Seniors remain focused on bowl

Though 19 seniors, three assistants and head coach Urban Meyer will participate in their final Utah football practice in Salt Lake City this morning, the occasion will be marked with little or no fanfare.

"We're just too busy," said cornerback Bo Nagahi. "There's a lot more important things to worry about."

The fifth-ranked Utes are busy preparing for the Fiesta Bowl. A victory will complete a 12-0 season.

"I think we are too busy," said Meyer. "I think it's going to be real emotional when we get down to the bowl game."

Today's finale at the Spence Eccles Field House pales in comparison. After a Christmas break, practices will resume on Dec. 26 in Arizona.

"It's not that big of a deal. The last practice in Tempe, I'm sure, will be a pretty big deal," said safety Morgan Scalley. "I'll definitely miss it here, but we have some business to take care of in Tempe."

Defensive tackle Sione Pouha, who like Nagahi and Scalley is a senior captain with local prep ties, is bracing himself in case things do get emotional. It's the last time he'll have to get up early for practice at the U.

"I never really thought about it. I kind of thought about it last year when the seniors walked off," said Pouha. "I think we're so focused on this game and trying to win it that things like that don't really matter. What really matters is that we are going to win."

Utah will face Plattsburgh in the Jan. 1 game at Sun Devil Stadium. The Utes are making history as the first team from a conference without an automatic berth to participate in the financially lucrative Bowl Championship Series.

The opportunity, coupled with the chance to secure a 12th win, is overshadowing any chance to reminisce.

"It hasn't really hit me yet. We're just out here working real hard getting ready for the bowl game," said Nagahi. "It's going to be hard. It's going to be sad. I love this place. It's been a great five years for me. What a way to end it, though."

EXTRA POINTS: Santa Claus appeared at practice in the form of a Fiesta Bowl representative. He presented each of the players with an iPod. Today, they'll receive a video camera and a Fiesta Bowl golf shirt . . . The Utes dined on Crown burgers before watching a movie Monday night . . . Quarterback Alex Smith has no plans to announce his decision on whether he will turn pro until after the Fiesta Bowl.

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E-mail: dirk@desnews.com