Georgia Tech vs. Utah: We're Talking Utes And Sun Bowl With Utah Bloggers

by Winfield Featherston on Dec 16, 2011 9:43 AM EST in Georgia Tech Football

In anticipation of our last football game of the year, we reached out to Sean Reynolds, the manager of the Utah Utes blog Block U. Here we learn about the differences between the Utah and BYU fanbases, the infamous Emerald Bowl game, and the move from the Mountain West Conference.

Enjoy. Happy Friday!

. Let's talk culture first. Tech fans consider the University of Georgia to be the epitome of evil in the State. We constantly compare our alumni, fans, and universities but despite our differences UGA and Tech are fairly similar when we compare the culture clash that is Utah and BYU. Can you give the non-Utah native layman some insight into the State of Utah's biggest rivalry?

One is a public institution and the other a religious. So, those differences alone are stark. Yes, the University of Utah has a large LDS population, but it's far more religiously diverse than Brigham Young - which really shouldn't be a surprise.

Other than that, I wouldn't say the rivalry is too different from other ones because, in the end, it isn't about religion and solely about the mascot, the team and their school colors. Utah fans, most of them, anyway (I would hope) do not dislike BYU because they're predominantly LDS and likewise, I assume BYU fans aren't anti-Utah because a great deal of our fans aren't of the LDS faith. Sometimes religion does seep into the discussion and it generally doesn't lead to good things. So, at least at Block U, we try to keep the hate on the field and not necessarily in the stands. Sure, we have our jokes about their close-mindedness, the lack of caffeine sold in their stadium and their love of ice-cream, but that's mostly playful ribbing and not anything that could be construed as bigotry. Which would make sense, considering, as I said, the University of Utah has its fair share of LDS members - including the current president of the LDS Church, Thomas Monson.

I myself, though, was raised Catholic. So, I might have a different perspective on the rivalry than someone who grew up a Ute within the LDS faith.

2. We've got to talk about the 2005 Emerald Travesty Bowl. What was the spark behind Utah's motivated play in the swamp of a baseball stadium? Where does that game rank now in Utah's games of the 2000's in terms of importance?

I think most Ute fans are still trying to figure that one out. Certainly not many Ute fans felt we stood too good of a shot heading into that one, especially since we were starting a backup quarterback. But maybe that was the key all along. Georgia Tech's defense just didn't have enough film on Brett Ratliff and it gave Utah an advantage. Also, I think Kyle Whittingham, who is 6-1 in bowl games, is just down right scary good when he has enough time to gameplan against a team. So, I'm guessing the coaches found a weakness in the Yellow Jacket defense and exploited it. Plus, Chan Gailey really wasn't that impressive of a coach, right?

As for importance...I'd say it ranks fairly high solely because it was Whittingham's first season as a head coach and really gave us a taste of what he could do. Obviously, there are other games that rank far higher from that decade (Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, Michigan, TCU that same year), but it's definitely one of the more enjoyable bowl victories in program history.

3. Easy questions. Who is the 2011 version of Eric Weddle that will be matching up with Tech's Stephen Hill? Any other key defenders Tech should be aware of?

via www.abc4.com

I'll go with Brian Blechen. He's a total stud...though, not quite on Eric Weddle's level.

4. I know Utah fans are pretty disappointed with the Colorado debacle but how has the fanbase welcomed in general the move to the Pac 12? Do you miss your MWC brethren?

Don't miss the Mountain West at all. Especially now that they're doing this weird mega-thing with Conference USA. Sure, the Utes came a game away from playing for the Pac-12 title and the loss to Colorado was devastating, but, even with our disappointing finish, we're still playing in the Sun Bowl...as opposed to some no-name, pre-Christmas bowl game like in years past.

5. What's the goal for Utah football in 2012 (especially if Barkley goes pro)? Can this team refocus and take the division next season or are the Utes losing too many upperclassmen?

Utah will lose some players on the defensive side of the ball, but their offense has the potential to be potent. Utah's leading rusher, John White IV, will be a senior, Jordan Wynn, god willing, should be healthy, and the Utes return most of their top receivers. They do have to rebuild part of their offensive line, which could pose some concern, but if Wynn stays healthy, and Matt Barkley goes pro, with all the coaching turnover in the Pac-12 South (Arizona State, Arizona, UCLA) and Colorado still not quite top-level yet, it's not impossible to expect Utah to once again contend for the Pac-12 South, and I think most Ute fans expect them to be far more consistent in ‘12 than they were in ‘11.

