Anyone hear the Fiesta bowl rep on 1320 this morning?

[BlueHair]

And the Utes scored 48 and doubled the Coug's score with those 5 turnovers (or was it 6?)... speculative at best until the game is played, but I think that the Utes keep it close againts Texas. You get to McCoy you can disrupt their offense. The Utes have the ends to get to McCoy and the defensive backs to cover any group of receivers in the country. Where I get a little concerned is the size of our linebackers - power backs like Vakupuna and Unga seem to be able to pick up a few extra yards per carry because of the size of our LB's.

You can never be sure until the game is played. However, if Texas plays Utah and the spread is under 10, I will bet a month's pay on Texas.

[BlueHair]

While we're at it, let's keep whole nother out of our board vocab! (It was listed in my pet peeves so the board is well aware of my proclivities on this topic!)

Let's add then/than to the list. "I am smarter then you, but that's a whole nother subject."

[RockyBalboa]

Agreed. Utah's defense doesn't get the credit it deserves on this board.

I think Utah keeps it within 10 points against anyone in the top 10, maybe even pulling off a win, and beats anyone outside of the top 10. Again, like Rocky, this is just my opinion. Any given Saturday... that's the beauty of college football. Oregon State can beat USC, Ole Miss can beat Florida, and the Utes can beat Texas/Florida/Oklahoma/Alabama... Hope springs eternal.

LOL...you think Utahs defense is good enough to keep offenses like Oklahoma, Florida and Texas in check?

Alrighty then.......

Look were BYU in the same position you guys were I'd want to go up against the best to and see how we measure up, but if even we can put 24 pts on you guys and Oregon State can put 28 pts on you guys,,,it only serves to purpose what kind of carnage those other offenses would leave in their wake.

If you play any of the 3 teams mentioned above I will be shocked if you keep the final score within 3 touchdowns.

[Solon]

LOL...you think Utahs defense is good enough to keep offenses like Oklahoma, Florida and Texas in check?

I'm as much a Ute homer as anyone, but look at what Oklahoma did to TCU. The same TCU that pretty much dominated the Utes for most of their game. OK, FL, USC, and TX are a different species than anyone else this year (and yeah, I left out Alabama on purpose; until they beat Florida on Saturday, they're too slow for me).

This is a fun Utah team, and I'd love to see them play out of their heads and beat a big-time program, but predicting an upset is like predicting a lightning strike.

You've got to go with probabilities. But I can always hope for the improbable.

[DrumNFeather]

I'm as much a Ute homer as anyone, but look at what Oklahoma did to TCU. The same TCU that pretty much dominated the Utes for most of their game. OK, FL, USC, and TX are a different species than anyone else this year (and yeah, I left out Alabama on purpose; until they beat Florida on Saturday, they're too slow for me).

This is a fun Utah team, and I'd love to see them play out of their heads and beat a big-time program, but predicting an upset is like predicting a lightning strike.

You've got to go with probabilities. But I can always hope for the improbable.

The one thing I would say about the Utes chances is that they are playing with house money. Really, they've got nothing to lose. Hawaii getting shalacked last year did not prevent the Non-BCS teams from getting back into the BCS this year, so even if Utah does lose and loses bad, so what? Someone else will be there next year.

Conversly, a team like Texas or Alabama will not get up for Utah the way they would for Ohio St...AND they have everything to lose and nothing to gain by being matched up vs. Utah in a BCS game.

I'm not saying that Utah can hang, but I'm not saying they can't either...I guess we'll find out soon enough.

[Brian]

The one thing I would say about the Utes chances is that they are playing with house money. Really, they've got nothing to lose. Hawaii getting shalacked last year did not prevent the Non-BCS teams from getting back into the BCS this year, so even if Utah does lose and loses bad, so what? Someone else will be there next year.

Conversly, a team like Texas or Alabama will not get up for Utah the way they would for Ohio St...AND they have everything to lose and nothing to gain by being matched up vs. Utah in a BCS game.

I'm not saying that Utah can hang, but I'm not saying they can't either...I guess we'll find out soon enough.

They don't have the talent, but they certainly have the heart.
I'll never say never with this group.

[PaloAltoCougar]

They don't have the talent, but they certainly have the heart.

