Devon Dampier has been the heart and soul of Utah football this season, guiding the Utes to a 2-2 record in the Big 12 and 5-2 overall. But a leg injury he sustained in the third quarter in Utah’s 24-21 loss to BYU last week dampened hopes of playing their Week 9 game against Colorado (3-4, 1-3 in Big 12) on Oct. 25.
He was listed as “questionable” in the team’s first injury report released to the media during the week, but on Friday, there was a positive development surrounding the junior quarterback from Phoenix, Arizona. Late on Saturday, the news got even better for the Utes and there chances of victory in Week 9.
Davon Dampier Gives Utah a Boost With Latest Injury Update
There was good news for Utah fans just one hour before kick-off against Colorado. The final availability report from the Big 12 featured one notable absence, with quarterback Dampier upgraded from an earlier “probable” prognosis.
Final availability report for the evening. Devon Dampier is available … but maybe not as a starter pic.twitter.com/qLK8cqqJIY
— Josh Furlong (@JFurKSL) October 26, 2025
The 5’11” transfer out of New Mexico, who has dealt with a lower left leg issue all season long, had taken part in team practices and performed some drills with no apparent discomfort in his injured body part.
The injury is seen to affect his movements, especially in rushing the football in previous outings, leading to backup quarterback Byrd Ficklin taking four snaps against BYU. Ficklin would be available to start if Dampier’s condition worsens before kickoff against the Buffaloes at 10:15 p.m. ET.
Dampier, who has an 84.7 PFSN QB Impact score, has been efficient for Utah this season, completing 138 of his 201 pass attempts for 68.7% completion accuracy. The 5’11” signal-caller has passed for 13 touchdowns and three interceptions this year. He is also effective as a rusher for the Utes, running for 442 yards in 82 carries with five touchdowns.
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Dampier will face off against Colorado quarterback Kaidon Salter, who hasn’t been consistent since his transfer from Liberty during the offseason.
Salter, who has an 84.0 PFSN College QB Impact score, has shown glimpses of potential for Coach Deion Sanders’ team, racking up a season-high 304 yards with three touchdowns in the Buffaloes’ 37-20 win over Wyoming in Week 4.
However, Salter has had his struggles with ball security during the season, throwing four interceptions in losses to the BYU Cougars and TCU Horned Frogs. Utah can capitalize on this to prevent Colorado from getting its offense going in the game.
Seemingly set to play against the Buffaloes on Saturday, Dampier has an opportunity to improve on the team’s third-down efficiency percentage, which ranks first in the FBS at 57.6%.