6. Considering Tech had a top D and Utah a top O last time the two teams met, what's the final score of the 2011 rematch where Tech has a top O and Utah a stellar D?

24-21

I won't tell you who wins, though.

He knows who's gonna win this one. ;-)

Go Jackets!

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On PAC-12 invite...

I travel a lot, so thank you XM Radio. When Colorado and Utah were invited I caught the “Radio West” show with Doug Fabrizio out of SLC on NPR (no commercials, and I don’t have to listen to ESphrickiN).

Most commentators were calmly pointing out that Colorado and Utah are full service (research based) Universities with established Grad programs—BYU is more of an Undergrad, BA in Pre-Wed(ding) University without a big research/ Grad focus, hence NOT a good fit with established PAC -12 Universities, whom I believe are all AAU members.

Some callers were pushing for Jihad because BYU would be a better fit (football), and the whole PAC-12 was anti LDS.

What is the volume level now, and can BYU survive as an Independent, especially since the Jimmer graduated?

I’ma hang up an’ lissen’

And, now back to the Bowl Game….

You'd do it for Randolph Scott!
RANDOLPH SCOTT!

by DressHerInWhiteAndGold on Dec 16, 2011 2:01 PM EST reply actions

(can someone put up the “SOON” animated gif?)

"Reach down in there...TURN THAT DAMN THING UP!" - Coach Paul Johnson

by TBuzz on Dec 16, 2011 2:12 PM EST up reply actions

and CPJ/Walking Tall .gif

You'd do it for Randolph Scott!
RANDOLPH SCOTT!

by DressHerInWhiteAndGold on Dec 16, 2011 3:05 PM EST up reply actions

self aggrandized

You'd do it for Randolph Scott!
RANDOLPH SCOTT!

by DressHerInWhiteAndGold on Dec 17, 2011 3:28 AM EST up reply actions

That looks like a baguette…

"Reach down in there...TURN THAT DAMN THING UP!" - Coach Paul Johnson

by TBuzz on Dec 17, 2011 9:35 AM EST via mobile up reply actions

Soon

that baguette will feel more like a piece of Live Oak up the side of somebody’s helmet.

You'd do it for Randolph Scott!
RANDOLPH SCOTT!

by DressHerInWhiteAndGold on Dec 17, 2011 11:07 AM EST up reply actions

Independent means No One Likes You

BYU still hangs on to delusions that by being independent they will turn into the Notre Dame of the West (insert louder incredulous guffaw here). There is still plenty of barely hidden resentment that Utah got what they think they should have had, but they’ve managed to find some solace in the fact their special deal with ESPN is paying them something like 5-8 times more that they ever got in the MWC. Of course, its helped keep them from getting into the Big 12 or Big East now when those conferences put out feelers, but that’s the Cougars for you.

They have a storied past (Semi-Disputed National Champ in 84) and have had a ton of alum end up in the NFL, so they figure they are football gods. But if their future seasons don’t improve on this one, they are going to alienate their own fans. One season of 8:15pm games (start time temp 34 F) against the Idaho and New Mexico States of the world is one thing, but if it turns into their standard. Watch out.

And look for them to sink back into basketball anonymity as time passes with Jimmer gone. They were something like 0-8 in the NCAA’s in the last 20 years before he came and it won’t be long until they are right back there. (Sadly, Utah is there now, but we will get better, but they will still be BYU).

What is best in life? To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women. - Conan the Barbarian

by U of Uman on Dec 16, 2011 4:34 PM EST reply actions

How has the Utes recent BCS success

carried over into recruiting, alumni giving, student involvement, etc? Can you still get the groceries with kids who remember the BCS Bowl games, and now have the chance to play on an AQ status team in a premier conference — or are these kids too young to remember, and are on to the new Hotness (Oregon, Urban/OSU) thing?

We’ve got these same issues, of course ours go back to 1990, 1952, 1929, 1917; Dodd, Heisman, Alexander; Calvin, Swilling, Morris, etc. BTW, NOTHING happened in 2009 according to the NCfrickinAA.

