Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl Independence Stadium (Shreveport, Louisiana)
3:30 p.m. on ABC and the ESPN App Bonagura: BYU vs. UTSA Schlabach: BYU vs. LSU
Team most disappointed with its spot: BYU. The Cougars were on the cusp of a New Year’s Six bowl spot, but they didn’t get enough results to go in their favor down the stretch. A matchup with UTSA would be one of the most appealing matchups of bowl season, but the idea of playing in the Independence Bowl just doesn’t compare to a New Year’s Six game. It’s even worse knowing their rival - who they beat - will be in the Granddaddy of them All. – Bonagura
USA Today’s projection has Utah no.11; Pitt no.12.
Utah (10-3)
“Look for the Utes to leap six spots after manhandling Oregon for the second time in three weeks. Friday night’s 38-7 win hands Utah the program’s first Pac-12 championship since joining the conference and sends the program to the Rose Bowl for the first time. Getting there after a brutal September will go down as one of the remarkable accomplishments of coach Kyle Whittingham’s career.”
Glad hearing Herbstreit spoke highly of our Utes and how he praised of Utes at this point of the season.
Many fans and talking heads have mentioned how Utah’s fortune/playing has changed after Rising became a starter, and how Whit made a mistake of starting Brewer – this is such a shallow, parochial reaction. Utah is better now because:
Rising is a starter (true; Whit said he was just coming back from throwing 100% at the beginning of the season. I have no reason to question Whit.)
Oline is light years ahead of the first 1/3 of the season. If oline didn’t improve as much as it did, IMO, Rising or not, Utah would not be where it is now.
Thomas’s emergence; after he fixed his fumble-titis. See above.
Something, something, brutal schedule,… whine, whine, piss and moan. Man that fanbase in for a shock when it’s a week in and week out grind. Perhaps even more than our surprise with the grind.
Wait… they actually thought they had a snowball’s chance in hell at getting into CFP/NY6?? If so, I had vastly underestimated their level of delusion and self-entitlement.
