THE SUGAR BOWL
UTAH UTES VS. ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE
LOUISIANA SUPERDOME, NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA
FRIDAY, JANUARY 2, 2009
8:15 P.M.
Second only to the Rose Bowl in longevity, along with the Orange Bowl and the Sun Bowl, the Sugar Bowl has been a mainstay since 1935. New Orleans has been its host every year but one, in 2006 after Hurricane Katrina demolished the city. As one of the BCS Bowl Games, the Sugar Bowl hosts the SEC Champion unless that team is playing in the BCS National Championship Game, which is the case this year. Therefore, the 2nd place SEC team, Alabama, will face Utah in this year’s game. The Crimson Tide enters the game with a 12-1 record, while the Utes are 12-0. Alabama is a 10 point favorite to win this game.
UTAH: UP: This is the Utes second BCS game in just five years. Coach Kyle Whittingham has been involved in seven consecutive bowl game victories at Utah, being head coach for the last three. Only Boston College has a longer streak (8). QB Brian Johnson has been steady this season. In the last game he completed 30 of 36 passes for 304 yards and 4 touchdowns. RB Matt Asiata has been effective using the direct snap. DE Paul Kruger has recorded 15 ½ tackles for loss and 7 ½ sacks.
DOWN: Johnson has had tendencies to force plays, yielding interceptions in nine games. Defensive Coordinator Gary Andersen will coach his last game at Utah, having accepted the head coaching job at Utah State. The Utes have yielded 296 yards total offense per game to opponents who were not the same caliber as Alabama.
ALABAMA: UP: Coach Nick Saban has compared his rush offense to that of Ohio State thirty years ago. Alabama was 2nd in the SEC with 31 points per game and led the league in time of possession at 32:15. It also led in scoring drives over 5 minutes with 16. TB Glen Coffee rushed for 1,112 yards. Defensively, the Tide has an effective zone blitz that forces QBs to make bad passes. DOWN: The Tide was one win away from playing in the National Championship Game, but its loss to Florida in the SEC Title Game spoiled those ambitions. With a very impressive season behind them, they are playing a bowl game they are expected to win. If they lose to a non-BCS Conference team it will diminish an otherwise outstanding record. LT Andre Smith and NT Terrence Cody could be playing their last game at Alabama, as both are considering declaring for the NFL draft.
KEYS TO THE GAME: The battle between Alabama’s offensive and Utah’s defensive line should carry the day. Bama plays ball control while the Utes will need plenty of time to score vs. the Tide’s defense. Watch for Ute DEs Paul Kruger and Koa Misi to attack Tide QB John Parker Wilson relentlessly. Tide All-Americans Smith and C Antoine Caldwell must open holes for Coffee. Ute P/K Louie Sakoda could keep them close as he has been a crack-shot on field goals within 50 yards and he has pinned the opposition inside the 20 systematically with his punts.
BY THE NUMBERS: The Crimson Tide is 9-4 ATS and 4-9 O/U while the Utes are 7-4 ATS and 9-2 O/U. As a favorite Alabama is 10-0 SU and 7-3 ATS. As an underdog Utah is 2-0 in both categories. In bowl games since 1993 the Utes have been 8-3 both SU and ATS. Bama has been 7-4 SU and 6-5 ATS over the same period. The Tide is in a must-win situation, while the Utes can make a big statement for non-BCS conferences with a win at the Sugar Bowl.