Comments about ‘Red roundup: Pundits predicting Ute victory’

Utes success in El Paso will depend on their running game and early points.

If Georgia Tech can limit White's effectiveness, like Colorado did, and force the Utes to throw more than they would like to, Georgia Tech wins. Utes have shown that they don't have a reliable running game beyond White.

If Georgia Tech gets an early lead, and forces Utah to play from behind; the Utes will also be forced to throw the ball more than they would like. This is also a recipe for a Georgia Tech win.

But if Utah can establish the run and get an early lead, Utes should win.

I will be interested to see how much red there is in the stadium. Ute fans are not known as a team who travels well or supports their team, as shown by all the empty seats in the Colorado game. This could hurt the Utes for bowl invitations in the future. Bowls prefer teams who travel well and fill the stadium.

As much as it pains me to say so, I think Utah will roll Tech.

CougFaninTX:

"Bowls prefer teams who travel well and fill the stadium."

And yet for all the Y's alleged traveling caravans, the best they could do was the $600K Helicopter Bowl vs. some also-ran mid-major opponent from CUSA. Hmmm. Do ya think that had something to do with the cougars' own turnout last December in Albuquerque?

re: navalvet

Do you honestly think your Utes could get any bowl to break their commitment with another conference and offer the Utes an invitation to their bowl with one year notice and no conference affiliation? We all know the answer to that question.

CougFaninTX:

"We all know the answer to that question."

What a frantic and emotional thing to say. How do we all "know" the answer? Had the Utes ever petitioned to re-join the WAC and beg bottom tiered bowl games to please, please, please take us? No we had not. Ergo, you don't "know" anything. However, one could speculate. Would a 2-time BCS bowl busting Utah program, with the best postseason record in all of college football find a better postseason destination than the Armed Forces? I would speculate yes.

That said, do you honestly think that the Utes would be so desperate and unwanted by any BCS conference as the cougars are, as to have to accept whatever low-level bowl game became available? Please! I believe we all "KNOW" the answer to that question.

Cougfan, what was your vantage point from the CU game? Because I was in the stadium and only noticed the nosebleed corner of the MUSS empty because they had all moved down and crowded the middle section. Also, now that Tauni Vakapuna's healthy, our running game has a little more depth, as seen in the CU game, and Reggie Dunn has also been a good ball carrier this year on fly sweeps and end-arounds and such.

I do agree with you that if we fall behind by 9 or more points late in the game, our chances aren't as good, but I think our passing game can be sufficient given the time Hays has had to prepare for this one game and also given the fact that GT's best corner will be missing the game.

re: StGtoSLC - there were at least 5,000 empty seats at the Colorado game, according to commentators and my eyes. Inexcusable from a fan base in such a key match up. Glad U were there to support them. I hope U are making the trek to El Paso to continue to support them.

I fail to see Vakapuna as a reliable back for you. Sure, he can get a few good carries, like he did against Colorado, but his fumble that cost U the game is indicative of relying of him. Like it or not, the running game is on White's shoulders.

Vakapuna's a backup. That's what a backup is for is to get a few carries, not be the only option.