Utes gameday

Poinsettia Bowl

Utah (8-4) vs. Navy (8-4)

Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego Thursday, Dec. 20 7 p.m., MST

TV: ESPN Radio: 700AM

— UTAH GAMEDAY

INJURY REPORT UTAH: The Utes are about as healthy as they've been all season.

Defensive tackle Gabe Long (shoulder) and corenrback Brice McCain (knee) are expected to play.

NAVY: None.

Series: First meeting.

TV: ESPN Radio: 700AM

UTAH (8-4) vs. NAVY (8-4)

Today, 7 p.m. — Qualcomm Stadium — natural grass playing surface — San Diego

TV: ESPN — Radio: 700AM

PLAYER TO WATCH

KAIPO-NOA KAHEAKU-ENHADA, QB: The junior quarterback runs the triple-option offense effectively. He has racked up 782 yards rushing with 11 touchdowns. As a passer, he's thrown for 830 yards and six scores.

KEY MATCHUP

UTAH'S DEFENSE vs. NAVY'S TRIPLE OPTION: The Utes face a daunting challenge in trying to slow Navy's high-powered offense. The Midshipmen, though, are fairly one-dimensional — ranking 119th nationally with just 93.1 passing yards per game.

THE STAKES

For Utah ... The Utes are just one win away from reaching the nine-win mark for just the sixth time in team history. It would also help ease the disappointment associated with the 17-10 loss at BYU in the regular-season finale. Finishing on a positive note is a very high priority.

For Navy ... The Midshipmen are eyeing something special for their seniors. A victory would give them 36 career wins — matching the Class of 1909 for the most success in academy history. Navy is also looking to make Ken Niumatalolo's head-coaching debut a success.

THE TRENDS

For Utah ... A 6-0 bowl roll. The Utes have won six straight postseason contests — a streak that dates back to the 1999 Las Vegas Bowl and includes victories over the past five years. Utah's defense has excelled in each of the contests.