Boise State Rolls "7's" In Las Vegas. Abuse The Utes

Bronco nation, what might have been. Defeat Nevada and Boise State might be smelling the roses instead of TCU.

So Boise State gets a trip to Las Vegas out of the deal and unfortunately for Utah fans this beat down won't stay in Vegas.

Boise State whipped Utah 26-3. Kellen Moore threw for 339 yards and two touchdowns to earn game MVP honors.

Here's the highlights from the game along with sound from head coach Chris Petersen. (Thanks KTVB-TV Boise, ID)



J Bates and Troy Oppie offer their take from Sin City which involves a funny hat at the end. (Thanks KBOI-TV)



''We still had a great season, we had a great team." Boise State quarterback Kellen Moore said after the game. "We didn't take care of business in one opportunity and Nevada kind of deserved that victory, they took care of business. This is still a great team and one of the best teams in the country. The seniors have done so much for this program and have done a great job.''

TWTW: Which Utah Team Is This...???

((HT: WSBT-TV South Bend))

Losing to Notre Dame the way they did...???

Prevailing opinion was that the Utes were still on a hangover after getting drilled by TCU at home by 40.

The Notre Dame student body was planning on rushing the field after an anticipated loss as the losing-est senior class in school history...

They may still do that, but not after beating Utah 28-3...

Here's the wrap from our friends at WSBT-TV
 

Here's a list of stuff that they broke Saturday...

The Irish broke a streak of 11 straight losses to ranked teams, which started with a 47-21 home drubbing from Michigan on September 16th, 2006.

It was the highest-rated team the Irish had taken down since before any of the current players attended freshman orientation - more precisely, a 17-10 upending of a third-ranked Michigan on the road in game 2 of the coach Charlie Weis Era back in 2005.

Saturday marked the fewest points the Irish allowed against an AP Top 20 team since a January 1st, 1993, Cotton Bowl win over 4th-ranked Texas A&M- also a 28-3 victory.

It was the fewest points Utah has scored since losing 17-0 to UNLV on September 22nd, 2007. That's a span of 45 games including Saturday.

It was ND's largest margin of victory against AP Top 20 team since October 12th, 1996, when Notre Dame beat Washington 54-20.

TWTW: For Utah, It's About Style Points, Too...

((HT: KSL-TV))

As they beat the pants off Colorado State 59-6...

And the HQ will get to answer the question we posed about Oklahoma STate in the coming weeks...

How will they react when they play "somebody...?"

Their next three weeks are: Air Force, TCU, and Notre Dame...

Jordan Wynn threw for 321 yards and three TDs...

"Everything was clicking. We feel fully prepared for every team that appears on our schedule," he said after the game.

The Utes, now 7-0 and 4-0 in the Mountain West, are 7-0 for the third time in the last seven years. In the 2004 and 2008 seasons, the Utes went undefeated and won BCS bowl games.

The HQ is unclear if that means we need to look to 2012...

"We're playing our best right now. We played a good game in all three phases, but we have a lot of tough challenges ahead of us, starting this week," Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said.

What he said...

Rod Zundel is indoors in front of his green screen...

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

DEVELOPING STORY: Utah Makes It A 12-Pac

((HT: KSL-TV))

It's official... Utah is moving, and they want to move quickly from one conference to another. Colorado wants in for the 2012 season, but the Utes want in by 2011.

Utah will increase its current television revenue from $1.2 million per year to between $8 million - $10 million per year. Even more money could come with a TV contract renegotiation.... and the HQ knows it will...

Here's your set-up piece from our friends at KSL-TV, Kathy Aiken is in front of their lectern at the university...

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

More when we have more from Utah...

12-Pac, Utah To Accept Offer From Pac 10

It looks like the Pac 10 Conference is set to make it a 12 pac. The University of Utah board of trustees will meet Thursday afternoon and the only item on the agenda is "Discussion of Athletic conferences."

It is expected that Utah will accept and invitation to join the Pac 10 Conference and become Colorado's travel partner.

A news conference will follow the board meeting.

