true blue | 9:41 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Hopefully the AP votes Utah #1.
H .Williams | 9:47 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
I have been a fan for sixty five years. I just watch thier greatest victory,Go Utes.
Down with haters in 2009! | 9:49 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
The UofU's win over Alabama in the Sugar Bowl caps the greatest undefeated season in the history of the state of Utah, and the history of the old WAC and new Moutain West conference. The UofU's 2008 season now easily surpasses the other top two: BYU's 1984 undefeated national championship season and UofU's own 2004 undefeated season.

I am proud of our rivals to the north for raising the bar and adding respect to the conference.

Also, the UofU soundly put to rest the naysayers that said "it was just Urban Meyer" that made the BCS-busting 2004 season happen. The UofU is for real.

To any stupid BYU fans that discredit this victory or season, shutup and show some class! A significant portion of UofU fans are only fans because they don't like stupid BYU fans. This is your chance to show that the majority of BYU fans have some perspective and are humble enough to give credit.

I say, down with "haters" of any type in 2009! (BYU-haters, Utah-haters, Mormon-haters, Gay-haters, U.S.-haters, Muslim-haters, etc.)

Well done, Utes!
Comments continue below
UTES ARE AMAZING! | 9:51 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Ok I would've LOVED to see Alabama play BYU Coug UC. HILARIOUS! Laughing stock of America. Maybe Max Hall would've thrown the ball to me! Keep dreaming about next year. From what I can see, your little Max is a has-been. History. Please for ONCE give it to the UTES.
Joshthebadbear | 9:55 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
who could not be proud of this great group of young men? Congrats to the Utes ! They made many proud and did well for their conference, fans and state. Great Job !
What? | 8:37 a.m. | 9:59 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
You said, "Yesterday news today? This is in the past, move on to something more exciting like the TRUE National Champions Game next week".

Just because the BCS says this is the national championship game, doesn't mean that it is the national championship game. Even the announcers that are paid by the BCS were all over the idea that there should be a playoff system instead of this ridiculous system they call the bowl championship series. The teams that play in each of the bowl match ups are chosen by a corrupt system that supports the BCS conferences. There is no TRUE championship game until there is a PLAYOFF SYSTEM. I feel like I am watching pro wrestling or something when I watch the BCS. It is all scripted by the powers that be. Even if Utah is the best team in the nation, we would never know because the BCS is just covering their backsides, to keep the big conferences getting the money. They admit to this corruption and we still watch it!
Dustin | 9:58 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Can somebody tell me who the heck is JBW?
Cougar tips hat | 10:02 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Good job Utah. We shouldn't be surprised though--Alabama just doesn't play in as tough a conference as Utah does (The BCS system is a travesty of arrogance).
GO UTE'S | 10:04 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
what a great team with amazing players and coaches. these guys are the best and have proved they are the best all year.
CP | 10:10 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
I have read some of these comments from BYU fans and I too am a Y fan, but I have to say this year the UTES did outshine the Y. The Y didn't have it all together at all. Their quarterback was awful! He performed good in only a couple of games, but through out most of the season he didn't do his best at all. And if that was his best, well he won't make the NFL cut. Hopefully the coach will pick a better one for next season. So WAY TO GO UTES FOR MAKING THE STATE OF UTAH SHINE LAST NIGHT!!!
Utah Fan | 10:10 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
It was a great night for us diehard Utah fans. Every play of the game was worth watching. Alabama looked terrible, especially their coach. The BCS needs to figure out their system so there can be a real National Championship game. Utah's program is worthy of all the praise and national aclaim. Way to go Utes! See you next year!
Ernie | 10:10 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Its easy to say Utah doesn't play as hard of schedule as the SEC or the Big 12. However, if one of these conferences has an off year with mediocre teams and one that goes undefeated, then do you think they would not be considered the #1 team in the nation if they were the only undefeated team in the nation?

Utah is the National Champion! Prove otherwise.
Miami Dolphins fan | 10:14 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
re: True red | 1:13 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009

>>Caught them at a bad time...flippin' A my eye! Vaunted Saban ... no change ups on D? Over paid!!<<

Unlike his buddy Belichick, Saban can't & won't adapt. Jusr look at the SEC title game.

Whit is/was the better coach. I wonder how much help from Urban he had?

