Utah 31, UCLA 6 (final)

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So much for all that talk about playing for a Pac-12 Conference football championship.

UCLA’s hopes came crashing back to reality Saturday night on an icy field in Salt Lake City.

Utah won its third consecutive game and became bowl eligible at the Bruins’ expense.

UCLA fell to 5-5 overall, 4-2 in Pac-12 play. Utah is 6-4, 3-4.

UCLA moved the ball well from time to time –- the total offense figures were fairly even, 295 for UCLA, 291 for Utah –- but the Bruins hurt themselves with penalties early and a huge turnover late.

Utah’s defense came up with two key stops in the fourth quarter. First, the Utes turned UCLA away with only a field goal after the Bruins had driven to the Utah 18.

Tyler Gonzalez’s 35-yard field goal cut Utah’s advantage to 21-6, and the Bruins had the ball back near midfield a few minutes later.

However, Kevin Prince then threw a pass right into the chest of Utah’s Conroy Black, who returned it 67 yards for a touchdown.

It was Black’s third interception in two games and his fourth of the season. And it completely sank UCLA.

Prince completed 12 of 24 passes for 146 yards but had two passes intercepted.

Utah was paced by running back John White IV, who ran for 167 yards and two touchdowns in 33 carries.

UCLA was penalized 12 times for 91 yards.

--Mike Hiserman

Utah 31, UCLA 6 (4:05 left in fourth quarter)

Forced to go for a first down on a fourth-and-long situation, UCLA gave up the ball near midfield and Utah cashed in the good field position.

Coleman Petersen connected on a field goal from 38 yards. Utah 28, UCLA 6 (9:03 left in fourth quarter)

Conroy Black intercepted a Kevin Prince pass and returned it 67 yards to give the Utes a seemingly insurmountable lead.

Prince was knocked down trying to cut off Conroy and required attention from the training staff. He then got an earful from Coach Rick Neuheisel. Prince was able to return to the game.

Utah 21, UCLA 6 (13:12 left in fourth quarter)

UCLA got as far as the Utah 13-yard line, but a false state penalty (the Bruins’ sixth of the game) moved them back on third and five. Kevin Prince, pressured, threw an incomplete pass and the Bruins settled for a 35-yard field goal by Tyler Gonzalez.

The drive continued thanks to a 20-yard, third-down completion from Prince to Shaquelle Evans. Johnathan Franklin also had 26-yard run in the series.

Utah 21, UCLA 3 (3:18 left in third quarter)

Utah’s John White left UCLA’s Dalton Hilliard waving at nothing on a 22-yard touchdown run.

The Utes again took advantage of good field position, getting the ball on the UCLA 47-yard line after an exchange of punts. Reggie Dunn had a 25-yard run on a reverse. White scored two plays later.

Utah 14, UCLA 3 (9:29 left in third quarter)

The Utes opened up their offense a tad after 16 of their first 25 plays were runs by John White.

Quarterback John Hays completed a 32-yard pass to a wide open Dres Anderson for a first down at the UCLA nine-yard line. Hays found White for a 13-yard touchdown pass three plays later.

Utah 7, UCLA 3 (halftime)

The game began in a snow storm when the temperature was 32 degrees, the second coldest since Rice-Eccles Stadium opened in 1998. The game-time temperature was 29 degrees at the start of the Utah-BYU game in 2010.

The snow stopped in the second quarter, but the field remained slick.

Field position put Utah in command in the second quarter. An exchange of punts gave the Utes the ball at the UCLA 39-yard line. Seven runs later by John White and Utah had the lead with 5 minutes 34 seconds left in the first half. He scored on a one-yard run.

White has 67 yards rushing at halftime.

A fumble by Utah punter returner Griff McNabb set the Bruins up with a scoring chance as Isaiah Bowens recovered the ball at the Utah 17-yard line.

The Bruins managed only three yards and settled for a 30-yard field goal by Tyler Gonzalez.

UCLA had 65 yards in penalties in the first half. The Bruins had five false starts and one delay of game.

Gonzalez missed a 47-yard field goal as time ran out in the half.

Utah 7, UCLA 3 (5:34 left in the second quarter)

Field position tilted Utah’s way on a slick surface. An exchange of punts gave the Utes the ball at the UCLA 39-yard line.

Seven runs by John White later, Utah had the lead. White scored on a one-yard run.

White has 67 yards rushing so far.

The snow has stopped.

UCLA 3, Utah 0 (3:19 left in the first quarter)

A fumble by Utah punter returner Griff McNabb set the Bruins up with a scoring chance when Isaiah Bowens recovered the ball at the Utah 17-yard line.

The Bruins managed only three yards and settled for a 30-yard field goal by Tyler Gonzalez.

Pregame

Snow update.

UCLA defensive end Datone Jones wrote ‘sack 56’ in the snow at the 20-yard line. Jones wears No. 56.

The field at Utah’s Rice-Eccles Stadium is beginning to turn white, as snow has been falling for two hours.

UCLA officials were unable to find the last time the Bruins played a game in a snow storm, checking their records to 1980.

Stadium workers are scraping off the field at every five yards.

--Chris Foster