I agree with this. Based on pretty much all objective factors, Utah should get smoked by a SEC or Big 12 BCS participant, but there are some seasons when decent teams catch the breaks, show heart, and the stars align. BYU's much maligned '84 team was one of those, and Utah seems to be one as well.

Utah seems as lucky this year as it was unlucky last year. And I don't mean to disparage Utah's season this year with that observation. Sometimes you get the breaks and you take advantage of them Utah has done that extremely well.

But I'll still give the points vs. 'Bama, Florida, Texas or Oklahoma.

[RockyBalboa]

They don't have the talent, but they certainly have the heart.
I'll never say never with this group.

I agree on the heart aspect. They've shown grit time and again when their backs were up against the wall. That's a hallmark of a team with solid leadership and a good Senior QB.

Against Alabama I give Utah a very good punchers chance. While Alabama has an excellent defense, and a very good rushing attack, it just feels like they've been waiting to get exposed all year long.

[CJF]

They don't have the talent, but they certainly have the heart.
I'll never say never with this group.

I agree with this. I think the 2004 team would beat this team pretty handily. That team had the talent and the heart. And while I think Whittingham is a very good coach, UM was better in 2004.

It is not 2004 and this Utah team is gritty. They find ways to win and the defense is good enough to keep them in with just about everyone in the country. Sure, they might get blown out by Texas, Oklahoma, USC or Florida, but I wouldn't be surprised to see them hang close and then win it with either a BJ drive or a Sakoda kick. Not the most talented, but they do get the most out of that talent.

[SeattleUte]

BYU fans, you have no right to assess Utah's chances in a BCS bowl. No right. Utah slaughtering your team and humiliating your beloved coach and qb means you have no right to comment on this. If I were in your position and Utah were where BYU is I wouldn't say a word. You just sound like nasty sour grapes. As Junkie said, you don't know until the game is played.

[creekster]

BYU fans, you have no right to assess Utah's chances in a BCS bowl. No right. Utah slaughtering your team and humiliating your beloved coach and qb means you have no right to comment on this. If I were in your position and Utah were where BYU is I wouldn't say a word. You just sound like nasty sour grapes. As Junkie said, you don't know until the game is played.

I was going to go with what Junkie said until you pointed out that he had no right to comment.

[Flystripper]

wrong thread

[PaloAltoCougar]

BYU fans, you have no right to assess Utah's chances in a BCS bowl. No right. Utah slaughtering your team and humiliating your beloved coach and qb means you have no right to comment on this. If I were in your position and Utah were where BYU is I wouldn't say a word. You just sound like nasty sour grapes. As Junkie said, you don't know until the game is played.

With this you have achieved what Woody Allen once characterized as "the zenith in mongoloid reasoning." Applying same, if fans of a 10-2, nationally ranked football team are estopped from commenting on BCS games then, in view of Utah's abysmal basketball performance of the past few years, you are hereby muzzled from discussing basketball at whatever level, since the gap between the two schools has been far greater the past few years in basketball than it has been in football. So silence, ye fiend from the infernal pit. I'll let you know when you can emerge from your cave of basketball hibernation.

[BlueHair]

BYU fans, you have no right to assess Utah's chances in a BCS bowl. No right. Utah slaughtering your team and humiliating your beloved coach and qb means you have no right to comment on this. If I were in your position and Utah were where BYU is I wouldn't say a word. You just sound like nasty sour grapes. As Junkie said, you don't know until the game is played.

Are you the mother of one of the Ute players?

[SeattleUte]

With this you have achieved what Woody Allen once characterized as "the zenith in mongoloid reasoning." Applying same, if fans of a 10-2, nationally ranked football team are estopped from commenting on BCS games then, in view of Utah's abysmal basketball performance of the past few years, you are hereby muzzled from discussing basketball at whatever level, since the gap between the two schools has been far greater the past few years in basketball than it has been in football. So silence, ye fiend from the infernal pit. I'll let you know when you can emerge from your cave of basketball hibernation.

BYU basketball will hit the proverbial wall next year. Regardless, I was silent about BYU's chances in the NCAA playoffs except for maybe a taunt or two about past NCAA playoff failures. Of course similar bowl smack is not available to you all against Utah football.