Bowl games for the MWC, continue to be a downer unless the bowl game involves a BCS matchup.
Today the Poinsettia Bowl announced it has extended its agreement to take the second pick of the MWC through the 2013 season.
In 2010 the opponent will be Navy if it is eligible. The 2011 and 2012 games will pit the MWC vs. the WAC and the 2013 game will be Army if it is bowl eligible.
A WAC team will be invited if Navy and Army fail to qualify.
This year the MWC will play the Pac-10's sixth-place representative.
The 2008 game was the first time the WAC sent a team to the Poinsettia Bowl because the Pac-10 didn't have enough eligible teams. Boise State, ranked No. 9, lost to No. 11 TCU 17-16.
That was a great bowl matchup made possible because the Pac-10 was so bad, Utah was in the BCS and the Las Vegas Bowl had BYU, as it always seems to do.
Matchups that line up like that don't happen often enough.
Looking ahead to 2011 and 2012, I just can't get excited about yet more MWC vs. WAC contests, especially since we already have them now with the New Mexico Bowl and the Humanitarian Bowl.
It would be nice to see some new teams from different conferences in 2011 and 2012.
Utah coach Kyle Whittingham doesn't know much more about the state of Utah's injured players today than he did Saturday night, although he is hopeful many will heal in time to play at CSU on Oct. 10.
Whittingham believes offensive lineman Zane Beadles (lower leg laceration), Joe Dale (cramps/tightness) and Lamar Chapman (hip) should all be healed in time for the CSU game.
He was less certain about the future of defensive tackle Lei Talamaivao, who suffered a cracked fibula Saturday.
The sophomore missed 11 games during the 2008 season with a broken leg.
"The initial thought is it's not as severe as last year's," Whittingham said. "But we won't know anything concrete until all the tests and evaluations are done."
Talamaivao's backup is redshirt freshman Dave Kruger, who has played in three games this season.
The most notable injury was to running back Matt Asiata who suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.
Whittingham said Asiata was debating whether to apply for a medical hardship which might give him another year.
"There is no timeline on applying so he'll wait until after the season to make his decision," Whittingham said.
However, the chances of such happening are unlikely since a qualifying rule is that the athlete hasn't participated in more than two contests or 20 percent of the scheduled contests.
Sausan Shakerin, the freshman running back who injured his shoulder and wrist at San Jose State on his 46-yard carry, remains questionable for CSU.
Receiver Shaky Smithson will continue to get more work at running back when the Utes resume practice Tuesday.
As for the team overall, Whittingham said he liked how the team has progressed through the first four games.
"Special teams have done a solid job and we expected the linebackers to be productive and they have," he said. "The corner play is getting better each week and the defensive line is solid for us. Terrance Cain has progressed as the quarterback and the running backs have been steady."
As for the receivers, Whittingham said they've been steady as a group and have "played their roles very well."
"We've had some drops, you'd like those guys to be perfect," he said. "I'm pleased with Aiona Key's blocking and David Reed has given us big plays in production."
3 Comments:
Lya, are you forgetting that Asiata had to use his redshirt year for a broken leg in the first game in 2007?
Medical Hardships cannot be applied for until ALL of an athlete's eligibility is used up, thus Matt can apply for a hardship for 2007, how much he has played this year does not matter.
Didn't he burn a year to transfer from Snow?
No, Snow isn't a FCS school, thus there's no requirement to sit out.
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