Big Daddy | 11:46 p.m. Jan. 2, 2009
Congrats UTAH Team, Coaches and FANS!!!!!
A great season to remember!!!!

UTAH 31 (mid-major)
ALAB 17 (major???)
Clovis BYU Fan | 11:44 p.m. Jan. 2, 2009
What a great game! Congratulations to the Utes for representing the MWC (and BYU) so well. You deserve to be national champions. I was cheering for you almost as loud as I do for BYU games. This win will go a long way in breaking or at least bending the BCS. Jimmy Johnson said that the MWC deserves an automatic bid to the BCS. I especially liked that you proved Switzer to be dead wrong. His pregame comment that NONE of the players on Utah's team would ever be recruited by Alabama was great motivation for the UTES if they had heard it. Fortunately they didn't have to. It was just great to see him eat crow. WAY TO GO UTES!!!
Dave | 11:49 p.m. Jan. 2, 2009
Tonight I couldn't be more proud to be a Ute. I absolutely think we deserve to be #1 in the nation. We could have beaten any time in the country tonight including Florida, Oklahoma, or Texas. The UTES Dominated!!!
Comments continue below
True Blue Coug | 11:45 p.m. Jan. 2, 2009
I didn't think you had a chance, you proved me and the rest of the nation wrong! Congrats one an epic win, you deserve it! Also, I have to say, your coach is a class act. Thanks for representing the conference so well.
Cou-Ute ("Koo-oot") | 11:47 p.m. Jan. 2, 2009
I'm a Cou-Ute, don't tell me I don't exist, a Cougar-Ute, sounds like old "coot":

BYU Class of 89
BYU Class of 92
Utah Class of 2005

Utah is the National Champion! Way to do us proud! To the team, "Sweet game plan, excellent execution, and superb statement!" Yeessssss...
Shane | 11:49 p.m. Jan. 2, 2009
Arizona would have rolled Utah. It was a weak game. The Cougs have the U at home next year and it will be a different story. BYU will be ranked high enough to actually get to the BCS championship and mark my words we will be there.
Weak performance? | 11:52 p.m. Jan. 2, 2009
Great teams often make their opponents look weak.

The Utes are a great team.
They aren't the #1 in the nation.
USC has the speed to stay with them and the size to over power them.

But congrats to the Utes for making Saban nearly have an anurism on the sideline. What a pathetic little tirant he seems to be. Even his assistant coaches seemed reluctant to approach him during the game.

The Utes on the other hand were more of a class act.
Their coaches were 100% and most the players were.

Good job Utes.

And by the way. In 1984 the Univ of Washington was the REAL #1 team in the nation regardless how the rankings worked back then.

I've had fun teasing my BYU friends for 24 years about it....
The Swert | 11:54 p.m. Jan. 2, 2009
Eat my dust Bama! The Utes came with class and composure - and kicked some 'Bama tail. Your coach needs to learn a bit about humility...and shutting his mouth BEFORE the game is played. Roll tide...all the way home.
Tyler Ford | 11:54 p.m. Jan. 2, 2009
The first quarter of this game was amazing to watch. Thanks for the memories! Go Utes.
Paul Larsen | 11:55 p.m. Jan. 2, 2009
I have not enjoyed a game this much since PG beat Skyline; and it was about as relavent.... Go Cougs
Oliver Cow | 11:57 p.m. Jan. 2, 2009
This is a day never to be forgotten! Awesome season! awesome game!
UTE39 | 12:03 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Who says theres no surfing in Utah?!? UTAH rode the Tide all night long! Congrats to the UTES and Coach Whit
go utes | 12:06 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
byu can shut up they're just jealous because they know they got beat and there is nothing they can do about it.

cry me a river byu.
RE: Shane | 12:07 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Stop being a fool. You make the rest of us BYU fans look bad.
IowaUte | 12:05 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Utah=Best team in the nation.

You know it. Don't deny it.

Florida, Oklahoma, Texas DOES NOT want to play Utah.
Yners still talk lame trash | 12:06 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
I can't believe the Jr Yner fans still talking trash, glad to see there are quite a few Y fans w/ class enough to congratulate Utah. Levi & Shane do you two write fiction for a lving. Way to go Utes. You beat 6 bowl teams, 4 BCS ranked teams and 3 teams that WERE (BYU) or will be (TCU & Alabama) ranked in the top 10 and the team (Oregon State)that beat USC. WOW MOM WOW!
Take Note Bronco | 12:05 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
This is how a team prepares for a bowl game. Not like your pathetic 6 practices and 5th place football logic.

