Physics is big factor in outcome of U. vs. Y.

• A hit from U. linebacker Nai Fotu moving at about 20 mph — he's going that fast because he relies on velocity over the mass of those who make up the line he's backing — feels about like reaching the end of a fall from a 15-foot ladder. In the ensuing collision, gravity joins in, that is if the defensive player hits low enough, energy radiates from the lower extremities, causing a dynamic shift in gravitational pull exhibited in the ball carrier by sudden loss of balance and impeded forward motion — better known as a tackle.

• If Ute quarterback Brian Johnson has called a pass play, the outcome depends in large part on the duration of the gyroscopic torque applied to the ball. If the ball turns in a tight spiral, it will go farther and probably hit closer to the target.

• Even in punting situations, aerodynamics still figures in big. The rotation of a football can change dramatically if one of its points is the first part to make contact with the ground, meaning Ute punt returner Brent Casteel would have the unenviable chore of trying to predict the all but unpredictable bounce of the pigskin. Hence, coaches admonish their punt returners to always make sure they "catch the ball before trying to run it back for a touchdown."

• Likewise, the so-called "hang time" of a C.J. Santiago punt for the Cougars depends on the velocity of his foot and lift he gets on the ball: For a punt to travel 50 yards in about four seconds, the ball must be sent 65 feet into the air, which will require that it leave his foot at 50 mph.

• And finally, not every game has the gravity of the one today, but gravity's always got game.

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E-mail: jthalman@desnews.com

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