Bowl time

by JazzyUte on Nov 27, 2007 7:43 PM MST in Football Comment 24 comments

It's time to move past the Holy War and look to Utah's next bowl opponent. All signs point to the Utes playing Navy in the Poinsettia Bowl. And while I respect what Paul Johnson has done there, I would much rather the Utes play a BCS team over a fairly mediocre Midshipmen program. But it appears that's who Utah will face and it isn't totally bad, since the Poinsettia Bowl will offer far more than that damn New Mexico Bowl.

Navy is currently 7-4 on the season heading into their rivalry game with Army Saturday afternoon. Navy's four losses came to Rutgers, Ball State, Wake Forest and D1-AA Delaware State. Their seven victories were against Temple, Duke, Air Force, Pitt, Notre Dame, North Texas and Northern Illinois. That list isn't really impressive, especially when you realize Navy barely defeated Duke and allowed Northern Texas to score 62-points on them.

But 7-4 is 7-4 and Navy does have a style of offense that could give Utes fits. Right now they run the triple option, which has proven effective this season, as the Midshipmen average 40 points per game. When Utah's bowl invite becomes official, I'll break down why they're such a solid offensive team and why their defense might be one of the worst in college football. But for now, we'll just discuss the possibility of playing them in a bowl game.

For historical purposes, this is actually a pretty good match-up, since Utah has never played Navy. But, outside of that, I'm not so sure I can find many other positives. Utah gains little from winning and takes a hit if they were to lose. And this isn't just my issue with Navy, it's an issue Utah faces whenever they play a mediocre non-BCS team (like last year, when they played Tulsa in the Armed Forces Bowl).

What are your thoughts on a probable match-up with Navy? Excited, indifferent, peeved? Leave a comment and let me know.

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At least the location is nice

It's a better venue than Sin City, New Mexico, and Fort Worth. In my book anyway

Go Utes

by cougarkiller on Nov 27, 2007 8:05 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

I'm excited

...although for purely selfish reasons. I have a couple of high school friends in Annapolis who I've been trash talking with for a while. Now we can settle it.

by spydr on Nov 27, 2007 8:22 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

Navy

I don't care whether or not we think Navy is a "worthy" opponent. It will be who we play and the most important thing is to WIN THE GAME. If we start worrying about the quality of the opponent we may get our heads handed to us (see UNLV).

by utahute72 on Nov 27, 2007 9:26 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

Well luckily for us, as fans, we have that ability

We're not out there on the field, so we can bitch and moan about the opponent without it having any bearing on the actual game.

Now if the players were saying that, then yes, I would agree with you.

by JazzyUte on Nov 27, 2007 9:33 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

Navy is an awesome game for the Utes

This will be a great match-up and a great game in a super venue. San Diego is a Navy town with a big Naval Base. There are sure to be 30,000+ Navy fans at the game. And it will not be the lay-up game you are hinting at.

The Triple Option Navy executes scores points, against everyone. It is shifty, effective and monopolizes time of possession. It is the reason they have the number one rushing offense in the nation. And Utah is not going to stop it.

In order to compete with Navy, you have to score points yourself. Something Utah has not proven it can do consistently. Everyone of Navy's games is a high scoring shoot out. Not scoring on just one or two possessions usually means you've lost.

Navy's Defense is pretty good against the run, but terrible against the pass. They are better against the short pass but can not defend the deep pass. The teams that have beaten Navy have all done so on the deep pass. For example, the deep pass is pretty much all North Texas is capable of. They scored 9 touchdowns in that shoot out (and still lost to Navy). Without a doubt, the deep pass is Navy's achilles heel...something Brian Johnson is incapable of executing.

Finally, playing a Service Academy is special. The kids on that team are the last true student athletes at the college level. None hope to make the Pros and all have chosen to serve their country after college - these are not selfish people, rather kids that sacrifice. All of Navy's players have higher SAT scores than the top 10% of students at Utah. With a student body of 4,000, they field 15 Division 1 teams and the school has graduated more Rhode Scholars in the past three years than the entire Ivy League.

Smart, disciplined kids, who give 100% on every play, that run the most effective rushing offense in the country. I'd say the Utes have their hands full.

by armchairqb448 on Nov 28, 2007 6:55 AM MST reply actions 0 recs

Love bowl games regardless

Navy is a quality opponent and I don't think losing to them would be any worse than losing to the fifth place team in the Pac-10. With the current Mountain West Conference bowls, who the Utes play doesn't matter to me. Until the MWC bowls improve, Utah is going to play a team with four or five losses. (Except on the rare occurrences when they get into a BCS bowl.)

I love the bowls and I was so excited in high school when Utah got into the Copper Bowl in 1993. Playing Navy sure beats the bad old days, and I'm excited for any bowl.