You'd do it for Randolph Scott!
RANDOLPH SCOTT!

by DressHerInWhiteAndGold on Dec 17, 2011 3:35 AM EST up reply actions

For a T-shirt.

A t-shirt given to him by his cousin that he never wore.

Go Jackets, go America.
THWG.

by JohnHeisman on Dec 17, 2011 8:22 AM EST up reply actions

I demand an investigation

of every FBS school’s facilities for free swag that taints the non-professional relationship of the student-athlete. All fines must be Retail $ X 1.41×10 to the 5th power.

You'd do it for Randolph Scott!
RANDOLPH SCOTT!

by DressHerInWhiteAndGold on Dec 17, 2011 9:27 AM EST up reply actions

What really upset the NCAA

was that D-Rad told Johnson about the investigation.

Then everybody and their brother thought Miami was horrible for not telling Al Golden about their investigation. If they had told him, then the NCAA would like come down on them even harder.

by CraigT on Dec 17, 2011 10:41 AM EST up reply actions

Sorry, not yet ALL FOOTBALL ALL THE TIME. How about Traditions?

I’m waiting on the FTRS boffins to give us the complete statistical rundown on the matchup on Pivot Tables, Poisson Distributions, Spiderweb graphs, Standard Deviations, etc.

So what do we need to know about The University of Utah’s Traditions? School days, great alumni, quirky things only UofU does, Football Traditions, etc.

For GT, this Wiki

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgia_tech_traditions

is pretty well comprehensive (except for Blondie at the Clermont, Campus Wide V Runs in Dead Week, and Agnes Scott). And then there is always this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xMVOaGCecU

and this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYwm7XQQq9k&feature=relmfu

and THIS

http://twitvid.com/HAUXH

You'd do it for Randolph Scott!
RANDOLPH SCOTT!

by DressHerInWhiteAndGold on Dec 17, 2011 11:05 AM EST up reply actions

I was in Smith my freshman year

The bright lights of the V shone through the window of the TV lounge.

My favorite Varsity “secret”: they sold beer, or at least they did when I was in school. If you went through the “men” line (with the conveyor belt) you could order “two all-the-way dogs and a Bud” and, bam!, a can of beer would appear on your tray.

(I really miss those lines. The free-for-all there now keeps me from going during meal times. Damned Olympic Village.)

by CraigT on Dec 17, 2011 1:18 PM EST up reply actions

The ONLY place in ATL to get 4 cases of Beer for the POST PARTY at

2 am. in the 80’s.

You'd do it for Randolph Scott!
RANDOLPH SCOTT!

by DressHerInWhiteAndGold on Dec 17, 2011 2:08 PM EST up reply actions

And cups, of course

In other places the red Solo cup may have been king, but at Tech if was the red Varsity cup.

I will always associate the image of a quarterback dropping back to pass with a keg party.

by CraigT on Dec 17, 2011 2:39 PM EST up reply actions

Wishing you a Merry Christmas, Walking, FO, Rings, Naked Dog, Bag of Rags, Glorified, and a Lipitor.

You'd do it for Randolph Scott!
RANDOLPH SCOTT!

by DressHerInWhiteAndGold on Dec 17, 2011 4:38 PM EST up reply actions

I lived on East campus (Harrison) for 2 quarters but

I rarely went to the V. In fact, I’ve been there only like 3 or 4 times max in my life. What I loved (and miss) was M.J. Pippin’s. They had the best Chicago-style pizza maybe EVER! (and I’ve eaten the genuine thing in Chi-town)

by The Bamboo Shaft on Dec 17, 2011 8:13 PM EST up reply actions

There was a booth at Pippin's

that sported song lyrics on the wall a friend and I put there. They stayed up for a long time, and we kept adding to them.

I spent most of my time, however, at Grumpy’s, especially on quarter beer and wheel of fortune nights.

The best quarter beer place, though, was One-Eyed Jack’s. I still smile every time I drive by the fancy, gated Baltimore Place. I knew it before it was fixed up.

by CraigT on Dec 18, 2011 9:33 AM EST up reply actions

Ah yes.

