This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Here's the disclaimer, right from the start: I'm the only person who could find compelling reasons to watch all 38 college football bowl games, and I'm aware of my issues. So if anyone chooses not to share my enthusiasm for the matchups involving Utah, BYU and Utah State, I'm forgiving.
There's some good stuff in these games, though, packed into about a 48-hour window prior to Christmas, and then the stage will be clear for the inaugural College Football Playoffs on New Year's Day. Wow, how delicious are these pairings? Oregon vs. Florida State in the Rose Bowl and Alabama vs. Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl.
The Big 12 is bitter, with Baylor and TCU being snubbed, yet the reality is that some good teams would be left out of the semifinals. Some would say this injustice cries out for an eight-team playoff, but I enjoyed how much drama the exclusivity created, and the other New Year's Six bowl are enhanced this way.
And there will be some intrigue going forward, with the Big 12 sure to consider staging a championship game. That may involve expansion, bringing BYU into the picture, meaning that former Utah coach Urban Meyer potentially did the Cougars a huge favor when his Ohio State team dismantled Wisconsin in the Big Ten title game and earned a playoff berth over Baylor and TCU.
The Buckeyes won with a third-string quarterback. Utah schools can relate, after a combined five QBs who have started games were lost to season-ending injuries. The bowl breakdown, for each team:
Utah vs. Colorado State, Las Vegas Bowl
The theme of the Utes having to meet a former Mountain West rival will get a lot of play in these two weeks. The fact is, some Pac-12 team faces an MW opponent every year in Las Vegas, and Utah tied for sixth place overall in the conference. Five other bowl games also will pair Power 5 schools with Group of 5 opponents.
It's OK for Utah to find itself on the other side, after all those years of thriving in such matchups. Remember how coach Kyle Whittingham once wanted to create a "graveyard" of Utah's power-conference victims? Well, now the Utes know what it's like to be the big guys.
Washington State found out against Colorado State last December, when the Cougars blew a 22-point lead in the New Mexico Bowl. CSU scored 10 points in the last minute of a 48-45 victory.
More recently, CSU's 16-13 win over Utah State in October was weird to witness. The Rams' Rashard Higgins caught a 69-yard pass on the game's first play and a 46-yarder in the last minute. In between, CSU gained only 205 total yards, while allowing eight sacks (hello, Nate Orchard). Meanwhile, the Aggies rushed for 100 yards, and were never sacked. But 96 of those yards came on three plays.
BYU vs. Memphis, Miami Beach Bowl
The American Athletic Conference is top heavy, so BYU was destined to draw a decent opponent. In September, when UCLA was tied with Memphis in the fourth quarter, I wondered what was wrong with the Bruins. Turns out, the Tigers are pretty good.
Judging by UCLA's 42-35 victory, this game should be fun. Memphis racked up 469 total yards vs. UCLA, while the Bruins' Brett Hundley passed for 396 yards. BYU's Christian Stewart should have some good passing opportunities, and the Cougars' secondary will be tested by 6-foot-7 quarterback Paxton Lynch and his receivers.
Memphis is a great turnaround story under coach Justin Fuente, formerly TCU's co-offensive coordinator, and one of these teams will leave Miami with a nice winning streak.
Utah State vs. Texas-El Paso, New Mexico Bowl
As Colorado State's example illustrated, wild stuff happens in Albuquerque. The New Mexico Bowl trophy is unique Zia pottery, but the Aggies should be warned: That thing is cursed.
Dave Christensen, now Utah's offensive coordinator, won the trophy in his first season as Wyoming's coach, but was eventually fired. BYU's Jake Heaps was named the bowl's outstanding offensive player as a freshman in 2010 when he threw four touchdown passes against UTEP, but he would transfer before the Cougars' next bowl game.
So USU might consider having freshman QB Kent Myers decline the award.
Twitter: @tribkurt —
New Mexico Bowl
Utah State vs. UTEP, Dec. 20, 12:20 p.m., ESPN
Las Vegas Bowl
Utah vs. Colorado State, Dec. 20, 1;30 p.m., Ch. 4
Miami Beach Bowl
BYU vs. Memphis, Dec. 22, noon, ESPN