I hope you and your whole staff watched this game to learn how to coach.

GET ON BOARD OR GET OUT OF THE WAY.

Anonymous | 12:08 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
I appreciate the prognostication of 'Goodbye Utah'. "We'll see you after the annihilation. You're going down"...oops I guess this is where things went bad..."the Tide are going to roll right over you". Goodbye Utah, hello to the Tide's place in history as the highest seeded team to lose to a BCS buster! I'm a Californian and honestly more of a fan of the Y but congrats to Utah for representing your school, your conference and BCS outsiders everywhere so admirably...and for preparing a nice dish of crow for overconfident Tide supporters!
WINNERs and losers | 12:07 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
To all of the BYU fans giving sincere praise to Utah for a great season: WELL DONE!

To all of the Utah fans who have shown themselves to be gracious winners: CONGRATULATIONS!

To all of the BYU fans who are such sore losers that they can't give credit where credit is due: SHAME ON YOU!

To all of the Utah fans who are too arrogant to accept sincere congratulations: no matter how successful your team is, you'll always be LOSERS!

To USC fan: keep your smack to yourself; the Trojans couldn't even beat Oregon State.

Bring on the playoffs!

An undefeated season, and wins over FOUR Top 25 teams is proof positive that Utah has accomplished more than any other team this season and deserves the National Championship!


Answer | 12:12 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
The question was posted "Name one ranked team that BYU played that year (1984)". At #3 Pitt the first game of the season. BTW it was the first game ever televised on ESPN.
utahman1 | 12:11 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
I am so sick of people saying Bama is weak. Bama is not weak. They are a legit team. They are fast, strong, and skilled. Utah beat an awesome team. Don't be like those stupid cougars and say Bama is weak. That will just take away the strength of the win. Go Utah. Cougar fans, you guys can just shut up now and stay in happy valley.
Next Year | 12:12 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
As a Ute fan, thanks to the BYU, Utah State and Weber State fans that cheered us on tonight. You guys are classy.
To the Ute players and coaches, congrats on a great game and great year.
To Paul "Bear" Bryant, who may be turning over in his grave tonight.
To next year. Hoping that we can repeat the same excitement that we enjoyed this year.
And to the Ute recruites, welcome to one of the best programs in the nation.
Anonymous | 12:12 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
The BYU fans on this board tonight are first class. All of the posts bashing the Utes are written by the same who person who, by the way, has been chastised by several BYU fans for his poor judgment.

Let's ignore the negative posts and take note of the great sportsmanship being exhibited by the BYU fans. The day will come when we Utes will have the opportunity to congratulate the Cougars. I hope we can do it with as much class as BYU fans are showing here tonight.

Congratulations to the MWC!!!!!!!!
On the warpath! | 12:13 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
I was blue but now my guts are turning red. It seems BYU chokes not just in football but in basketball in every meaningful game. I'm tired of their wussy cave-in habit. Something about Wittingham instills his team with the calm assurance they will win, and they go out an kick hoochie. Ya done it again Utes! You made my new year swell with joy! Thumpin' the Tide with their chirpy swamp crickets (switzer n' jones). Now their fans can go back to their swamps and eat their toad stools.
SpokaneUTE | 12:15 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
David killed Goliath!
It was the "greatest" win in Utah's football history. I was here in NO at the game. Alabama didn't know what hit them. The entire south was confident that Alabama would win.
The atmosphere at the game was unbelievable. After the game 'bama fans were gracious and admitted they got their butts kicked. Many comments here tonight like to downplay Utah's dominant performance, but even 'bama fans know better.
Utah dominated on defense and were superb on offense for all but one quarter. Kyle Wittingham doesn't need to live in Urban Meyer's shadow anymore.
Congrats to the UTES for fantastic season.
TRUE BLUE BYU FAN | 12:15 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
St. George BYU family here. Our father played basketball at BYU and we bleed blue in EVERY sense of the word. The best part tonight is that ALL of us cheered our hearts out for the Utes of Utah!! Die-hard Cougar fans here congratulating the Utes on a perfect season and way to represent our conference and your University!! Sincerely we are proud of the UTES and you deserved that fantastic win!
Barbara | 12:16 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
People were watching and politely cheering for the Utes tonight in restaurants in El Segundo, California. I was proud of our Utah team!!!! Loved the confetti as well. Looked like snow.
Bama Nation | 12:16 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Hat's off to the Utes...you beat us toe to toe.
USC Alum | 12:19 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
USC and Utah are playing the best football right now and should be playing each other for the national title. Congrats to Utah...Fight On!
Drinking the CoolAid | 12:20 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
The analysts mentioned the difference between a team like Utah and a real BCS type team was their depth of talent so why was Alabama playing freshmen on it's Offensive line? (Eight sacks) I thought it was supposed to be just plug and play. Of course Utah's offensive line looked like a bunch of garbage men and plumbers but at least they protected the quaterback.
I think a sweet moment in my life was hearing Barry Switzer eating crow at half time. Something about inferring that there was not a single player on the Utah team that would have made the Alabama roster.
Matthew | 12:18 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Indisputable National Champions!
BYU Fan | 12:21 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
The Utes are the real deal. I was very proud of how they represented the state and the conference. This was without question the best win for a non BCS team since the inception of the BCS!

