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Orlando Sentinel: Voters should make Utah the national champions

I believe that the university of utah is without a doubt the best team in the country, I disagree with mr. whitley, if the U played florida or oklahoma ten times they would win at least eight. ALL i have to say to the doubters out there is 31-17 and 13-0.

Utah had a good season - and they did beat an un-motivated Alabama team. But Florida is an NFL caliber team this year....Utah would not stay close in a game with Florida or Oklahoma. Utah just does not have the ponies.

What are your plans to rid yourself of this pesky Osmond association?? Good grief, aren't you sick of it??!!

As much as I dislike Utah football, (BYU fan) not giving them the national title is a huge injustice. They proved their worth beating 4 nationally ranked teams. Good Job Utes!!!! You got my vote on this one!!!

Just another reason for Utah Fans to hate BYU. The '84 title is the cause for why Utah is not the national champs this year. Too bad it has become so political. But, since it is political maybe Obama can get some politics involved, and "solve" this. Even with DC politic involved I don't think it can be any more messed up that it is today. If I could vote, Utah is #1. Buy the banner or flag and hang it in RES.

Look we all agree, all non-ute fans that is, that utah had a pretty good season. But don't get carried away here. I would venture to guess that if the utes played alabama ten times that alabama would actually win eight times. The utes had ONE really good quarter, the FIRST quarter against alabama, after that the tide held their own, they made the adjustments they needed to make.

If you watched that game last night, the national championship game, and you were impartial to any team in college ball. You would have to say florida was the best team for any bowl game played this year. They would have completely shut down the utes and any other team for that matter. But to even try and say that the utes would beat florida or oklahoma eight out of ten times is ridiculous.

I will even go one better, TCU would beat utah eight out of ten times given the opportunity and every other fan (except ute fans) would agree!!! Give utah a final four or five national ranking, records aside, and that would be EXTREMELY generous, but hey, i am a generous guy!!

"Utah had a good season - and they did beat an un-motivated Alabama team."

Wow. A team who's last appearance in the Sugar Bowl was in the early 90's. Who's program is on the rebound after a remarkable season, and they are 'un-motivated' to be in the prestigious Sugar Bowl?

I know, I know - they were HOPING to play for a NC. That's still no excuse, especially when your program is several years ahead of where it's anticipated it to be. Enough with the excuses.

I don't buy it. They appeared unmotivated because they were dominated on both sides of the ball. Good teams make other teams look bad.

Not being motivated had nothing to do with it. And if you honestly think that, then perhaps your working knowledge of the game needs some re-thinking.

Obama more likely will call Utes to the oval office along with Florida and have a final game in his back yard for the introduciton playoff!
Go Cougars! way to go Utah but not in our house!

What a crack up to hear you say Alabama was unmotivated. They were more than motivated because losing this game would show them how overrated they really were. Nick Saban felt the pressure and you could see it during the game. He about roasted his team for dinner on the sidelines that night.

And what could one guy like their All-American lineman Andre Smith do? His difference would have probably been an extra field goal made for Bama, but he wouldn't have been any help to the 21-0 start of the Utes. When I watched the Gators last night, I saw the same plays Utah runs- the options, the quarterback draws, the shuffle passes, etc.

I'll tell you one thing- hope Boise State comes to the Mtn. West and we'll definitely be a BCS conference. That team of yours is for real! BYU will then be middle of the pack if that happened and it will always be Utah, BSU, TCU and those pesky AFA cadets.

You missed the whole point this article as well as the whole conversation around the BCS. Let me tune you in. Under the current set up everything is speculation, if games were decidided that way Alabama would have won by 10 or more. By the way Bob, that NFL caliber team you speak of lost at home to OLE Miss.

K guys here is some reality for you. Utah has never played that well before. They needed a comeback last second field goal to beat Oregon st. at home. A team all you utah fans have been saying well we beat OSU and they beat USC. USC played them away and only lost by a touchdown. USC would roll Utah. The difference is USC plays consistently good and Utah showed up for a big game. I don't care what Kyle Whittingham thnks about being number one, there's no way, you line up florida or a USC team and it's a wrap. FIGHT ON! Will be back next year, will you?