How ironic is it the Best game Ludwig called is his last?
OR-IA Couger | 10:13 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Re: Oregon State losses

OSU lost to Stanford in week 1 (shameful)
OSU lost to Penn State (in the real Happy Valley)
OSU lost to Utah (big deal, so did everyone else)
OSU lost to Oregon (who pasted another OSU in the Holiday Bowl)

USC's dismantling of Penn State in the Rose Bowl makes OSU's big win look very flukish.

I don't want to be ragging on the Beavs too much, so I'll give their defense a shout-out. Congrats on the 3-0 win over Pitt.
TexasUTE | 10:17 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
I will start off by thanking the Classy BYU fans who are paying their respects to the BEST team in college football this year. It is a great day for the University of UTAH, MWC, and all the other overlooked schools. The UTES were prepared to play and they certainly had their way with the Tide. This is a huge win for the UTES! Coach Whit and his assistants put together a game plan that was executed perfectly. SMASH MOUTH FOOTBALL! We will miss Gary Anderson and wish him luck at USU but I will also hold true to the fact that Coach Whit is a defensive genius in his own right. Congrats to Bryan Johnson for keeping his composure in the pocket and for his pinpoint accuracy. Way to go UTES! Voters...do the right thing and vote for the true #1 and not who the BCS tells you to vote for.
Oddman | 10:18 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Fantastic route of one of the (d)elite teams in the country. Couldn't be prouder of any team. What a job you did to the naysayers. It was so fun to hear the excuses from Barry (know-it-all) Sanders and Mr. Slick Hair Jones You deserve the title of National Champions and in my book you are! Thanks for the great evening.
Regards a Cougar fan (most of the time)
Congrats! | 10:22 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Congrats Utah! Way to Go! I personally am proud of you and the way the team performed and represented the State of Utah!

From an Aggie Fan!
cougar girl | 10:26 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
wow! i have to hand it over to you utes. you were very impressive tonight. good for you and the mwc! i am proud of the utah utes today.
U fan | 10:27 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
I love how some BYU fans say that BYU should be ranked in the top 25 and should have been ranked higher during the season. Plus, BYU would have beaten Alabama and some of the other top teams in the nation. Did you watch BYU in their bowl game? Now, stop trying to belittle the Utes season and their huge victory and give credit where credit is due. BYU did not beat any good teams and the Utes did. Who cares about next season right now after this win? We'll deal with that next spring.
AK Cougar | 10:27 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Great game Utes and well worth watching. The players played exceptional, Whittingham and the other coaches put out a flawless game plan that put Alabama on their heels and took them out of their style of play. I hope the AP voters has enough sense to vote Utah as National Champs. I think there was a whole lot of the country rooting for the Utes last night and hating the BCS with their support.

The BCS system is corrupt and biased. The only way to break this system is for the fan support to stop watching the BCS games. Advertising revenue will decline and there will be no money to continue funding the corrupt BCS systme.

I watched the NC game last night and loved it. Today and next weeks supposed BCS winner game are not worth the watching. Ice fishing would be more entertaining. College football is over this year except the final polls coming out of the AP.
Horned Frog | 10:30 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Great job, Utah! I just hope that both of us are ranked in the top 10 when we play next year!

Let's start making the MWC a conference that we can be proud of!
Great Team | 10:35 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Are they better than the 2004 team? We'll never know. IT wasn't Urban Meyer's fault they got stuck with lowly Pitt in the fiesta bowl. That team could have contended with either of the programs in the so-called national championship game, but much like this year's Utes, didn't get the chance.

President Obama, please bring on a playoff!
Poor Cougar Fans | 10:37 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
What now, Cougar Fans? 1984? Pathetic. I wasn't even alive, and you probably weren't either.
Savant | 10:40 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
As a Ute fan, it was a fantastic way to start 2009! I also appreciate the class BYU, USU, Bama, and TCU fans have shown on this board.

I don't know how anyone can argue that the Utes aren't a great team. Could they beat USC? Who knows? But the same people on here saying "USC would destroy Utah" are the ones who were saying the same about 'Bama.

Those of us who have actually played this game know after all the pre-game hype and rhetoric, you still gotta go out and play the game. Could Utah beat USC? On any given night, anything can happen as we saw last night.

I don't see any way around the AP voting Utah #1 - at least a tie. They beat 5 ranked teams this year, went undefeated, and convincingly won their bowl game over the #4-rated team in the USA.

Congrats, Utah! You are #1 to us!

