PREMIUM
Rogers' Tuesday Afternoon ANNIHILATION >> FOUR STRAIGHT BOWL WINS!
(NCAAF) Utah vs. West Virginia,
Point Spread: 7.00 | -113.00 West Virginia (Home)
Result: Loss
Point Spread: 7.00 | -113.00 West Virginia (Home)
Result: Loss
The set-up: The Heart of Dallas Bowl will be played at the Cotton Bowl and features the 6-6 Utah Utes and the 7-5 West Virginia Mountaineers.The Utes opened the season 4-0 but lost six of their last eight games and with a loss here would experience a losing season for the first time since 2013. The Big Ten couldn't fulfill its allotted slot opposite the Big 12's West Virginia but the officials still wanted a matchup of Power Five teams. Utah needed a 34-13 win over visiting Colorado in its regular-season finale to become bowl eligible, giving the Pac-12 nine postseason teams. West Virginia heads into the bowl season splitting its last eight games and has a shot to earn at least eight victories for the third straight year.
Utah: The Utes have used two QBs in 2017, Tyler Huntley and Troy Williams. Huntley has seen the most action, throwing for 2,246 yards with 15 TDs and 10 INTs. Williams has thrown for 812 yards with two TDs and four INTs. Huntley is probable for this game and was 5-4 as a starter, ranking 15th nationally with an average of 302.9 YPG of total offense. If Huntley can't play, the Utes have a capable backup in senior Troy Williams, who is 10-6 as a starter over the last two seasons, including a 9-4 mark a year ago. Whomever is throwing passes, WR Darren Carrington II, an Oregon transfer, is the No.1 target (68 catches / 6 TDs). The rushing attack averages 161.2 YPG (69th) and Utah's 29.5 PPG ranks 57th. The defense is solid, allowing 23.9 PPG (43rd) on 353.5 YPG (32nd).
West Virginia: Will Grier, was the nation's seventh-ranked passer in terms of efficiency with 3,490 yards and 34 TD passes but had surgery after breaking the middle finger on his throwing hand in the first quarter of the Mountaineers' loss to Texas on Nov. 18. Head coach Dana Holgorsen said the chances of him playing against Utah are "not good." That would leave Chris Chugunov, who is completing 54.8 percent of his passes for 407 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions. Chugunov enters this game with 67 career pass attempts under his belt. WRs Gary Jennings (94 catches but just one TD), David Sills V (60 catches and 18 TDs) and Ka'raun White (58 catches and 11 TDs) make up a remarkable trio. RB Justin Crawford leads the way with 1,061 yards and seven TDs for a ground game averaging 160.8 YPG (72nd). Defense has been an issue for West Va, as the Mountaineers are allowing 31.6 PPG (92nd) on 425.5 YPG (111th).
The pick: The Utes own an impressive 16-4 all-time bowl record and Kyle Whittingham has accounted for 10 of those wins for an NCAA-best postseason record of 10-1, including victories in the 2005 Fiesta Bowl over Pittsburgh (as a co-head coach) and the 2009 Sugar Bowl over Alabama. "Our secret formula is our players prepare hard and do it the right way, and that's what it's all about," Whittingham said in the Dec. 3 bowl media conference call. "We don't have a routine or a process that's top secret. It's just our guys in the program taking a lot of pride in bowl games, and they prepare the right way." West Virginia RB Justin Crawford has decided to pass on this game to focus on his preparation for the upcoming NFL draft. However, his backup is Kennedy McKoy, who has proven he's a valuable commodity, rushing for 1,037 yards (5.6 YPC). and 11 TDs in two seasons as a backup. Will Grier's absence is a bigger deal.That said, Utah limps into this contest with six losses in its last eight games. Utah's outstanding bowl record woun't help them here! Make West Virginia an 8* play.
Utah: The Utes have used two QBs in 2017, Tyler Huntley and Troy Williams. Huntley has seen the most action, throwing for 2,246 yards with 15 TDs and 10 INTs. Williams has thrown for 812 yards with two TDs and four INTs. Huntley is probable for this game and was 5-4 as a starter, ranking 15th nationally with an average of 302.9 YPG of total offense. If Huntley can't play, the Utes have a capable backup in senior Troy Williams, who is 10-6 as a starter over the last two seasons, including a 9-4 mark a year ago. Whomever is throwing passes, WR Darren Carrington II, an Oregon transfer, is the No.1 target (68 catches / 6 TDs). The rushing attack averages 161.2 YPG (69th) and Utah's 29.5 PPG ranks 57th. The defense is solid, allowing 23.9 PPG (43rd) on 353.5 YPG (32nd).
West Virginia: Will Grier, was the nation's seventh-ranked passer in terms of efficiency with 3,490 yards and 34 TD passes but had surgery after breaking the middle finger on his throwing hand in the first quarter of the Mountaineers' loss to Texas on Nov. 18. Head coach Dana Holgorsen said the chances of him playing against Utah are "not good." That would leave Chris Chugunov, who is completing 54.8 percent of his passes for 407 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions. Chugunov enters this game with 67 career pass attempts under his belt. WRs Gary Jennings (94 catches but just one TD), David Sills V (60 catches and 18 TDs) and Ka'raun White (58 catches and 11 TDs) make up a remarkable trio. RB Justin Crawford leads the way with 1,061 yards and seven TDs for a ground game averaging 160.8 YPG (72nd). Defense has been an issue for West Va, as the Mountaineers are allowing 31.6 PPG (92nd) on 425.5 YPG (111th).
The pick: The Utes own an impressive 16-4 all-time bowl record and Kyle Whittingham has accounted for 10 of those wins for an NCAA-best postseason record of 10-1, including victories in the 2005 Fiesta Bowl over Pittsburgh (as a co-head coach) and the 2009 Sugar Bowl over Alabama. "Our secret formula is our players prepare hard and do it the right way, and that's what it's all about," Whittingham said in the Dec. 3 bowl media conference call. "We don't have a routine or a process that's top secret. It's just our guys in the program taking a lot of pride in bowl games, and they prepare the right way." West Virginia RB Justin Crawford has decided to pass on this game to focus on his preparation for the upcoming NFL draft. However, his backup is Kennedy McKoy, who has proven he's a valuable commodity, rushing for 1,037 yards (5.6 YPC). and 11 TDs in two seasons as a backup. Will Grier's absence is a bigger deal.That said, Utah limps into this contest with six losses in its last eight games. Utah's outstanding bowl record woun't help them here! Make West Virginia an 8* play.