I hope the Utes can finally cut the cord with Urban Myer. Kyle Wittingham did more for the Utes this year than Urban did. Way to go Kyle, Way to go Utes! It's a shame that Utah can't play for a national title. I think they deserve the opportunity
Joe Moe | 12:20 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Bottom line, you cannot know who the best is until you play off. There is no way around that fact, rationalize all you want. A roomful of experts casting votes might be right most of the time, but they'll be wrong sometimes, too. Plus, a real tournament is more poetic, more real, and more entertaining.

Logic demands: if a team has not been beaten, you cannot know how good they really are.
AP National Champion..... | 12:21 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
The Utes SHOULD be the AP National Champion. It's a different poll than the BCS poll. The AP voters need to man up and put them at #1 after that performance. Crushing an SEC team in New Orleans? Are you kidding? They beat a ranked TCU, Oregon State, BYU and now Bama. Come on, let's get realistic. Utah is definitely a Co-National Champion, and better be ranked #1 in the AP poll, regardless the outcome of the Florida-OU game.
ALABAMA | 12:24 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
ALABAMA IS SORRRYYY!!! They should have met byu in the las vegas bowl, maybe then they wouldn't of gotten smashed on.
Lynn | 12:21 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Great combo meal - great coaching, execution, with a touch of southern saspirilla. Great job / congratulations!
BYU grad / BYU fan
BYU fans biggest whiners ever | 12:23 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
BYU fans - quit hating because Utah is going to be the AP National Champion and now you have nothing to hang over our heads. Wah, wah, wah......waaaahhh! All you ever do is cry about Utah winning their bowl games on the biggest stage when it matters most. Recognize!
go utes | 12:24 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
im so proud for my team. i've loved Utah for so many years and tonight was one of the greatest games I have ever seen. Thank you to all the BYU fans saying good things. Too all the jelous stupid cougar fans who are saying negative things you can suck it. You made our conferance look bad. At least Air Force made it a game. Just shut up, put down the 84 game tape and realize what just happened tonight. This is huge for the conferance, and yes even for you TDS. Next year is another year and both teams will be good but the with this win the mantle is officially in salt lake city
CTR | 12:25 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Was there ever any question that the UTES would win this one? They had JBW on their helmets!!! We all knew that JBW wouldn't let us down!
Thanks Coach Witt for leading the UTES to a great win and THANKS FOR PICKING THE UTES OVER THE COUGARS to be a head coach.

GO UTES!
Anonymous | 12:29 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
I bet Bronco Mendenhall is looking like Kermit the Frog--green with envy. The Cougs only wish they could have had a season like the Utes and Kyle Whittingham. The Utes and TCU are the only great teams in the MWC--the rest are just so so. I hope Utah gets a rating of two or three overall. What a great contest they had in the Sugar Bowl. Kyle Whittingham just made his recruiting efforts a much more profitable situation. I imagine that some who might have chosen BYU will go to Utah. It's a great chance to showcase the better talent. Beian Johnson whowed he is better than Max Hall by keeping his hands on the ball.
BYU fan | 12:31 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
As a diehard BYU fan, this is really the first time I have been proud of the Utes. This was a great game and the Utes were impressive. I go to the U currently and generally cannot stand listening to ute fans. The Utes elevated their status and the status of the entire conference I think more so than even in 2004 (It did help that the whole conference represented well this year). I hate to say it because it wasn't BYU that did it, but I think Utah just gave the MWC its best shot at an auto-bid for the BCS.
Frozen Chosen | 12:33 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Congratulations to Utah for an awesome game. I'm a BYU fan but I loved seeing the Utes come out fired up and ready to smash some people in the mouth (take notes, Cougars. You look like you're on ritalin half the time!). This is a great win for the State of Utah and the MWC conference, which I believe was the 3rd best conference this year behind the SEC and the Big 12. Mid-major my behind!