BTW, answering the question earlier, JBW = Joseph B. Wirthlin, a leader in the LDS church who played for the Utes many years ago. He recently died and the team honored him by wearing his initials on their helmets.
Re: Dustin | 10:43 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
JBW is the initials of the late Joseph B. Wirthlin. He is a former Ute running back, Salt Lake Businessman and recently died. He also was an Apostle in the Quorum of the twelve Apostles for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormon, LDS). He was a huge Ute Football fan and supporter and travelled with the team when he was not busy doing church duties.

Out of respect for him his initials were placed on the helmets...after last night I think they should stay permanently.

LOVE THE UTES!!!!!!
Thanks to BYU Fans | 10:49 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
My thanks to the 1st class BYU fans on this board. You guys are heard loud and clear and we appreciate the exemplary sportsmanship!!

First class all the way.

Go MWC!!!
Illinois Cougar fan | 10:49 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Great game, Utah!!! Thanks for stifling the Tide and showing those stupid commentators and BCS folks that there is another set of real conferences out there! You made the MWC look great! I was proud to cheer for you!
Realism | 10:55 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
It is amazing how stupid some fans are on both sides...at some point anyone who is intellectually honest with themselves admits when their team is vastly inferior to their hated rival. Hey we did beat the Utes in Womens Soccer!!! I just pray that next year we are able to gain some level of redemption.
Very impressive win last night Utes, I hope that your efforts yesterday pay off for all of college football by opening up the process to every school...Pipe Dream I know. But Thank You for adding fuel to the fire.
Mark in Peoria | 10:54 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
WooHoo!

Great game to watch. We were jumping off the couch so many times screaming (kept waking up the kids). Wish we coulda been there.

Great game for the Utes. Hands down the most impressive win for our school.

Great game for Brian Johnson. Made believers out of all his critics. Made no big mistakes (the fumble was a good defensive play, not bad offensive play) and was on target the whole game.

Great game for the MWC. You heard Jimmy Johnson (though not Barry hes-the-reason-I-can't stand-Oklahoma Switzer) say the MWC deserves an auto bid. If the Big Easy has one, so should the MWC.

Great game for all of the MWC schools. You headsy BYU fans understand this. It may even come down to a one-loss team from the MWC getting consideration for a BCS game in the future.

The question is, what is the staying power of this game? How quickly everyone dismissed the Utes first BCS bust in 2005. How quickly people have called BSU's win over OU two years ago because of Hawaii last year? I think this will create a legacy similar to the BYU NC in 1984.

WooHoo!!

Go UTES!!!
UTE CAN'T TUCH DIS!! | 10:57 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Man, Utah I am extremely happy and proud the way you guys played. You guys literally put your hearts on the field and played the game to the fullest. For that I can honestly say Utah, you are the best team in the NATION. ANd I can't wait 4 next season, thanx utes, for a great year!!!
Blood Runs True Blue | 10:54 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
However, I was cheering loudly for the Utes. Great game! Awesome team! Outstanding coaching! You made us all proud! MWC should yell CHEERS! (Just wondering if the Cougars had been in the same situation, how many Utes would have been cheering them on. Just wondering.) Great game; I loved it and would love being on that 36 hour bus ride home. What a game to attend. WOW!!!
BJ... | 10:56 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
has been saying all year that the Ute offense is better than they have demonstrated in many of their games this year. Well, last night we saw what the Ute offense is all about and all I can say is...WOW!

Add to that the smothering Ute defense and we have a an historic win!!

Coach Whittingham had the team peak at just the right time and schooled the national coach of the year (Saban) in the game of football.

Congratulations to the Ute football team, the University of Utah, and the MWC!
A PLAYOFF IS NEEDED | 10:58 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
How sweet it would be for the Utes to play USC, or the winner of the Fiest Bowl next? The Utes will not be crowned national champs at the end of this season, but they definately deserve a shot at it. Just think of how much more money the BCS would make!!! Most of the BCS revenue comes from advertisements. Advertising is good when amount of viewers is up. I would definately watch a Utah vs. USC game or any other BCS playing team for that matter!
BYU Fan | 11:03 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
I haven't read through all the comments here and I don't even care to read about the us vs. them BS that goes back and forth on every BYU/Utah article. Just a resounding congratulations to the Ute players, coaches and fans for a stand up performance against one of the best the SEC has to offer on a big stage. No argument from me that you're the class of the Mountain West this year and deserve the props and even to be discussed in the NC talk. You represented your university, our state and the MWC with class and domination. Congratulations on a perfect football season.
UTE in KY | 11:04 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
For the last few weeks I have been wearing my UTE gear proudly everywhere I went. I can't count how many times people would ask me if I thought they had a chance against the "mighty tide". I told them, since Utah isn't on tv out here, that Utah has a great, fast, tough defence and if Johnson was on and didn't make any mistakes they wouldn't just play with Bama, they would beat Bama. I predicted a 34-28 Ute victory and everyone laughed. Thank-you Utes for showing these stupid east cost bias fans (and columnists) how blind they are, help them eat their words, and realize that there are good/great teams in other places then just on the east cost. Now I get to do the ol' "I told you so" and I LUV IT!!!!!
I AM A UTAH MAN FOREVER!!!!!!! GO UTES!!!!!
D*** SKIPPY!! | 11:12 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Outstanding job, Utes! Make those SEC elitists eat some crow! I love it!