The Associated Press is reporting that the Pac-10 formally invited the Utes to join the conference Wednesday. Officials from the University of Utah didn't say whether that invitation would be immediately accepted.

Tuesday UteZone.com reported that on Monday the University of Utah informed the Mountain West Conference that the University intended on leaving the conference.

The Pac-10 turned it's attention to Utah after its botched attempt to convince Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State to "go west".

While Utah doesn't bring the cache the Texas & Oklahoma schools did the Utes have been impressive the last 10 years going 6-0 in bowl games, 2-0 in the BCS. Utah does deliver the Salt Lake City TV market which is market 31.

Those of us at the OSG HQ believe Utah can't lose. The Mountain West Conference will get a BCS automatic bid soon though joining the Pac 10 is automatic BCS. What Utah has to come to grips with is whether its worth it to end their rivalry with BYU. It's one of the best in college football. Changing conferences will increase the bank account and as we have seen that's what matters most.

Utah To Pac-10/11 Sooner Than Later...???

Utah athletic director Dr. Chris Hill is not commenting on possible expansion to the Pac-10/11 ((or anywhere else for that matter)), but speculation all over the country is that Utah will become the 12th team in the Pac-10

Or the 10/12...

Or whatever in the hell they're going to call it...

Lya Wodraska of the Salt Lake City Tribune newspaper has a yes, a no, or a maybe...

A report is out that the Pac-10 will extend an invitation to Utah and a press conference is expected Wednesday. However, John Henderson from the Denver Post just spoke directly to Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott who denied the report.

In addition, MWC officials I just spoke with said they have not received any notification from Utah that it is leaving and Utah associate athletic director Liz Abel said there was "nothing new to report."

As Wodraska admits, there's probably degrees of truth in all of the above...

Here's coverage from Dana Greene and ABC4 in Salt Lake City...

Big 12 is done...What's next for the Pac 10?

Now that the Texas Two-Step has ended and the Big 12 is now 10 and chock-full-o-money for Texas, Texas A&M and Oklahoma, what is next for the great realignment dance of 2010?

Well, let's try and figure it out...shall we?

It looks like Colorado jumped to the Pac 10, now 11 and probably soon to be 12, a bit too soon. There is some speculation that they panicked, but according to reports out of Colorado, they are perfectly happy moving West, they see more money in it for them.

Check out the analysis from the Boulder Daily-Camera RIGHT HERE

((That's me, kinda near Ralphie the Buffalo when Colorado was in the Big 12 now 10//Courtesy: Eric Hager))

The next step for the Pac 10, now 11 and looking to be 12....find number 12. The early frontrunner...Utah, from the Mountain West, which by the way just added Boise State.

More from the Deseret News RIGHT HERE

The Salt Lake Tribune opines about what should be next RIGHT HERE

The San Jose Mercury-News all but proclaims Utah a member of the Pac 10-11 and soon to be 12. The story is RIGHT HERE

While we at the OSG think that the Utah scenario will more than likely play out, don't assume it. There are strong arguments to say stay in the Mountain West, an already strong and now upgraded conference in Football with the Boise State addition.

Should they say no, Larry Scott and the Pac 10 that is 11 will have some work ahead. Yes, you can argue that he made a huge, bold move trying to add half of the Big 12 now 10, but it didn't work.

The only way Scott can save some face and add the revenue he is advocating is by having 12 teams and a Championship game. Will that happen? Probably. But it won't be easy. It will be, however, much less hyped which should increase the chances of it getting done.

We think that this song is the only appropriate video we could think of for the winding down of this story. Enjoy Europe. Thanks Vevo/You Tube:

TWTW: A Wynn-Wynn Situation For Utah

((HT: KSL-TV))

Cal jumped out to a quick 14-0 lead against Utah in the SDCCU Poinsettia Bowl...
Cal then responded as only Cal does and proceeded to lose the game...

And, by the way, the HQ would like to alert everyone to the pronunciation of the flower in question... It's "Poin-set-uh," not "Poin-set-tee-uh..."

