Cam Rising missed an entire season after a knee injury in the 2023 Rose Bowl turned into an extensive surgery and a massive recovery. The starting quarterback for Utah during 2 Pac-12 championship runs, the Utes missed his presence throughout a 2023 campaign that dealt with all manner of adversity.

In his first game back on Thursday night against Southern Utah, Rising had as many touchdown passes (5) as he did incompletions to help the Utes to a 35-0 halftime lead.

Rising ended the half 10-for-15 for 254 yards and 5 scores through the air. He also added 25 yards on the ground.

Rising’s first score — and Utah’s first of the new season — came on a wheel route, finding Dijon Stanley for a 64-yard touchdown.

His second score went to tight end Brant Kuithe — another senior who missed the entire 2023 campaign with an injury.

Rising found Kuithe 2 more times for scores in the first half — an 18-yarder and then an 11-yarder to put the Utes up 35-0. Rising also hit Stanley a second time for a 79-yard touchdown.

The throw to Stanley marked Rising’s 50th career touchdown pass for the Utes, which moved him into fourth all-time in program history.

Kuithe ended the first half with 69 yards and 3 scores on 4 receptions. Stanley had 150 yards on 3 catches. USC transfer Dorian Singer had 2 catches for 31 yards.

Rising is in his seventh season of college ball. He began his career at Texas but quickly transferred to Utah. After a season-ending injury limited him to 1 game in 2020, Rising took over as the starting quarterback early in 2021 and led the Utes to their first Pac-12 title. In 2022, he started 13 times and led the Utes to a second straight title, beating Lincoln Riley and USC in the title game.

In the Rose Bowl game to close out the 2022 season, Rising tore his ACL, his meniscus, his MPFL, and his MCL. That injury caused him to miss the entire 2023 season.

Thursday’s debut marked the first on-field appearance for Rising in 605 days.

And he couldn’t have asked for a warmer welcome back.