Unfortunately this won't change anything with the corrupt NCAA and the cowardly, corrupt University presidents who run the BCS. Utah beat 4 ranked teams this year; you tell me why they shouldn't be #1!

By the way, can't someone finally acknowledge that the Big 10 is a total joke when it comes to football? Year in and year out they get creamed in bowl games which proves they are no good.
GP | 12:33 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Remarkable win for the Utes, and prestige for the MWC. They made the Tide look worse than New Mexico, and TCU's defense looked way stronger than 'Bama's highly touted D. Way to make a case that the conference deserves a place at the table.

The only danger is to get bought off by a place at the table. The BCS sucks just as much if the MWC gets invited, and we shouldn't be happy with anything less than a playoff.

It will have to happen eventually. One of the reasons that non-BCS schools do well in BCS games, I think, is because those games actually MEAN something to them. For the BCS schools the only one that matters is the NC game - everything else is window dressing. Who remembers the other teams in the non-NC 2004 BCS games? Utah's the only one anyone remembers, because the Ute game was the only one that really mattered.

...And for everyone crying about '84 - leave the past in the past. TCU has won more national championships than your guys, do you ever hear their fans go on and on about the distant past? You're embarrassing yourselves.
BigJN | 12:39 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Congratulations to Utah on their winning the National Championship and the Sugar Bowl.
Where are the real | 12:37 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
bama fans now. Seems like you were loose jawed about how the tide would roll and the Utes had never seen a team like Bama. Sorry, I was at most of the gams and I have to say TCU and OSU are a lot better than Bama. Your speed wasn't even close to that of Utah's and I couldn't really see any size advantage; you got smoked, so drink your moon shine and zip it. And to all the lame BYU fans who turned in to Bama fans, Ha ha ha ha, your team is still lame and slow and will be for ever more, 2008-09 Utes, the best ever from the State of Utah.
NO MATTER WHAT ANYONE SAYS: | 12:41 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
UTAH UTES 2008 NATIONAL CHAMPS!!!
Flames6 | 12:43 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Alabama is NOT overrated.
Utah is UNDERRATED.
BYU fan was very classy tonite.
Thank you Utes.
Utah dominated every aspect of the game except special teams and that was a draw since Utah had a fumble and gave up a return but Bama missed two field goals. I looked at the rosters and on paper Utah was every bit as athletic but on the field the Utes showed they were better in every way. Saban got the trophy but Whit showed he has everything Tricky Nick does. The Utes and Cougs struggled with MWC teams and I think the right way to look at that is the MWC is sorely underrated not the other way around. When we bicker amongst ourselves the so called "Big Boys" win

Go MWC !!!!!!!!!
BYU /UTAH Admirer | 12:42 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Swert comments and says congratulations to a utah team that showed class and grace....uh, well, I do congratulate Utah on the win and I am pleased at what this does for our conference, but to say the utes have class and grace???? I don't think so.

Most of the faculty and team or anti-mormon and quite classless. However, they did win. I can say this as I am a graduate of both schools and have seen the blatant bias and intolerance as well as classlessness (i.e. just try to sit at the ute stadium and vote for the other team and not be hit with beer or beer bottles)

So, here is to the Utes and fostering a better student body and fan base and team behavior to match the great play on the field.
BYU fans | 12:43 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
you should be grateful you are in the same conference as Utah. Though after you poor showing loss to a 7-5 none of your fans have any basis in dogging on Utah. Until you get to the BCS even once, let alone win 2 times like the Utes, you need to go back to your room and zip as no BYU team even the much brought up ancient history 84 team could have beat this years Utah team, sorry (not really) but them is the facts.
The NIT | 12:48 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Congratulations to the UTAH football team! What a dominating performance against a very good team - and to win with class and dignity. The game plan was wonderful, the plays were well executed and it all worked. Alabama didn't quite know what hit them. Just a MWC team from somewhere out west that rolled 'em.

What a fun night!!

GO UTES!!!

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Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News

Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham, left, and quarterback Brian Johnson hoist the Sugar Bowl trophy.

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