We seem to have to remind everyone of this every year...

Utah's Jordan Wynn threw for a career-high 338 yards and 3 TD's as Number 23 Utah won 37-27...

The Utes scored 27 straight points to win their ninth straight bowl game- the longest current streak in the country. The Golden Bears, in a bowl game for the school-record seventh straight year, had their four-game postseason winning streak snapped.

Wynn improved to 3-0 at Jack Murphy Stadium ((yes, the HQ knows about the corporate title, but we're not getting paid to mention the name))- including two section championships while the starter at suburban Oceanside High.

Here's your highlights from our friends at KSL-TV- again...

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

TWTW: Max Hall Does Not Like His Utes...

((HT: Fox 13/Salt Lake City))

They call this the "Holy War."

They may have well just called BYU QB Max Hall's post-game the "Holy S***"
He's a senior and doesn't care what he says about the other school... especially after throwing the game-winning TD in overtime for the 26-23 win...

Rick Aaron starts your postgame and Hall starts mouthing off at the 2:00 mark or so... fun stuff for a change...

But we do figure that Max will be receiving a letter in the mail signed by Craig Thompson some time very soon...

 

TWTW: TCU Asks What Is A Ute, New Mexico Still Sucks

((HT: KSL-TV))

A busy day in the state of Utah...

Mike Locksley is still coaching a crappy football team... whether one is related to the other is still yet to be empirically proven through scientific means...

Max Hall tossed for two scores and BYU woke up when they needed to to win 24-19... Here's your highlights,, thanks to KSL and the mtn...

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

Then, there's our friends at TCU...
They ran the hell over Utah 55-28...

"If the nation didn't think that this was enough style points, then I don't know what is," coach Gary Patterson said. "We're just going to go about our business."

The Horned Frogs (10-0, 6-0) stretched their winning streak to 12 games. With a record crowd of 50,307 at Amon G Carter and representatives from the Orange, Rose and Fiesta bowls watching from the AD's box, the fourth ranked team in the country now waits for someone to stumble...

Unfortunately, they need two teams to stumble...
Here's your highlights again, thanks to KSL and CBS-CSTV...

TWTW: Two Losses In Utah Today: Utah and BYU

So much for that Bracket Buster stuff...

Let's start with Oregon and Utah where Chip Kelly seems to have calmed things down for a week... by beating the Utes...

Yes, we know... What is a Ute...???
Here's your wrap from our friends at KSL-TV in Salt Lake...

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

Then, Florida State creates false hope for every Seminole in the world with an absolute beat-down of BYU in Provo: 54-28

Christian Ponder threw for two touchdowns and ran for another as Florida State beat No. 7 ending the Cougars' 18-game home winning streak and probably any hopes they had of a BCS berth.

Anyone who questioned Jimbo Fisher's lack of offensive initiative is calmed for another week as well...

Those of us at OSG HQ will always maintain that Marvin, Velma, and Provo are three of our favorite words...

That, and it's all about ball bearings these days...

Hatch vs. The BCS

It seems as though we have a new battle brewing in Sports and it is appearing in front of our very eyes. Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah has been huffing and puffing about the illegality of the College Football Bowl Championship Series and it appears that all of the wind he's blowing has gained some traction.

There were some hearings held in Washington in front of the Senate Judiciary Commitee (which Hatch chairs) and some folks from Utah...in particular Mountain West Conference Anti-Trust attorney Barry Brett and University of Utah President Michael K. Young were very vocal.

The story from the Deseret News here .

More from Boston.com here .

Hatch is calling for the Justice Department to investigate and see if any Anti-Trust laws were violated. We can't say that we totally disagree with the idea, the BCS isn't really fair to anyone other than the so-called "Power Conferences", everyone knows that. The question is, why wait until now to say something? The BCS has been around for several years now, it is immensely profitable, the problem is the money isn't distributed evenly. We aren't lawyers here at OSG HQ, but even we can see that it is a flawed system that really isn't fair to everyone. Unfortunately until the College Football powers that are decide to go to a Playoff system that is fair, things will never change, Senate Hearing or not.

