U. wins all about the red?

Let's talk hot — red hot.

(And emphasize the red part, please.)

University of Utah sporting teams have been on a crimson roll this year, with several teams drawing the national spotlight. There also was a trip to the Fiesta Bowl, and at least one — and maybe two — No. 1 draft picks.

If two British scientists are right, the U.'s winning seasons may not be due to skill or even luck. It's all about the color of their uniforms.

Yep, you read that right. Forget blood, sweat and tears.

According to a recent study, their victories may have came in part because of the hue of red on their helmets and the shade of red on their shorts.

In a study published today in the journal Nature, anthropologists Russell Hill and Robert Barton conclude that, "across a range of sports, we find that wearing red is consistently associated with a higher probability of winning."

Fred Esplin, a top U. administrator, said the color red has been an excellent choice for the school.

"I would say that modern science has confirmed what thousands of us have known for centuries, what the Founding Fathers knew when they created our flag — I'm ignoring the blue — and what the founders of the University of Utah knew in 1850," Esplin said, joking.

Seriously, though, the U. vice president doesn't give much credence to the study.

"We feel it's been a good year for our athletic programs, but that's due to the hard work of the players and coaches, not because of the color of their jerseys," he said. "We're happy about our success, but we know that comes and goes, as the Y. does, too."

Not surprisingly, Brigham Young University painted the story about the study the same way.

"Let's just look head to head with the teams BYU competes against, which is the red, brown, green and royal blue," said Carri Jenkins, BYU's chief spokeswoman. "In the first five years of the Mountain West Conference, BYU has captured 53 of the 95 conference regular or post-season titles. This year, it's nine of 18. I think the facts speak for themselves."

The facts also back up Cougar blue historically — at least in football.

Going back to 1950, BYU football program has posted a 368-256-10 record, good for a 59 percent winning percentage. During the same period, the U.'s gridiron program went 315-281-8, a 53 percent winning percentage.