Did Utah beat TCU in 2008?

[SeattleUte]

ER says TCU really won. Let's see how many agree.

[Art Vandelay]

ER says TCU really won. Let's see how many agree.

I don't know I threw my remote and dropped a few words that wilted my wife's plant when TCU's FG kicker dropped a deuce in the middle of the field. So I can't say for for sure who won because I turned off my TV.

[jay santos]

Good idea for a poll.

[ERCougar]

Survey says...
Utah lost!

Bummer.

[BoylenOver]

I voted "Utah lost".

I also think Utah lost the Oregon St game (Beavers should've made their extra points); New Mexico game (Utah didn't cover against a bad team, so it's a loss); and the Alabama game (they didn't have Andre Smith and wanted to be in the BCS title game).

[Fiyero]

To those with the mentality of "if that and that (in favor of TCU) were reversed but only that and no more," keep in mind that TCU got away with a couple of big ones on their two scoring drives.

First, with the score 0-0, on 3rd and 4, a short pass to Bart Johnson went for 52 yards thanks to an illegal pick. Instead of the penalty making it 3rd and long, TCU proceeded to gain 6 more yards and kicked a 37 yard FG for a 3-0 lead.

Second, with the score still 3-0, on 2nd and 16, Sean Smith intercepted Andy Dalton in the end zone, which should have been Utah ball on the 20. Replay clearly showed he was in bounds, but the refs called him out of bounds, and TCU scored a TD two plays later for a 10-0 lead.

To say "those two missed FGs changed the game," go ahead and have them but take away those other 10 points, and the game is tied 6-6 when Brian Johnson began that final drive.

[ERCougar]

To those with the mentality of "if that and that (in favor of TCU) were reversed but only that and no more," keep in mind that TCU got away with a couple of big ones on their two scoring drives.

First, with the score 0-0, on 3rd and 4, a short pass to Bart Johnson went for 52 yards thanks to an illegal pick. Instead of the penalty making it 3rd and long, TCU proceeded to gain 6 more yards and kicked a 37 yard FG for a 3-0 lead.

Second, with the score still 3-0, on 2nd and 16, Sean Smith intercepted Andy Dalton in the end zone, which should have been Utah ball on the 20. Replay clearly showed he was in bounds, but the refs called him out of bounds, and TCU scored a TD two plays later for a 10-0 lead.

To say "those two missed FGs changed the game," go ahead and have them but take away those other 10 points, and the game is tied 6-6 when Brian Johnson began that final drive.

The argument I thought you were going to make, one that is somewhat legit, is that if TCU makes the first FG, it changes the Utes' strategy/clock usage/etc, so you can't really play the what if? game.

Instead, you go for bad calls. In your own stadium.

Sigh...

[ERCougar]

FTR, since there are at least 7 Ute fans who seem to be taking this poll seriously, I've never said that Utah didn't beat TCU. I'm just saying they were lucky to beat TCU. I don't really think that point's debatable, which is why SU keeps posting these silly polls, in favor of the more relevant "Was Utah lucky to beat TCU last year?" one.

[Fiyero]

Okay here's one for you ER:

BYU was lucky to beat 6-6 UCLA in the '07 Vegas Bowl. If UCLA makes that chip shot, it changes BYU's offseason "Quest" strategy; their winning streak is over and so they don't begin '08 gratuitously ranked; therefore when TCU seal clubs them 32-7 in October, they don't fall as hard because they were never in BCS territory to begin with.

BYU has pretty good luck with 6-win teams in bowl games.

[mUUser]

Utah lost. A Poppinga victory for TCU means much more than an actual victory. Haven't you learned anything from our BYU brethren?

[myboynoah]

FTR, since there are at least 7 Ute fans who seem to be taking this poll seriously, I've never said that Utah didn't beat TCU. I'm just saying they were lucky to beat TCU. I don't really think that point's debatable, which is why SU keeps posting these silly polls, in favor of the more relevant "Was Utah lucky to beat TCU last year?" one.

IMO, that would be just as silly. It goes without saying that any Utah victory is a lucky one.

[il Padrino Ute]

To those with the mentality of "if that and that (in favor of TCU) were reversed but only that and no more," keep in mind that TCU got away with a couple of big ones on their two scoring drives.

First, with the score 0-0, on 3rd and 4, a short pass to Bart Johnson went for 52 yards thanks to an illegal pick. Instead of the penalty making it 3rd and long, TCU proceeded to gain 6 more yards and kicked a 37 yard FG for a 3-0 lead.

Second, with the score still 3-0, on 2nd and 16, Sean Smith intercepted Andy Dalton in the end zone, which should have been Utah ball on the 20. Replay clearly showed he was in bounds, but the refs called him out of bounds, and TCU scored a TD two plays later for a 10-0 lead.

To say "those two missed FGs changed the game," go ahead and have them but take away those other 10 points, and the game is tied 6-6 when Brian Johnson began that final drive.

Don't forget the mugging of one of the Utah receivers on a deep pass that the officials ignored. It would have been a TD.

[ERCougar]

Okay here's one for you ER:

BYU was lucky to beat 6-6 UCLA in the '07 Vegas Bowl. If UCLA makes that chip shot, it changes BYU's offseason "Quest" strategy; their winning streak is over and so they don't begin '08 gratuitously ranked; therefore when TCU seal clubs them 32-7 in October, they don't fall as hard because they were never in BCS territory to begin with.

BYU has pretty good luck with 6-win teams in bowl games.

Totally agree. We were also lucky to beat UW. What's your point?

Seriously, all rivalry smack aside--do you Ute fans really not feel a little lucky to have come away with the win?

[Fiyero]

I don't know if anyone who watched the game from start to finish would call it luck. Neither team was completely unable to move the ball; and both came so close to converting crucial third downs, that it felt like a matter of when, not if. In crunch time, one team came through and the other threw a pick to RoJo.

The Oklahoma game was close from start to finish. Did it boil down to luck?

[ERCougar]

I don't know if anyone who watched the game from start to finish would call it luck. Neither team was completely unable to move the ball; and both came so close to converting crucial third downs, that it felt like a matter of when, not if. In crunch time, one team came through and the other threw a pick to RoJo.

The Oklahoma game was close from start to finish. Did it boil down to luck?

Yup. Lots of us have gone on record saying that if we play that game 10 times, OU wins 8 or 9.

But OK...this is getting silly. I see where Ute fans come down on this. I hope your FG defense holds up.