SAN DIEGO — Utah came out the victor in the Poinsettia Bowl and hoisted a sizeable trophy, but the Navy Midshipmen left with something, too — the genuine respect of their opponent.
To show their appreciation for the Navy players and their sacrifices for the nation’s military, the Utes lined up behind the Midshipmen after the game to listen to their school song.
“This is the first time (we have done that),” Utah safety Steve Tate said. “We knew going in that it was kind of a tradition of theirs. More than anything, it’s a respect issue, and we respect these guys a lot. We know what they do and we have the utmost respect for them.”
Following the tribute, the Midshipmen returned the favor by listening to the Utah fan section sing their school’s fight song.
“I will say, from my experience, that (Utah) was real classy,” Midshipmen middle linebacker Irv Spencer said. “They respected (us) a lot for what we do, those were the words being said.”
Navy fullback Eric Kettani joked after the game that the Utes talked their fair share of trash, but that they played a clean game and were very respectful afterward.
The Utes were not the only team this season to honor the Midshipmen following a football game. Notre Dame has paid similar respect to military academies under third-year head coach Charlie Weis.
The dual-sided tribute was a fitting end to a hard-fought game that saw plenty of big hits, and even a broken bone (Elijah Wesson’s ankle). Both teams dealt with their fair share of problems, but when it was all said and done, the Utes left Qualcomm Stadium with a 35-32 win.
A bruised, bloodied and misty-eyed Tate described the Midshipmen as “tough” and said that they are the “classiest guys, probably in the country.” Those sentiments were echoed by Utah quarterback Brian Johnson and head coach Kyle Whittingham.
In a world where unsportsmanlike behavior is commonplace, the Utes and Midshipmen gave fans a sight for sore eyes.
“It’s all about appreciation,” Utah defensive end Martail Burnett. “We wouldn’t be able to sit in this room and talk right now if it wasn’t for those guys and what they do. What those seniors are about to embark on?we just respect and appreciate it.”
Tyler CobbUtah defenders pile on for a tackle in their 35-32 victory over Navy in the Pointsettia Bowl.