pick-six on this list to come in a loss, Keith McGill intercepted No. 12 UCLA’s Brett Hundley and took it 19 yards for the score. It tied the game at 24-all with 13:23 left in the game.

A UCLA field goal and a 36-yard run by Hundley led the Bruins to the win and improved them to 4-0 on the season.

2014: Tevin Carter at UCLA

Carter got the first score of the game, a 27-yard pick-six, and it proved vital in Utah’s 30-28 win over the Bruins.

Kendal Thompson threw for 95 yards and a touchdown and ran for 83 yards. Devontae Booker added 156 yards and a score.

After UCLA took a one-point lead with 4:50 left, Booker and Thompson went to work, setting up a 29-yard field goal for Andy Phillips, who nailed it, and the Utes upset the No. 8 Bruins.

2015: Justin Thomas vs. Michigan

In Jim Harbaugh’s Michigan coaching debut, Thomas had a key pick-six as Utah defeated the Wolverines 24-17.

With eight minutes left in the game, Thomas intercepted Jake Rudock and returned it 55 yards to the end zone to put Utah up 24-10.

Led by a 210-yard performance from Travis Wilson and a combined 126 yards through the air and on the ground from Booker, plus three interceptions of Rudock by the defense, Utah beat Michigan for the third time in three meetings.

2016: Sunia Tauteoli vs. BYU

A dream start for Utah in the rivalry game, Taysom Hill’s first pass of the game popped off the hands of Aleva Hifo, and Tauteoli took it 41 yards for a score. He also had another interception later in the game.

In an ugly game that featured six turnovers from Utah and three by BYU, Andy Phillips made a 29-yard field goal with under three minutes left to put Utah up seven. The Cougars responded with a 75-yard touchdown drive, with Hill running it in to pull BYU within one with 18 seconds left.

Kalani Sitake went for the win, but Hill got stopped short of the end zone on a run on the two-point conversion.

2017: Javelin Guidry at Arizona

Guidry took an interception 14 yards to the house to put Utah up 27-17 late in the third quarter.

Matt Gay tacked on a field goal to put Utah up 30-17 with five minutes left, and though the Wildcats scored with 2:44 left to cut the lead to six, the Utes held on in Tucson.

2018: Julian Blackmon vs. BYU

Blackmon’s 27-yard pick-six of Zach Wilson with 11 minutes left in the third quarter gave Utah hope and turned the game around for the Utes.

Missing quarterback Tyler Huntley and running back Zack Moss, the Utes trailed 20-0 at halftime.

Utah needed a spark — and Blackmon gave it to them.

The Utes outscored the Cougars 35-7 in the second half to extend the rivalry win streak to eight over BYU.

Jason Shelley threw for 141 yards and a score and had 61 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Running back Armand Shyne had two touchdowns.

2019: Jaylon Johnson at Washington

In a key game for its Pac-12 championship hopes, No. 9 Utah defeated Washington 33-28 in Seattle.

Johnson’s 39-yard third quarter pick-six flipped the game, bringing the score to a two-point deficit.

Huntley and Moss each scored touchdowns in the fourth quarter to put the Utes up 33-21 late in the fourth.

2020: Clark Phillips III vs. Washington State

In a COVID-shortened 2020 season, Clark Phillips III kept the streak alive in Utah’s last game of the season.

The late Ty Jordan made a huge impact in the Utes’ 45-28 win, rushing for 154 yards and three touchdowns.

Utah overcame a 28-7 halftime deficit after it benched Jake Bentley and put Drew Lisk in at quarterback and Jordan ran wild.

Phillips III’s 36-yard pick-six put the exclamation point on the comeback, putting Utah up 45-28.

2021: Devin Lloyd vs. Oregon (Pac-12 championship)

Lloyd’s pick-six set the tone for the Utes.

A 34-yard interception return put Utah up 14-0 in the first quarter and the Utes never looked back.

The Utes beat the Ducks 38-10 and finally got over the Pac-12 championship hump after losing in the title game twice before.

The game was never in doubt for the Utes, who dominated from start to finish. Cam Rising threw for 170 yards and a score, Tavion Thomas had two touchdowns and the Ducks couldn’t do anything on offense.

2022: Clark Phillips III vs. Oregon State

Utah routed Oregon State 42-16 at Rice-Eccles Stadium.

Phillips III gave the Utes a 14-7 lead by picking off Chance Nolan and returning it 38 yards for the score.

Rising threw for 199 yards and three scores while adding 73 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

Utah took advantage of four Beaver turnovers in the blowout.

2023: Lander Barton vs. Weber State

The streak continued for its 20th season on Saturday.

Linebacker Lander Barton hit paydirt for the first time in his career after intercepting Weber State quarterback Kylan Weisser and taking it 23 yards to the house.

It put Utah up 31-7 in the third quarter and would be Utah’s last score as the Utes improved to 3-0 on the season.