((Orrin Hatch Photo Courtesy: Senator Orrin Hatch?))

Utah Legislature Wants A College Football Playoff

The state of Utah striking while the iron is hot wants a college football playoff so their beloved Utes don't get screwed again.

The Utah State Senate unanimously approved a resolution calling for a national college football playoff system in lieu of the BCS. The bill aims to "address what some Utah football fans considered an unforgivable slight when the team did not get a chance to play for a national championship this year, despite being the only undefeated Division 1-A team in the country."

After the senate vote, the Utes were honored by both chambers of the Utah state government.

Utah Senate President Michael Waddoups, a BYU graduate said, "On a day like this even Cougars can be Utes."

Now that is bi-partisan times 2. Not only can Democrats and Republicans agree on that bill but even BYU fans are joining Utah fans recognizing what the Utes accomplished.

There's hope for Washington if they can get it right in Salt Lake City.

The question around the OSG HQ is why is the Utah state government getting involved. Sure its a big deal in the Beehive State but aren't there other pressing issues that need to be addressed? School funding, road projects, etc. You can kick and scream all the want to but the lords of the BCS aren't interested as long as the checks keep coming in.

Mountain West Wants Part of BCS

Steve Weiberg of the USA Today lets us know that Commissioner Craig Thompson of the Mountain West Conference is ready for his seat at the big-boy table for the holiday meal instead of that nasty, rickety old card table in the next room.

You know which one we're talking about... the one that, as an elementary school kid put you in some kind of adult-meal limbo. You weren't old enough to sit in the big chair, so you still had to sit with the distant cousins who were four and five years old and still tried to make "Devil's Mountain" out of the mashed potatoes and peas- thinking that if you hid the peas under the potatoes that you'd escaped eating a vegetable.

Or if you gave them to the dog under the table when the adults weren't looking, you'd gotten away with it again.

Thompson has had no such luck, yet- not for a lack of trying...
Even with three teams finishing in the Top 25, he gets it...

"The argument I will hear back (from the BCS) is, 'Craig, here it is. It's done. It's been agreed to. It's signed,' " Thompson says. "That doesn't mean you can't put it on the table

"One of the options would be to visit with the BCS coordinator … just to lay out our position."

He adds, "I would not be optimistic. As I explained to them (the Mountain West presidents), it's a series of legal contracts among 11 conferences, four bowls, two TV partners with yet another TV partner coming in. I would not see much of a relaxation."

So, we'll all just leave you with this... and laugh at Alabama football in the interim...
((HT: KTVX/ABC4.com))

Utah AG Investigating BCS

The Attorney General for the state of Utah, Mark Shurflett, must have too much time on his hands these days.

((We know... "time is ticking away, ticking away from me..."))

Shurflett is now investigating whther of not the idea of the Bowl Championship Series is an anti-trust violation.

In an article in the Orlando Sentinel, Shurflett contends " the BCS unfairly puts schools like Utah ((pictured, thanks Scott G. Winterton/Deseret News)), which is a member of a conference without an automatic bid to the lucrative bowl games, at a competitive and financial disadvantage.

"We've established that from the very first day, from the very first kickoff in the college season, more than half of the schools are put on an unlevel playing field," Shurtleff said Tuesday. "They will never be allowed to play for a national championship."

The Utes Athletic Department is going nowhere near this one...understandably.
Interesting note in all this... if Shurflett finds sufficient grounds that a conspiracy has caused a monopoly he would be suing his own state. Utah is a member of the Mountain West Conference and Utah State is a member of the WAC- both are BCS member conferences.

"It's not about bragging rights. It's a multimillion dollar — hundreds of millions — business where the BCS schools get richer and non-BCS get poorer," Shurtleff said.

Uh huh...good luck there...
Ben Winslow's article in the Deseret News goes in to more detail.

KSL-TV's Jed Boal catches up with Shurflett...

