The Official Las Vegas Bowl Thread

[LA Ute]

Wait, was he on BYUs 1984 National Championship team?

No, but unlike most of you having such sport here he is old enough to remember it.

[SloanHater]

Awesome. Glad to know that the heights to which you aspire to have gone from finishing #2 to beating BYU.

Not just BYU, future hall of famer and #1 draft pick Jake the Snake, a future apostle, and God. A mountain any man would be proud to stand on.

By the way, how's the weather in Vegas Seattleute?

[Surfah]

Not just BYU, future hall of famer and #1 draft pick Jake the Snake, a future apostle, and God. A mountain any man would be proud to stand on.

By the way, how's the weather in Vegas Seattleute?

SU's at the game?

[SloanHater]

SU's at the game?

Where else would Ute Nation's voice be?

[LA Ute]

Here's Stewart Mandel's analysis of the game. Mandel's always fair and respects the non-AQ programs. I think he's (unfortunately) right, too:

Reason to watch: It's two top 20 teams playing a bowl game before Christmas. It's the last chance to watch a Boise State team that both galvanized and polarized the sport for nearly three months. And it's the last game for several decorated Broncos veterans, most notably receivers Austin Pettis and Titus Young (the school's all-time receptions leaders), safety Jeron Johnson (318 career tackles) and defensive end Ryan Winterswyk. For Pac-10 fans the game is an early chance to scout incoming member Utah, though the Utes will be without starting quarterback Jordan Wynn (shoulder surgery).

Keep an eye on: Boise State quarterback Kellen Moore. The Heisman finalist is always fun to watch, but it will be interesting to see whether Moore is as sharp as usual. The game will be played just 11 days after his stint on the Orlando/New York awards tour, during which Moore missed two days of practice. That said, the entire team took a week off for finals, and it may be that the early bowl date actually staves off the rust that sometimes befalls January bowl participants.

Did you know: Utah has won nine straight bowl games dating to 1999, and sixth-year head coach Kyle Whittingham, who joined the Utes' staff in 1994, is 10-1. This will mark the second time in three years Utah has faced a top 10 bowl opponent, the first time being a 31-17 win over then fourth-ranked Alabama in the 2009 Sugar Bowl.

Final analysis: Boise State is the far better team. But for one disastrous half at Nevada (which still could have been salvaged with a chip-shot field goal), its offense proved balanced and powerful, its defense dominant. On the other hand, Utah's offense struggled most of the season, including blowout losses to TCU and Notre Dame. The only question is whether the Broncos will be deflated after missing a BCS bowl.

The pick: Boise State 30, Utah 17

I'm hoping for a closer score: Utah by 5.

[SloanHater]

Here's Stewart Mandel's analysis of the game. Mandel's always fair and respects the non-AQ programs. I think he's (unfortunately) right, too:

I'm hoping for a closer score: Utah by 5.

Did you know: Utah has won nine straight bowl games dating to 1999, and sixth-year head coach Kyle Whittingham, who joined the Utes' staff in 1994, is 10-1. This will mark the second time in three years Utah has faced a top 10 bowl opponent, the first time being a 31-17 win over then fourth-ranked Alabama in the 2009 Sugar Bowl.

[Jarid in Cedar]

I am having a hard time gauging this game. Comparing this game to the Bama game, the question going against the Tide was whether we had the athletes to play and compete against them. In this game, we are on a level field with the Broncos as far as althletic talent is concerned, but the question is whether we are prepared to play their schemes and can scheme against what BSU does to gain an advantage.

So I think this game is more about our coaches showing their worth, showing that they can prepare the team to compete against a well coached team that makes few mistakes.

I think we have questions at QB, LB, and FS that need to be answered early in the game. If we can hold down the fort in these areas, this is going to be a great game to watch.

[TripletDaddy]

No, but unlike most of you having such sport here he is old enough to remember it.

Ha. I have actually said previously that before I joined up with the Mos, I had barely heard of BYU. I knew a bunch of my friends parents had BYU sweatshirts that they would wear to church activities. That was about it.

