Utes' fairy-tale season ends perfectly

Just like that, the dream season was over.

After the echoes of the "Un-de-feat-ed" chants in Sun Devil Stadium subsided, after coach Urban Meyer received his Gatorade bath, after the Ute captains addressed the crowd and after all the trophies were handed out, the Utah football team headed home on a late-night team charter flight and Meyer headed to Florida to begin recruiting for his new job as the University of Florida coach.

While the Utes' perfect 12-0 season is over, it couldn't have ended any better than it did Saturday night in Tempe.

Ute fans came from all over to fill up the stadium — some estimates put the total of Utah fans at 50,000-plus, with many making the 11-hour drive from Salt Lake. The sea of red in the stands and the enthusiasm displayed by the large Utah contingent throughout the game was impressive to the bowl officials, the outnumbered Pitt fans and to the Ute players and coaches on the field.

"It was almost breathtaking," said Meyer. "I warned our players because I knew if our coaching staff was in awe, our players would be, too.

"If I had to count, I counted over 50,000 people wearing red tonight and that was great."

On the field, the outcome was decisive. The Ute offense started a bit slow but got cranking in the third quarter when it rolled up 216 of its 467 yards of total offense.

Quarterback Alex Smith was his usual dependable self, throwing for 328 yards and four touchdowns without an interception and also rushing for 68 yards. Paris Warren caught a Fiesta Bowl record 15 passes for 198 yards and two touchdowns, while Marty Johnson, John Madsen and Quinton Ganther got the other scores.

"At halftime we didn't know how many touches we would get in the second half, and we knew we had to score on the opening drive," said Smith.

"The opening drive is such a momentum-setter, and to have the opening drive we did, the 94-yard drive, was important."

The defense of Kyle Whittingham, who can finally shed the co-head coach label and assume his full duties as Utah head coach, was outstanding all night, limiting the Pittsburgh offense to one score and just 268 yards of total offense, while also recording a Fiesta Bowl record nine sacks.

Anyone doubting Whittingham's qualifications to take over as head coach just has to look at the last three Utah bowl wins, in which his defense allowed a grand total of 13 points.