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

It's Ute-opia In Utah. Utes Roll Over The Tide In Sugar Bowl

Let's see, the Alabama Crimson Tide race out to 12 straight wins and top the college football polls. Then the Tide run out gas losing to Florida in the SEC Championship Game and a month later, are stunned by the Utah Utes 31-17 in the Sugar Bowl.

"We didn't finish the season like we wanted, and I'm sorry for that for them." Alabama head coach Nick Saban said. "I think they deserved better. We wanted better for them. And we failed them in not being able to help them get where they needed to get so they could have a chance to be successful in this game. That's to take nothing away from Utah. They played great. Their quarterback was great. We didn't match up with them very well in the secondary, didn't get him covered like we needed to, didn't get enough pressure, got off to a horrible start and just didn't overcome it very well."

For Utah, this is their biggest win ever. Head coach Kyle Whittingham said on the podium to Fox Sports' Chris Myers that he was voting the Utes #1 in the polls. Will the other polls follow remains to be seen but the Utes have staked a claim going 13 - 0 and the only undefeated team in the FBS. Just to enhance Utah's 2008 resume, they have wins over the Big 10 (Michigan), the Pac 10 (Oregon State) and now the SEC (Alabama), all BCS schools.

You can check out Fox 13 coverage out of Salt Lake City right here.

KSL-TV's coverage of Utah's Sugar Bowl win can be viewed by clicking right here.

Photo Courtesy: AP

Monday College Tackle Football Update

Good news and bad...

The good... Utah Head Coach Kyle Whittingham ((pictured, thanks Scott G. Winterton/Deseret News)) gets a five year, $6-million extension to stay with the Running Utes...

The contract, which will pay Whittingham $1.2 million annually, includes a base salary of $200,000. The remainder will come from radio and television rights, appearance fees, public speaking, fundraising and official outfitter compensation from Under Armour.

"When I hired Kyle four years ago, I felt he was the best person for the job, and the fact that we are here at a BCS bowl, with a 12-0 record and a No. 7 national ranking bears that out," said Director of Athletics Dr. Chris Hill. "We are elated that Kyle feels the same commitment to the University of Utah that we have to him and our football program. Kyle does things the right way, his players excel not only on the field, but in the classroom and the community, and he is an excellent ambassador for our university."

Said Whittingham, "I am very happy here at the University of Utah and feel fortunate to coach in a place where we can attract quality student-athletes who can compete at the highest level. I appreciate the support that Dr. Hill and President Young have given me and also the incredible support the community has shown for our football team."

The bad- Miami fires Offensive Coordinator Patrick Nix ((pictured, thanks Andrew Uloza/Miami Herald)) after two seasons on the job.

Nix said he and Shannon simply had different styles on how to best run an offense.

“I enjoyed it here. I appreciated Randy giving me the opportunity,” Nix said. “I’d like to have gone with something more wide-open and more no-huddle. He and I had a philosophical difference on that.”
Shannon released a statement announcing the dismissal, without revealing what went specifically into the decision.

“It is my obligation to review all aspects of the program and make decisions as to how we can improve as a football team,” Shannon said.

This year, the Hurricanes are 89th in total offense at 326 yards per game, and 52nd in scoring offense at 27.1 points per outing. Both are improvements over last season, and both came with two freshmen who had never thrown a pass in a college game before this season— Robert Marve and Jacory Harris.

"I fully realized the expectations when I came here, in the end, Coach Shannon and I just have a difference on how to run an offense,” Nix said. “What I want to do is just not what he wants to do. God closed this door, God will open another one for me, and I have faith in that.”

Miami Herald coverage is in black...

Observations from OSG HQ- Nix is a good guy from good family stock- not just good coaching stock. He and his father, well-respected high school coach Conrad Nix, are two of the best men you will ever meet. Patrick should end up on his feet- quickly.

What Is A Ute...?

Someone who's 6-0 and still banging on that BCS door...
This is how teams like Utah stay in the Top 25 and why teams that are close stay only close...

((HT: Versus/the youtube))

Joe Beninati and Glenn Parker on the call...
Enjoy...