Blackmon and Tafua take home Pac-12 weekly honors

Utah's 49-3 dismantling of UCLA over the weekend was a defensive clinic in which the physical Utes completely shut down the Pac-12's highest scoring offense and best rushing attack.

So it comes as no surprise that after a week like that, a pair of Utes were awarded by the Pac-12 with weekly honors.

Safety Julian Blackmon took home the Pac-12 defensive player of the week award for his performance against the Bruins. The first half was arguably the best half of football Blackmon has played in his entire career when he had seven tackles, a sack, a forced fumble and an interception.

.@JulianBlackmon = TOUGH. 😤

Blackmon’s 1️⃣2️⃣ tackles, interception, and forced fumble earns him this week’s #Pac12FB Defensive Player of the Week ➡️ https://t.co/MVl8g7EWoP pic.twitter.com/jcAyj6stZi
— Pac-12 Network (@Pac12Network) November 18, 2019

“To win in this league at minus four, it’s probably not going to happen unless something bizarre happens," UCLA head coach Chip Kelly said after his Bruins turned the ball over five times. "Against a good team like this, the No. 7 ranked team in the country, to lose the turnover battle, that’s kind of what the game boiled down to. You can’t give a team that good that many opportunities.”

Blackmon finished with a game-high 12 tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. He now has a team-high four interceptions this season, tying for the Pac-12 lead while tying for ninth overall in the FBS.

Joining Blackmon with an award was Mike Tafua, who's fumble recovery was returned 69-yards for a score — Blackmon was the man who caused the fumble against UCLA quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson.

Fun fact: Mika Tafua is an offense’s worst nightmare.

5️⃣ tackles and a 6️⃣8️⃣-yard fumble recovery TD will do the trick for #Pac12FB Defensive Lineman of the Week ➡️ https://t.co/MVl8g7nlxh pic.twitter.com/fmFUXxiYiR
— Pac-12 Network (@Pac12Network) November 18, 2019

Tafua finished the game with five tackles and a tackle for loss. He is now tied for first in the FBS and ranks first in the Pac-12 in fumbles recovered this season with four.

This was the ninth and tenth time sin the season that the Utes have taken home a Pac-12 weekly award. It's also the fourth consecutive week in which a Utah player has won defensive lineman of the week honors, joining Levi Fotu, Bradlee Anae and Jordan Pensini.

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