[LA Ute]

Ha. I have actually said previously that before I joined up with the Mos, I had barely heard of BYU. I knew a bunch of my friends parents had BYU sweatshirts that they would wear to church activities. That was about it.

Fair enough. You're a good man, Triplet.

[TripletDaddy]

Fair enough. You're a good man, Triplet.

Coming from you I'm inclined to read between the lines...

[YOUTUBE]9h3ikhebwGk[/YOUTUBE]

[Sizzle]

I think we have questions at QB, LB, and FS that need to be answered early in the game. If we can hold down the fort in these areas, this is going to be a great game to watch.

Utah's defense has not played against a QB as good as Moore or WRs as good as Young and Pettis this year. The closest they came was probably against SDSU, and their QB is nowhere near as good as Moore. I also don't think they've faced an offensive minded coach as talented as Peterson this year.

Given the way BYU and SDSU were able to attack Utah's pass defense, I would expect Boise to do the same. Unless Utah is suddenly able to play more man (and do a better job of it than they have this year) and less zone coverage.

I think Utah probably covers the spread, but I think Boise wins. The one thing that lets me think that Utah has a chance is that Whit does a great job of bowl prep and when they aren't playing big time games, Boise hasn't shown that well.

[TripletDaddy]

Utah's defense has not played against a QB as good as Moore or WRs as good as Young and Pettis this year. The closest they came was probably against SDSU, and their QB is nowhere near as good as Moore. I also don't think they've faced an offensive minded coach as talented as Peterson this year.

Given the way BYU and SDSU were able to attack Utah's pass defense, I would expect Boise to do the same. Unless Utah is suddenly able to play more man (and do a better job of it than they have this year) and less zone coverage.

I think Utah probably covers the spread, but I think Boise wins. The one thing that lets me think that Utah has a chance is that Whit does a great job of bowl prep and when they aren't playing big time games, Boise hasn't shown that well.

Boise has had 2 undefeated seasons and almost a third this year when playing a schedule filled with 95% small time games.

[Sizzle]

Boise has had 2 undefeated seasons and almost a third this year when playing a schedule filled with 95% small time games.

Should have qualified my statement to "bowl" games.

2004: Lost to Louisville in Liberty Bowl
2005: Lost to BC in Boise
2006: Beat Oklahoma in Fiesta
2007: Lost to East Carolina in Hawaii
2008: Lost to TCU in San Diego
2009: Beat TCU in Fiesta

[LA Ute]

Utah's defense has not played against a QB as good as Moore or WRs as good as Young and Pettis this year. The closest they came was probably against SDSU, and their QB is nowhere near as good as Moore. I also don't think they've faced an offensive minded coach as talented as Peterson this year.

Given the way BYU and SDSU were able to attack Utah's pass defense, I would expect Boise to do the same. Unless Utah is suddenly able to play more man (and do a better job of it than they have this year) and less zone coverage.

I think Utah probably covers the spread, but I think Boise wins. The one thing that lets me think that Utah has a chance is that Whit does a great job of bowl prep and when they aren't playing big time games, Boise hasn't shown that well.

Will there be no end to BYU fans coming to this thread and telling is why we are going to lose? You're all miserable vomitous masses.

[Mormon Red Death]

Utah's defense has not played against a QB as good as Moore or WRs as good as Young and Pettis this year. The closest they came was probably against SDSU, and their QB is nowhere near as good as Moore. I also don't think they've faced an offensive minded coach as talented as Peterson this year.

Given the way BYU and SDSU were able to attack Utah's pass defense, I would expect Boise to do the same. Unless Utah is suddenly able to play more man (and do a better job of it than they have this year) and less zone coverage.

I think Utah probably covers the spread, but I think Boise wins. The one thing that lets me think that Utah has a chance is that Whit does a great job of bowl prep and when they aren't playing big time games, Boise hasn't shown that well.

The ginger from TCU and his group of receivers are better than Moore and his in my opinion although not by much.