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Knudson: The Slant on the Las Vegas Bowl

By Mark Knudson
December 18, 2010

For those who still dream of what could have been, welcome to what is.

It sure would’ve been something to see the Utah Utes and the Boise State Broncos play every season as members of the Mountain West Conference. Alas, that won’t be happening.

However, things fell right this post season, and for one night at least, the top two BCS-buster schools will share the field at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas. These two non-automatic qualifying teams have combined to win four BCS bowls between them.

This season, they are a combined 21-3.

It’s the second straight year the MWC’s top bowl game partner has been able to pair two ranked teams.

This time, what happens in Vegas won’t be staying in Vegas.

For almost the entire season, the Broncos’ sights were set on playing in not only their second straight BCS game, but even possibly the national championship game.

Then the dream collapsed on a strange Friday night in Reno.

Who would have believed that a field goal kicker who’d been so good for so long would miss a glorified extra point that would’ve meant a Rose Bowl berth for the Broncos?

That’s why they don’t play the real games on paper. Or Xbox.

In the aftermath of the gut wrenching loss to Nevada, it looked for awhile like the once-beaten Broncos might slide all the way down to the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl or something. We’re talking penthouse to outhouse sort of stuff here.

Then the powers that be got together and figured things out. Another match up of top 20 teams was created.  

Utah had a similar ride as they too had BCS plans.

Those plans were smashed by TCU late in the season. The hangover was just as bad. Much of the country wrote Utah off after they lost to a mediocre Notre Dame team the following week. But the Utes bounced back and showed their mettle with a pair of key wins over San Diego State and that classic nail biter with BYU.

Now Utah will be wagering a nine-game bowl winning streak when they meet the Broncos.

Motivation? That’s always a question in bowl games. Which team is excited to be there is always part of the deal. Both these teams thought they’d be playing in January, so there really isn’t an edge to be found there.

Conference affiliation? Boise State already knew the Utes were leaving when they opted to join the MWC, so there’s no bad blood here over that issue.

Play makers? Start with Heisman finalists Kellen Moore of Boise State. Stupid passing stats: 33 TD’s. Five measly picks. A 71% completion percentage and a 129 QB rating. I don’t care if you’re playing in the parking lot. Those are insane numbers.        

Utah’s Shaky Smithson had some of his own. It earned him first, second or third team All America honors from SIX outlets, including a first team selection from Walter Camp. All he did was catch three TD passes, throw one, and take a pair of punts back for scores. As a kick returner, he compiled more than 1,000 yards on 49 returns.

Both teams have plenty of playmakers.

It might just be two teams looking to prove that they belong in the Top 10 for this season while they prepare for uncharted waters in 2011. What lies ahead is exciting for both schools. And for one night, we can sit back and imagine what it would be like if they’d ended up in the same conference, playing for bigger and better things every season.  

The hunch here is that Boise State has just a shade more talent and experience and that the Broncos will look at this game with two points to make.

First, let’s send a signal to the MWC membership: This is how we plan on treating MWC competition. Second, we need to show the doubters out there that we belonged in the national championship conversation. And we’ll be back.

Boise State 33, Utah 23.
 
Hello. And goodbye.