However, I still think the MWC should try and snag some better bowls. The Holiday Bowl I think would be an appropriate bowl for the conference champion. Failing that, I'd like to see the conference champion play someone like the MAC, WAC or Conference USA champion - just not in Memphis Tennessee.

by Ute in DC on Nov 28, 2007 11:45 AM MST reply actions 0 recs

I would like to see our champ against the WAC

I understand we need to play quality opponents, but the WAC is allegedly becoming the better conference. I would love to see BYU play BSU or the Utes against Hawaii. Playing the 5th ranked Pac-10 team does nothing for this conference. We win the game and they say you beat a bottom feeder. You lose and we are a terrible conference. We might as well play a quality opponent, it doesn't matter what conference they are from.

by Xanthis on Nov 28, 2007 11:57 AM MST reply actions 0 recs

Here Here!

Yeah I would love to see that game too. However, there is no doubt that the MWC is better from top to bottom. Both conferences have 9 times. Does anyone really doubt if you paired the #1 team vs. #1, #2 vs #2 and so forth that the MWC would win six or seven of the games?

by Ute in DC on Nov 28, 2007 12:29 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

Delaware, not Delaware State

Navy lost to Delaware, not Delaware State. Delaware beat Delaware State in the first round of the FCS playoffs on Friday.

Quite frankly, our defense sucks and our offense is amazing. That's Navy in a nutshell.

by Adam on Nov 28, 2007 2:11 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

Thanks.

But either way, they lost to a D1-AA team. But I'll look beyond that, because they did beat Air Force and Notre Dame.

by JazzyUte on Nov 28, 2007 4:20 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

Yea, but...

Yes, but they lost to a very good I-AA team, which is something a number of teams (including Michigan) can say.

by Adam on Nov 28, 2007 5:16 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

Navy

As I posted a while ago on UFN, Navy will be a problem for the Utes. Their QB is awesome. I think he should be the Heisman, but not enough pub at Navy. They lost to D1AA Delaware, not D State. Big diff. Delaware is an annual championship contender. D State is a MEAC school with poor facilites. The Blue Hens clocked D State in the first round of the playoffs.
But back to Navy. It should be a high scoring game. The U O line should run right over the undersized Middies. If the D can stay home, they'll stop the Navy O. But watch out for that QB. He can throw and run. The usual scatbacks and options. It would be a fun game to watch, but could be a problem if the Utes can't make the reads.

BEAT BYU! GO UTES!

by Big B on Nov 28, 2007 8:43 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

The U O line should run right over the undersized

Just like every other oversized line should have.

by USNAUSMC on Nov 28, 2007 10:30 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

Navy's QB might be good

And I'll give him that especially since he's a local boy from my side of the island, but he's still got to face Utah's defense.

And they're better than any defense he's faced this year.

Navy had better score on every possession, because Utah will against Navy's defense. In my opinion, that's the story of the game. Utah plays a possession game, on both offense and defense. Navy can't hang with us if they don't jump out to a big lead quickly. And at this stage of the year, I don't think they will.

The O-line will wear out Navy's D-line, but it won't matter much in the outcome. It never does when we play AF, and it won't against you either. Navy will play to their strengths, and Utah will play to theirs, but in the end, the difference will be that Utah has a defense, and Navy doesn't.

And good luck against Army today.

by ArmyUte on Dec 1, 2007 10:25 AM MST reply actions 0 recs

Might want to get your facts straight.

Actually, Navy has seen better.

Air Force and Wake Forrest each have higher ranking defenses against the run than Utah. Navy scored 31 points against AF and 24 against WF. Pitt's rushing defense ranks two spots behind Utah's and Navy put up 38 points in regulation against them.

Navy beat MWC teams in the Emerald Bowl in 2004 and the Poinsettia Bowl in 2005. Granted, I think this Utah team is better than both of those teams.

I read the same stuff as your writing from those fans each of those year. I am amazed how MWC teams continue to discount Navy. Probably because they have their facts wrong, like you do.

by armchairqb448 on Dec 1, 2007 3:28 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

Why Utah will win.

First we know that Navy can't pass, so man on man coverage should lock them down nicely. That means the Utes can focus on the run. Utah is very disiplined, and won't be caught out of position against Navy's double, triple, quadruple or whatever it is option. being faster than Navy's offense means we should be able to keep them in front of us. One last reason. Kyle Whittingham, he is a great game planner, and it comes as no suprise that Under him we have won each game that we had more than a week to prepare for wheather it be a BYE week, or a Bowl Kyle always has our guys ready to play. thats why Utah will win

Go Utes

by cougarkiller on Dec 1, 2007 5:43 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

Actually, you're going to be very sad...

to discover just what I mean.

You read rankings and believe you know what you'll see. We get the same thing from schools ranging from USC to UCLA to Cal to Pitt to Louisville to Texas A&M to... And yet we beat each of those teams, largely on the strength of our defense.

I'd argue that you're guilty of the same thing you're accusing me of, which is overlooking a quality opponent. I'm not overlooking Navy, they're a good team.

But I wasn't talking about rankings, I was talking about the particular quality of defense that Utah plays, which is dominating, bend but don't break, defense.

