The Utah Utes will play against the BYU Cougars in their final game of the 2015 season in the Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl on Saturday. This marks the second year in a row that the Utes are making an appearance in Sin City to compete in this same bowl game.
After going 9-3 in the regular season, the team is anxious to make it a 10-win season, its first since joining the Pac-12. BYU finished with the same record as the Utes this season, and head coach Kyle Whittingham sees a lot of similarities between the two teams that will make for a competitive match.
“We’re excited about it, and they’ve had an excellent year as well,” Whittingham said. “Very evenly matched. Typically this game comes down to that last series, or the last play — that’s how it’s been, historically, so probably expect the same this year.”
And with a rivalry game comes a lot of extra attention. On Wednesday night, what was supposed to be a friendly dance competition between the two schools turned into Utah’s Viliseni Fauonuku calling BYU a good but dirty team. Whittingham made sure to address these comments, but he knows his team will play a clean game when it comes down to it.
Kenneth Scott got flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct in the Utes’ last regular season game against the Buffs, and after Whittingham spoke to him about it, Scott assures everyone he will let his game speak for itself.
“I learned my lesson in the Colorado game thanks to Coach Whitt,” Scott said. “I’ve been talked to about channeling my emotions into execution and being effective that way.”
The team has been working on keeping its emotions in check during these heated rivalry moments, and Jared Norris is confident his team will be able to focus on every single down.
“We don’t want to commit any stupid penalties or do anything that will hurt us in getting to success,” Norris said. “You make a tackle, you make a big play, you got to line up, got another play to play.”
Although BYU’s head coach, Bronco Mendenhall, is coaching the Cougars for his last game, the players do not think this is going to be any sort of distraction. While it may motivate BYU to get the win for its long-time head coach, the Utes are sure they can match the intensity of their opponents, considering it’s the players on the field who are the ones making the plays.
“It’s not about the coaches,” Whittingham said. “This game is never about the coaches — it’s about the players. College football is all about players, and coaches are just a sidebar. Yeah, there’s things going on with transition and change, but that’s not what’s important. What’s important is the players and the guys that play the game.”
Despite their mixed feelings about the game when it was first announced, the Utes are more than looking forward to it now, as it is expected to be one of the most exciting bowl games this season. The only negative thing Whittingham sees at the moment is the timing of it all.
With about four guys who are game-time decisions, most notably freshman wide receiver Britain Covey, the only thing Whittingham wishes could have been different is the date. However, like he’s done all season, he won’t use injuries as any sort of excuse.
“We’re not going to sit there and whine or think we got the short end of the stick because of what we did,” Whittingham said. “Everything happens for a reason. We’ll wait and see what happens.”
In the end, Scott is going to bring his ‘A’ game and will make sure he leaves everything out on the field for his final game as a Ute.
“We can’t wait,” Scott said. “Our team loves to play no matter what, who’s there, where it’s at. We’re going to be there to show up. It’s a blessing to play another game regardless of who the opponent is.”
@kbrenneisen