Let's see what they say now that 'Bama got their backsides handed to 'em on a crimson platter....
oussan | 11:15 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Amazing! Outstanding play! Completely dominated the Tide! Way to silence the critics!

Proud to be a Utah Man!

(Deserving) National Champions 2008!
Who knew.... | 11:21 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
That this die hard cougar fan could cheer for the Utes! Impressive Utah and this coming from someone who has NEVER been even remotely close to a Utah fan. You played awesome and made the State of Utah proud. The JBW was a classy thing to do. Enjoy the spotlight, you totally deserve it.
Coach | 11:30 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Now I really know the meaning of "BYWho" The Y doesn't even belong as a football footnote this past season...GO UTES, BYU 76 Grad!
Housser | 11:35 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Now that the program has converted BYU fans, BYU can stick it it's mission and dump the focus on major college athletics. Intramural athletics fit the scope and mission of BYU well.
Magna Ute | 11:34 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
So help me out here... As I see it the only other school who has a LEGITIMATE claim to the National Championship is Oklahoma IF they beat Florida. USC lost to OSU who lost to us. We beat bama from start to finish unlike the the gators who pulled away in the 4th. Oklahoma has an argument because they only lost to a great Tx team. But we are the ONLY undefeated team in the nation! I think the Utes have as much claim to a legitimate title as anyone! How awesome!
Facer Fan | 11:48 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Great story Dirk!
Ken | 11:47 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Kudos goes to the Coachins staff at the U and the great coaching heratige we have had in recent years. Alabama is a great team. This morning they are no doubt saying to themselves "we are a better team than we showed last night." You don't win 8 straight bowl games without great coaching and preparation. Way to go Kyle, Ronnie and Urban for taking care of business!

Go Utes!
Anonymous | 11:53 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Have all the BYU Whiners shut their traps yet?! Your pathetic 1984 "National ChUmpionship" season is NOTHING compared to the 2008 UTES!
Grow Up Rivalry | 11:56 a.m. Jan. 3, 2009
This is not about Utah vs BYU fans. The Utes just dominated on the national stage hats off to them!The Coach's and Player's did a fantastic job in preperation and execution of this game.They shocked the Colege football world in a game that most people did not think they could win. They knocked the Tide in the mouth and kept it coming all night way to go. CONGRATULATIONS!! And to fans of both Utah and BYU if you can't say something nice and worthwhile then don't bother.
roberto | 12:05 p.m. Jan. 3, 2009
I never thought I'd cheer for Utah but I did. You guys made us proud. Thanks and way to go. I do bleed blue most of the time so it felt wierd cheering every time Utes scored. :-)
ChuckP | 12:07 p.m. Jan. 3, 2009
First, I must stipulate that I'm a rabid BYU fan. However, last night's game was a wonderful demonstration of how great Utah is this season. Congratulations. You made Alabama look like a hapless deer caught in the headlights. In my opinion, you are the best in the nation. By extension, you made the Mountain West conference look good and the morally and legally bankrupt BCS system look like the corrupt organization it is. Way to go.
jazzyvandal | 12:11 p.m. Jan. 3, 2009
The Utes are my second favorite team, behind my alma mater. I was rooting for the Utes all season long and knew there was something special about them. It is great when a non-BCS team beats the crap out of storied SEC program. The Utes are by far the best non-BCS team to win a BCS game. 2-0 in the BCS bowl games!
Glenn | 12:12 p.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Lets see next year, you have no QB, your coordinators are gone; savor this little victory Yewties cause it is as fleeting as they come. Next year once again you will be our doormat! You played a weak SEC team, get over yourselves--they are no better than the Pitt team a couple years ago.
Jessica | 12:14 p.m. Jan. 3, 2009
Do any BYU fans still think Austin Collie should have been the Offensive Player of the Year after Brian Johnson's performance last night? I don't think so.

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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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