2011 Hyundai Sun Bowl
Sun Bowl – El Paso, Texas
Utah Utes vs Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Saturday, December 31, 2011, 2:00 pm Eastern, TV: CBS
Opening Line: Georgia Tech -3 (-115)
Current Line: Georgia Tech -2
Opening Total: 51
Current Total: 50
Opening Money Line: Georgia Tech -155 / Utah +135
Current Money Line: Georgia Tech -130 / Utah +110
The 8-4 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets of the ACC take on the 7-5 Utah Utes of the Pac 12 in the Sun Bowl Saturday afternoon. The Yellow Jackets, coached by Paul Johnson started off the season 6-0 but went 2-4 down the stretch. The Utes coached by Kyle Whittingham were just the opposite, starting off the season 3-4, but finished 4-1.
Utah has losses at USC 23-14 and California 34-10, along with home losses to Washington 31-14, Arizona St 35-14, and 17-14 to Colorado to close out the regular season. A victory over Colorado would have given Utah the Pac 12 South division title in their first year in the conference after coming over from the Mountain West. The Utes have road wins over BYU 54-10, Pittsburgh 26-14, Arizona 34-21, and Washington St 30-27 in overtime, along with home wins over Oregon St 27-8 and UCLA 31-6. Utah is 12-4 all time in bowl games. The Utes lost in the Las Vegas Bowl last year 26-3 to Boise St to snap a 9 game bowl winning streak for Utah, the second longest streak in history.Part of that streak was a 24-10 victory over Georgia Tech in the 2005 Emerald City Bowl, the only previous meeting between the schools.
Georgia Tech has road losses to Virginia 24-21, and Miami 24-7, along with home losses to Virginia Tech 37-26 and Georgia 31-17. The Yellow Jackets have home wins over Kansas 66-24, North Carolina 35-28, Maryland 21-16, and Clemson 31-17, along with road wins against NC State 45-35, and Duke 38-31. Georgia Tech is 22-17 all time in bowl games but has lost 6 straight bowls, including 14-7 to Air Force last year in the Independence Bowl.
Utah is averaging 308.8 total yards a game including 137.2 rushing yards and 171.6 passing yards. The Utes are scoring 24.6 points a game. The Utes are #110 in total offense, and #99 in passing offense out of 120 teams. Utah has 22 turnovers and has allowed 31 sacks. Utah is 62/174 on third and fourth down conversions, and 30/38 scoring in the red zone with 19 touchdowns. The Utes are giving up 344.1 yards a game including 98.2 rushing yards and 245.8 passing yards. The rush defense is ranked #8 in the country, but the pass defense is #90. Utah is allowing 19.7 points a game, which is #17 in the country. The Utes have forced 32 turnovers and 30 sacks this season. Utah opponents are 77/208 on third and fourth down conversions, and 26/35 scoring in the red zone with 17 touchdowns. Utah has 4 defensive/special teams touchdowns, but has allowed 5 this season.
Utah QB Jon Hays is 105/183 passing (57.4% completion) for 1,266 yards, 9 touchdowns and 7 interceptions, since taking over at quarterback for Jordan Wynn who is out for the season with shoulder surgery. Running back John White IV has 290 carries, 1,404 yards, and 14 touchdowns, along with 12 catches, 47 yards, and 2 touchdowns. White is probable with an ankle injury. No one else has more than 31 carries, except for Hays who has 57 carries for negative yards. Receiver DeVonte Christopher has 38 catches, 589 yards, and 4 touchdowns. He is probable with a chest injury. Dres Anderson has 23 catches, 355 yards, and 3 touchdowns. Luke Matthews has 16 catches, 232 yards and 2 touchdowns. Dallin Rogers had 22 catches, 160 yards, and 2 touchdowns. He is out for the season with a knee injury. Kicker Coleman Petersen is 34/35 on extra points and 17/24 on field goals with a long of 48 yards. Utah has 8 players including Wynn that are out.
Georgia Tech is averaging 459.6 total yards a game including 316.8 rushing yards a game. The Yellow Jackets have the #17 total offense, #2 rushing attack and #20 scoring offense in the nation with 34.9 points a game. The passing offense is averaging 142.8 yards a game. The Yellow Jackets have 18 turnovers and have allowed 13 sacks. Georgia Tech is 100/183 on third and fourth down conversions, and 47/53 scoring in the red zone with 40 touchdowns. Georgia Tech is allowing 361 yards and 25.8 points a game. Teams are running for 163 yards a game against Georgia Tech. The pass defense is giving up 198 yards per game. The Yellow Jackets have forced 20 turnovers and 20 sacks. Tech opponents are 85/184 on third and fourth down conversions, and 38/47 scoring in the red zone with 31 touchdowns. The Yellow Jackets have 2 defensive touchdowns this year.
Georgia Tech quarterback Tevin Washington is 63/135 (46.7% completions) passing for 1,515 yards and 10 touchdowns and 8 interceptions, along with 222 carries for 892 yards and 14 touchdowns. Georgia Tech has 44 rushing touchdowns with their triple option offense. Running back Orwin Smith has 60 carries for 616 yards and 11 touchdowns, along with 13 catches for 306 yards and a touchdown. David Sims has 135 carries for 686 yards and 7 touchdowns, along with a touchdown catch. Roddy Jones has 52 carries, 438 yards, and 3 touchdowns, along with 5 catches, 122 yards, and 3 touchdowns. Synjyn Days has 48 carries for 237 yards, and 4 touchdowns. Receiver Stephen Hill has 26 catches, 785 yards, and 4 touchdown catches. Kicker Justin Moore is 53/53 on extra points and 9/13 on field goals with a long of 41 yards. Six Georgia Tech players are questionable doubtful, or out, including 4 members of the secondary and a linebacker.
Georgia Tech is 5-6-1 against the spread and the total is 7-5 this season. Utah is 5-7 ATS and the total is 4-8 this season. The Utes are 4-1 ATS following a straight up loss, as an underdog of 3 points or less, and as a bowl underdog, 7-2 in bowl games, 8-3 on turf, 5-2 in December, and in neutral site games, 36-15-1 as an underdog, 11-5-1 in non-conference games, 1-5 against teams with winning records, and 1-6 after allowing 20 points or less. The Yellow Jackets are 4-0-1 as a favorite of 3 points or less, 8-2-1 after scoring 20 points or less, 1-4 after failing to cover, and in neutral site games, 1-5 after a straight up loss, 1-5 as a neutral site favorite, and in December, 1-6-1 overall, 0-3-1 as a a favorite, 0-4 in bowl games, as a bowl favorite, and after a double digit home loss.
Georgia Tech has the #2 ranked rushing offense in the country, but Utah has the #7 pass defense. Until last year Utah had won 9 straight bowl games, and Georgia Tech has lost 6 straight bowl games dating back to 2004. I like Utah to win a close defensive struggle.
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