With the Fall Semester listlessly fading away, the Utah student body should be thanking its lucky stars for a near-immaculate first-half performance by the Utah Athletic department.

With the national championship game set between Florida and Oklahoma, there should be no doubt in anyone's mind that Florida will come out on top.

Although Westminster is close to the U in proximity, its women's basketball team could not have been farther from stealing a victory Tuesday when the Utes blew them away 69-49.

After losing to a 1-5 Idaho State squad, the 5-2 Utes look to rebound against the California Golden Bears, who are coming off a tough loss themselves.

The Sooners played Texas, Texas Tech and Oklahoma State in their conference, and Cincinnati and TCU out of conference. The only comparable teams the Gators faced were an overrated Georgia squad and Alabama.

Athletic director Chris Hill and head coach Jim Boylen are continuing to make changes with the Runnin' Utes basketball program. Their newest project is a practice facility for the men's and women's basketball teams that will cost approximately $14 million.

No. 6 Utah accepted an invitation to the Allstate Sugar Bowl against No. 4 Alabama on Jan. 2. Tickets went on sale Sunday night after the Utes held their Bowl Championship Series Selection party at Rice-Eccles Tower.

After a 24-5 regular season, the Utes handled the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament effortlessly as they swept both Furman and Clemson.

After getting a week to rest and practice, the Utes are ready to feed off their victory over Marquette on Nov. 30. Utah will take on Westminster College tonight at the Huntsman Center.

Four years removed from stomping an out-of-place Pittsburgh team in the Fiesta Bowl, the Utes are back in the Bowl Championship Series. This time the go-around won't be as easy.