Utah extends NCAA record during blowout win vs. Cal Poly

Utes make it 22 consecutive seasons with a pick-six

Utah Utes safety Jackson Bennee (23) intercepts a pass and returns it for a touchdown against the Cal Poly Mustangs during the first quarter at Rice-Eccles Stadium. | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Early on in his team's blowout victory over Cal Poly on Saturday, Utah sophomore Jackson Bennee stepped in front of a pass from Mustangs quarterback Ty Dieffenbach and returned the interception for a touchdown.

The 46-yard run back from Bennee was one of two takeaways for the Utes' defense and extended the program's streak of consecutive seasons with a pick six to 22, lengthening an NCAA record and continuing the legacy established back in 2004.

"There's been a lot of guys that have had a hand in that, and it was great to see it today," said Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham of the program's pick-six streak after his team beat Cal Poly, 63-9. "It's something to be proud of, but we don't talk about it ever, or think about it. It's just something that happens."

This time, it happened to be Bennee, who undercut a route from Cal Poly's receiver to the flat with perfect timing to steal Dieffenbach's pass out of the air and make a dead sprint for the endzone.

"It was super fun, not gonna lie," Bennee said. "When he threw it I was kind of in disbelief, but right as I caught it, I just didn't look back. Just decided to run as fast as I could."

Sep 6, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; The Utah Utes cheer team celebrates a touchdown against the Cal Poly Mustangs during the second half at Rice-Eccles Stadium. | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Bennee could say the same of the opportunities he's received as one of the Utes' new two-way athletes; after his head coach praised him for executing in Week 1, the 6-foot-2 Holladay, Utah, native logged snaps on both sides of the ball again on Saturday and finished with five total tackles, three pass-breakups and the aforementioned interception. He didn't record a stat on offense, though it's probably safe to assume the Utes had plenty of help as nine different pass-catchers recorded at least one reception.

Meanwhile, Utah's defense imposed its will on its opposition, limiting Cal Poly to under 4.0 yards per play while tallying three sacks and nine tackles for loss as a unit.

"The mindset all this week was play this game like we'll play any other game," said Utah linebacker Johnathan Hall, who forced the Mustangs' second turnover of the day with an incredible individual effort, swatting a pass attempt from Dieffenbach up into the air before coming down with his own deflection on Cal Poly's 1-yard line late in the first half. "We got to prepare the right way."

Sep 6, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; The Utah Utes hold a moment of loudness between the third and fourth quarter of the game against the Cal Poly Mustangs at Rice-Eccles Stadium. | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Utah's lengthy pick-six streak began with former defensive tackle Steve Fifita returning an interception off then-UNLV quarterback and current Indianapolis Colts head coach, Shane Steichen, 6 yards for a score during a 63-28 victory for Utah during the 2004 campaign. Morgan Scalley, currently Utah's defensive coordinator, also recorded an interception during that game.

Lander Barton kept the streak going last November when he returned an interception for a score against Iowa State, officially setting the NCAA record with 21 seasons with at least one pick-six.