5 days to the Fiesta Bowl

What they did

• The Utes arrived in Arizona and were greeted by dozens of Fiesta Bowl representatives and well-wishers at a red-carpet ceremony on the tarmac at Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix. Urban Meyer and Kyle Whittingham spoke at a brief press conference before the team checked into the Scottsdale Plaza Hotel.

• Utah practiced under the lights at Scottsdale Community College. Following dinner, the Utes planned to have a team meeting.

Today's schedule

• Acting offensive coordinator Dan Mullen, offensive linemen Jesse Boone and Chris Kemoeatu, quarterback Alex Smith and wide receiver Paris Warren are scheduled to speak with the media at an 8:30 a.m. press conference.

• The Utes will practice at Scottsdale Community College from 12:20-2:10 p.m. Tostitos Fiesta Bowl Youth Gridiron Day will follow, allowing Phoenix-area youth organizations to interact with Utah players and coaches.

Quotable

"We're going to be well represented and you're going to see a great effort from the University of Utah."

— Utah coach Urban Meyer

at a press conference welcoming the Utes to Arizona.

Fiesta fact

Whittingham has been to the Fiesta Bowl before. In 1974, as a 15-year-old, he accompanied his father to the game. The late Fred Whittingham was a BYU assistant coach that year when the Cougars dropped a 16-6 decision to Oklahoma State.

By the numbers

1 — This is the first meeting between Utah and Pittsburgh.

3 — The Panthers (8-3) enter the game with a three-game winning streak.

6 — The Utes qualified for the Fiesta Bowl by finishing sixth in the Bowl Championship Series standings.

10 — Tostitos has now sponsored the Fiesta Bowl for a decade.

21 — Pitt's ranking in the season's final BCS standings. The Panthers earned the Big East Conference's automatic berth.

74 — The number of years since the Utes (11-0) have finished a season unbeaten and untied.