Have a better defense than the gators. Alabama only scored ONE offensive touchdown in the sugar bowl. (And that was on a very short field)

With Brian Johnson running the O and the Utah defense, I like our chances in a close game. I SAY BRING EM ON!

GO UTES

(And shame on Urban for not sharing the title with us)

Utah fans take a hike. Florida is the National Champs and the only deserving team. They would beat any team in college football today. Tebow should have won the heisman also. Florida had twice the strength of schedule as any other contender. They paid there dues. Tebow faced double the top 25 defences as Bradford. Texas, Utah or USC would not be in the top 10 if they played in the SEC.

Utah has as much claim to the title as any of the top five. Florida beat OU which has a record of losses in big games, hence the name for Stoops, Big Game Bob. Oh, it's supposed to mean that he wins? Wow! I think that Florida showed the nation that a good, balanced team can beat the Sooners, just as Texas did. Ole Miss showed the nation that they were rather special themselves, beating the Gator Nation at the Swamp, using a Longhorn reject at quarterback. I'd love to see the system changed to be a playoff. As it now happens, we have the idiocy of writers and computer geeks telling us who is the best. Bottom line is that every team in the top five has an "oops" on its record save Utah. When Utah beat Alabama, it showed the football world that it was equal to the heat of "big games."

>The utes had ONE really good quarter, the FIRST quarter against alabama, after that the tide held their own, they made the adjustments they needed to make.

After that the Tide held their own? Duuuuude! The only thing the Tide was doing was trying to keep their head above water. Their game is smash-mouth football - the run, and they were shut down. Completely. One touchdown was on a Utah turnover with a very short field - the other was on a punt return. Sure they got three points on one of their few drives into Utah territory - but it was slim pickin's the entire night for 'Bama.

And if the Tide 'made the adjustments they needed to make' then Saban should be run out of town. 8 sacks...and held to 60+ yards total rushing...if that's the adjustments they needed to make then WOW, that's some heads-up planning by the Alabama coaching staff!

Me, personally, if I'm going to make adjustments, I'd at LEAST include trying to win in those plans.

You make me laugh.

if Utah, Texas or SC played in the SEC, they would be able to attract the top blue-chip prospects (not like SC or Texas doesn't already). This is one of the weakest, over-used excuses out there and it makes no sense. If ANY team played in the SEC, and they were blessed with a good coach like Whitingham, Brown or Carrol, they would build a strong program with all of the resources allotted to them from being in the conference. Duh. And your point would be....?

Duuuuude yourself!!! you mentioned that one of alabamas touchdowns was off a turnover with a short field, maybe i am wrong, but wasn't one of the utes td's off a turnover and on a short field? i think so.

PLUS, i noticed that you made no reference to my other comments concerning florida or oklahoma or TCU, that is only because you know those are the FACTS and the TRUTH. So keep on laughing "duuuuuude" that is probably the only way you can justify your point without having your whole world come crashing down all around you.

You make me ............... cry, with laughter that is!!!!!!!

Sounds like you need to make some adjustments in your little world. Roll tide roll, even if they failed to get up for this game.

Let me first make it clear that I hate Florida with a passion, it's bread into me as a Volunteer, but Utah the Naitonal Champs? Give me a break and go ahead and start writing society columns buddy. You are no a legitimate sports analyst that's for sure!

I agree with Croc! Florida is the only deserving team. After all they only lost one home game and won the other EIGHT. They even handled the mighty Citadel in the swamp! But wait they also went to Tennesee and took out the mighty Vols just like Wyoming did.

Bottom line there is only 1 team that doesn't have to explain away a loss. This Cougar Alumn is proud of what the Utes have accomplished and jealous of the red hot fire I see up north and dismayed at the cold blue complacency I see down south.

Although Florida won the BCS title, I truly believe Utah is the true national champions. They were the only undefeated team left standing and did not have a patsy schedule. They should have been the one playing Oklahoma in the title game. I just hope one organization names them national champions. As we all know, there is no true NCAA recognized national champion in Division I football. Different organizations recognized their on champions.