Oh, and we're not those other MWC teams. In 2004 you beat some random MWC team, we beat Pitt in the Fiesta Bowl. In 2005, you beat some random MWC team, and we beat Georgia Tech in the Emerald Bowl. Trust me, we aren't those other MWC teams.

And again, the game will come down to Utah having a defense, and Navy lacking one.

So my facts are correct. But believe me, they don't show up in rankings of defenses. Where they do show up is in our win/loss rankings when we score certain numbers of points. MSNBC or ESPN has a great preview before each game that shows how many games we've won when we've scored under 20, under 30 etc, and over 20, over 30 etc. What those statistics show is that Utah wins, consistently, with defense.

And never, ever compare us to Wake Forest. Your lack of knowledge about who we are and how we play is showing.

by ArmyUte on Dec 2, 2007 6:01 AM MST up reply actions 0 recs

Not overlooking, just reacting to your BS

YOUR CLAIM was that Utah was "better than any defense [Navy] faced this year".

No facts support this claim. THE FACTS I provided suggest this claim is not true. All you have is your opinion and you use it to suggest your "facts" are true. Get over yourself bro.

Utah is a good team and it'll be a great match-up (but you know that, 'cause I already said it).

All that happened is that you made some BS claim and I called you on it. And you got nothing to support it except endless gibberish.

by armchairqb448 on Dec 2, 2007 11:53 AM MST up reply actions 0 recs

It'll be supported

Utah's defense will be the stiffest Navy has faced all year. My opinion. Don't care if you like it or not. And when ESPN loads the previews, I'll send you a link.

Go find the LtJG in charge of you, and tell him you need something productive to do.

by ArmyUte on Dec 3, 2007 4:57 AM MST up reply actions 0 recs

Accepting facts vs. opinion. Proud of you.

LOL, that was a good one.

We'll I'm glad to see your man enough to admit you were full of it and that your claim of fact was just an opinion. And I agree, Utah's defense is gonna be tough. This will be a great game. Now that we got one opinion cleared up (and speaking of links), here is another one:

http://cfn.scout.com/2/707797.html

Utah vs. Navy Dec. 20
The Navy offense is always worth the price of admission, and it always seems to show up and shine in bowl games. Utah closed out its season on fire, with only a heartbreaking last-second loss to BYU ruining a big second half run. Utah's defense is good enough to stuff the Midshipmen, but stopping the option when it's rolling at full speed is far different than it looks on film. Air Force beat Utah early in the year, so watch out for this to be a down-to-the-wire battle.
Stars of the show: 1) Utah QB Brian Johnson, 2) Navy RB Reggie Campbell, 3) Navy QB Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada
The knee jerk, off-the-cuff, initial prediction: Navy 38 ... Utah 34.

Sitting in your foxhole looking at girly magazines all day wishing your fantasies were true doesn't make them any more real. You've just accepted the truth on Utah's defense, maybe one day you can accept that Britney is not in love with you.

by armchairqb448 on Dec 3, 2007 10:57 AM MST reply actions 0 recs

My view from foxhole...

Navy is going to get it's yards, and it's points. So is Utah. But I think Utah will be ready. I know Navy will be.

That being said, given that my foxhole is in an embassy in the Middle East, there aren't many girlie mags around. Utah football will have to do.

And Britney, I'm a bit too old for her. Hell, I'm a lot too old for her. And she's not my type. She's more a tail-hook chick.

As for the fantasies, I submit that a gander at YouTube might make you understand my position. Google this: "Fotu Utah YouTube JazzyUte" and watch a monster hit by one of our unsung linebackers. Jazzy has some other highlights up as well.

Are you at the Academy, on active duty, done and out, or just a fan?

by ArmyUte on Dec 4, 2007 1:05 AM MST up reply actions 0 recs

Actually, I like this Utah video better

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knIla3yvj7E

It is much more impressive.

And by the way, Navy would much rather play Brian Johnson. The Mids can't defend passes down field and Brian Johnson can't throw down field.

Announce that Grady is starting, then cup your hand to your ear and look East. When you hear "uh-oh" you'll know where that came from.

by armchairqb448 on Dec 4, 2007 7:58 AM MST up reply actions 0 recs

A different preview...

This one from MSNBC: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6657948/

And here's a stat for you to back up my opinion...

"Only two teams in the country (Ohio State and Virginia Tech) have allowed fewer points this season than Utah (187 total, 15.6 per game), so Navy's gaudy ground attack will have to be at its best."

And this is pretty telling:

"Opening point spread: Utah by 11.5 (67)
Prediction: Utah 28, Navy 27
MVP: Utah RB Darrell Mack"

An 11.5 point opening spread? Even I think it'll be closer than that.

by ArmyUte on Dec 4, 2007 1:13 AM MST reply actions 0 recs

Getting better

Everyone knows points scored against a team is a function of SOS. But I'll give it to you. Better stuff than that crap you were posting before. Now we have reached he posted a link, she posted a link. That's where I get off this bus.

by armchairqb448 on Dec 4, 2007 8:01 AM MST up reply actions 0 recs