The Utes played with a chip on their shoulders the entire game and dominated play on both sides of the ball. Not that what the media says about them matters anymore, but several players feel like Utah has earned its due respect.

Defensive coordinator Gary Andersen dialed up a myriad of run and pass blitzing schemes and a Utah defense that was tired of hearing the one-sided praise of Alabama's skills, used speed and pressure to force the former No. 1 Crimson Tide into a series of turnovers and just 208 net yards on the night.

On September 2, 2004, a 17-year-old kid named Brian Johnson completed one of his two passes for a modest 11 yards in Utah's season-opening win over Texas A&M.

Brian Johnson threw for 336 yards on 27-for-41 pass attempts, Freddie Brown caught 12 catches for 125 yards and the Utes scored on their first three offensive possessions to jump out to a crucial 21-point lead against Alabama.

Amidst the glitz and glamour of the historic Sugar Bowl and playing a storied Alabama program, the largely written-off Utes stormed out of the gates and never looked back en route to a 31-17 win.

Despite being heavy underdogs, the Utah football team beat up on Alabama in nearly every way possible and scored a 31-17 win over the former No. 1 football team in the country in the 75th annual Sugar Bowl.

At 5-foot-8, 223 pounds, the Texas Southern transfer is doing his best to imitate what one of Alabama's best weapons, tailback Glen Coffee, does in order to prepare Utah's first-team defense.

Try to remember the last time you saw a Utah receiver loose the football. Rack your brain for the last Ute tailback to cough up the rock. It won't be in 2008.

In what is being billed as the biggest game in school history, the Utes head into the Sugar Bowl against a top five, Southeastern Conference team.

Utah's athletic director, Chris Hill, announced on Monday that Whittingham and Utah have agreed to a new contract that will pay the 15-year coach $6 million over the next five years.