Big East ships Pittsburgh to face Utah

At 3:25 Sunday afternoon, the large gathering of Ute players, coaches and boosters at the Spence Eccles Field House, who had been dining on ribs and mashed potatoes for more than an hour, erupted in cheers when they saw the matchup on the large screen.

Utah vs. Pittsburgh in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, Ariz., on Jan. 1.

Not that it was a big surprise or anything. Everyone was confident such a matchup would happen and the Ute football team had even been looking at film of Pitt already and started preparations for the Panthers as a likely opponent.

Some Utes had clung to the outside possibility of going to the Sugar or Rose bowls, but the only surprise when the four BCS bowls were announced on ABC-TV was Texas going to the Rose Bowl instead of California. And the many Ute boosters who had already made their reservations for Arizona were relieved.

The upbeat celebration inside the new indoor facility went on for another hour following the announcement as a few hundred Ute supporters mingled on the artificial turf and got autographs from players and coaches.

Ute quarterback Alex Smith was in the middle of an interview when the news hit the big screen.

"I'm pumped," he said. "All the teams that got into the BCS are good teams. All we wanted was the chance to get on the national stage against a formidable opponent that we could play and we got that opportunity."

Smith wouldn't acknowledge he was disappointed about not playing a higher-ranked opponent, saying, "Pitt's a good team; they're the champions of the Big East. I'm totally focused on this game and trying to prepare to play Pitt."

Several fans were wearing sombreros and a couple of guys in bright yellow blazers representing the Fiesta Bowl were conspicuous amid the sea of red.

"I'm proud as heck of Utah," said former Fiesta Bowl President Purd Thomas. "They're a first-class program with a first-class football team. I'm confident they'll represent themselves and the football team with great class and I'm confident the community will support their effort."

Utah's director of athletic ticket sales Dave Copier said that the school had already sold out its allotment of 27,500 tickets. However Thomas emphasized that other tickets were available and fans who want to go shouldn't give up.

"There's a way to find tickets" he said, suggesting fans contact the university or the Fiesta Bowl directly.