Football

ATLANTA — Michael Turner finally found some room to run in the second half. It was just in time for the NFL’s last unbeaten team.

Turner had a tiebreaking 3-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, Matt Bryant kicked four field goals and the Atlanta Falcons beat the Dallas Cowboys 19-13 on Sunday night to protect their perfect record.

Turner had 20 carries for 102 yards and Matt Ryan had a season-high 342 yards passing for the Falcons (8-0), who took their first lead with 14:16 left in the game.

SYRACUSE — The Syracuse Titans are on their way to the state 5-A semifinals for the second year in a row, but the victory came at a costly price.

Syracuse lost its starting quarterback, Brock Anderson, to a likely torn Achilles tendon late in the fourth quarter, which put a damper on a thrilling 31-24 victory by the Titans over a potent Alta squad that Syracuse also eliminated last year.

BRIGHAM CITY — While state 4-A powers Mountain Crest and Timpview flexed their muscles on Friday in the quarterfinal round of the state football playoffs, highly touted East had its hands full with Box Elder Bees.

The Leopards eliminated the Bees from the playoffs with a 21-7 victory, but the powerful East squad needed a late pick-six to finish off the Region 5 team and send their loyal fans home for the season.

Perseverance is paying off for Ben Lomond alumnus Colter Smith.

Smith, starting quarterback at the University of Central Missouri, recently was named MIAA player of the week for his performance in a big 47-17 win over Central Oklahoma.

Smith was 21 of 35 for 329 yards and three touchdowns as the Mules beat Central Oklahoma 47-17 to improve to 5-2 on the season.

Top of Utah football teams hoping to find state success will, for the most part, be faced with road games the rest of the way in the 2012 postseason.

Of the 11 teams that advanced, only four — Syracuse, Mountain Crest, Woods Cross and Box Elder — will be at home this week.

Region 1 champion Syracuse whipped Viewmont and will host Alta at 5 p.m. on Friday afternoon in the 5-A second-round bracket.

Northridge, Davis and Fremont will all play for spots in the quarterfinals away from their home field.

In the 4-A bracket, East and Timpview were forced by the UHSAA to earn their playoff wins on the road due to player infractions, and will travel north.

SYRACUSE — Even with an undefeated record, the Titans are not perfect.

In its first game in two weeks, Region 1 champion Syracuse High had two turnovers, missed two PAT kicks and committed too many penalties Friday.