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Utes, Cougs best bowl hopes
Posted: Wednesday October 27, 1999 06:58 PM
By Michael C. Lewis, Special to CNN/SI Commissioner Craig Thompson killed some extra time on the league's telephone conference call last week by talking optimistically about the chances for more than two Mountain West Conference teams to earn invitations to bowl games this season. Then came last weekend. Speaking of the knot of teams that included Air Force, Wyoming, San Diego State, UNLV and New Mexico, Thompson had suggested that "if certain teams get hot," one of them might forge a good enough record to find a place in a bowl if other conferences fall shot on eligible bowl teams. But San Diego State (3-5), UNLV (3-4) and Wyoming (4-3) all lost, meaning all three will have an almost-impossible time winning six games against Division I-A opponents to become bowl eligible. San Diego State and Wyoming will have to win the rest of their games to be eligible, but even if that happens, the Aztecs would be a mere 6-5 and the Cowboys 8-3, with two of those victories against Division I-AA teams. (Wyoming, remember, was 10-2 in 1996 yet still not invited to a bowl game.) UNLV must win three of its last four game to be eligible. Air Force (4-2) and had a bye last week, but prospects don't look good for either of the Falcons, either. They could wind up 9-2 if they win their last five, but winning even four out of five seems unlikely considering that three of those games are on the road. And even if any of those teams do become bowl eligible, they still would need to have numerous other teams fail at the task and be viewed as attractive enough by bowl committees to warrant inviting. So it's looking more and more like -- much to the league's chagrin – BYU (6-1) and Utah (6-1) will be the only teams to play in the postseason this year. The Cougs and Utes appear destined to decide the league championship in their 75th meeting on Nov. 20, with the winner advancing to play the Conference USA champion in the Liberty Bowl on New Year's Eve. The Las Vegas Bowl then gets its choice of teams to play the WAC champion on Dec. 18, and chances are, it would take the loser of the BYU vs. Utah game rather than one of the mediocre MWC teams.
The road rageWith two more road teams earning victories last weekend -- Colorado State at Wyoming and BYU at UNLV -- the conference now has witnessed 10-of-12 league games won by the visiting team. Only Utah and BYU have won league games at home.By the way, the CSU victory marked the fifth straight season in which the visiting team has won The Border War game, and the Air Force Falcons travel to BYU on Saturday to try to extend their seven-game road winning streak. Air Force is 24-8 in its last 32 road games.
Playing out the stringBad enough for fans of San Diego State that the Aztecs -- stop us if you've heard this one -- have played themselves out of the league title race. But after last weekend's devastating loss at Utah, the Aztecs will have to play out the schedule without star Damon Gourdine.The preseason All-MWC punt and kick returner, Gourdine tore ligaments in his left ankle and will have season-ending surgery. That probably won't make it any easier for coach Ted Tollner to ignite the passion of a team that began the season with strong championship hopes. "I told the players we have three games left and we have a choice," said Tollner. "We can either appreciate what we have left and go about our business to make the most of it or we can feel sorry for ourselves and want the thing over with. If they take the second choice, they'll regret it the rest of their lives."
Back on trackMiddle linebacker Rob Morris finally returned to action for BYU last weekend and played as if he had never been away. Even after missing four games with a strained lower abdominal muscle in the second game of the season, the senior made seven tackles -- including a sack, after which he was penalized for excessively celebrating.Missing all that action cost Morris his chance at the Butkus Award, however. Not that he minded being left off the short list of finalists. "I'm all about winning the championship," he said. "I've said that from the beginning."
Pulling the pinSo ingrained is the Utes' tradition of firing a blast from their World War I cannon after scoring touchdowns at home games, nobody quite remembers when exactly it began.But it ended -- for one game, anyway -- in last week's victory over San Diego State. Seems the cannon's firing pin was bent when "Ute Thunder" was disassembled after the team's previous home game. And though the ROTC crew that handles the cannon believed it had fixed the problem, the pin fell out just as it was preparing to fire a blank following Mike Anderson's 26-yard touchdown run in the second quarter against the Aztecs. The crew hurried to replace the pin and fire away -- but did not get its shot off until just as the Utes snapped the ball for the extra-point attempt. The blast startled the Utah linemen, who jumped early and were flagged for a false start while referee Ken Flaherty chastised the ROTC crew. "He was upset," said Major Roy Brown. "Je came over and told us we were done for the day." The Utes were not. After kicker Cletus Truhe made the extra-point that Flaherty had him kick again, the Utes added three more touchdowns and a field goal -- all without percussive accompaniment -- to stay in a tie for first place in the league. Michael C. Lewis covers college football for the Salt Lake City Tribune. Check back each Wednesday for his latest CNN/SI Insider
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