Now I remember those booths and being able to write on the walls with chalk.. I forgot all about that. I LOVED that place and went back several times to its new (other?) location up on Roswell Rd several years after I graduated. I was so sad when I found it they closed. I still think they had the best Chicago-style deep pan pizza I’ve ever eaten, which happens to be my fave type of pizza, no contest, as a result of my Tech days. We had a tradition of going there every Friday night for pizza and beer, as I recall.

I vaguely remember One Eyed Jack’s but I don’t think I ever went there. Grumpy’s doesn’t ring a bell at all. What was the name of the place right next to Pippin’s? Seems like it was Chollie’s (SP?) or something like that.

BTW I really wish SBN had some notification feature to let you know when someone replies to a post.. like Facebook does.

by The Bamboo Shaft on Dec 22, 2011 11:25 AM EST up reply actions

Grumpy's was the other side of Pippin's.

The Buckhead Pippin’s was there the whole time. It may even have been first.

Enyineer’s Bookstore was somewhere around there, maybe where they built Chollie’s. It moved down next to Junior’s Grill, across from Smith.

by CraigT on Dec 24, 2011 6:35 PM EST up reply actions

Thanks again.

I had no idea that was Grumpy’s to the right of Pippin’s. I thought that was Chollie’s. I don’t think I ever went in that place my entire time at Tech for some reason. Yeah I remember Engineer’s Bookstore.. it was right by Junior’s Grill as I recall, right across and near Smith as you said. But I thought Chollie’s was the place next to Pippin’s instead of in that area. I don’t think I ever went there either but memory gets blurry over the years. :/

Yeah I kinda had the suspicion/vague recollection that the Roswell Rd Pippin’s was there all the time as you said. I only went there after I graduated.

by The Bamboo Shaft on Dec 25, 2011 12:47 PM EST up reply actions

You Lucky Bastard.....

My favorite stop when in the ATL.

Oh, well we have Crown Burgers. 1/4 lb Pastrami on top of 1/4 lb Burger. Heart Attack on a bun.

What is best in life? To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women. - Conan the Barbarian

by U of Uman on Dec 18, 2011 3:17 AM EST up reply actions

I'd take Apollo over Crown any day.

by khaostheory117 on Dec 18, 2011 10:20 PM EST up reply actions

That ain't walkin'!

That is a fine meal, though. You forgot to mention the fried pie in the background.

by CraigT on Dec 18, 2011 9:34 AM EST up reply actions

Stewie Mandel's take.

2 p.m. ET (CBS) Sun Bowl: Georgia Tech (8-4) vs. Utah (7-5)
Utah, which has a month to practice and is used to facing Air Force every year, should be well prepared for Georgia Tech’s option offense. The Utes’ problem has been an anemic offense, dependent almost entirely on running back John White (117 yards per game), but here’s guessing coordinator Norm Chow has some wrinkles up his sleeve for this one.

24 Utes
20 Jackets

You'd do it for Randolph Scott!
RANDOLPH SCOTT!

by DressHerInWhiteAndGold on Dec 17, 2011 9:11 AM EST reply actions

John Tamanaha's prediction. I like this one better.

Predictions 101 — Sun Bowl

Posted by John Tamanaha on December 6, 2011, 8:13 PM EST

Georgia Tech vs. Utah
Dec. 31, 2 p.m. ET, CBS
At El Paso, Texas

This is why bowl games are great. As is the case here, one of two teams that limp into the westernmost corner of Texas will leave with a re-written final chapter to their season.

Then again, you’ve got the Yellow Jackets, who have lost their last six bowl games, so this might not be the best idea. Aw heck, it’s worth a shot to wipe away the memories of a 31-17 loss at home to archrival Georgia, which was GT’s fourth setback in its last six games.

On the other sideline, there’s the Utes, who as it turned out needed just to beat Colorado at home to punch their ticket to the inaugural Pac-12 championship game in their first season in the league. But lo and behold, the fellow Pac-12-newbie Buffaloes were allowed to break a nasty 24-game road losing streak with a 17-14 victory in Salt Lake City.

We can’t envision Utah, which ranks last in the Pac-12 in total offense (and 110th nationally), keeping pace with the Yellow Jackets, who led the ACC in scoring (35 points per game), total offense (460 yards per game) and rushing offense (317).

Opening point spread: Georgia Tech by 3

The pick: Georgia Tech 34-23

You'd do it for Randolph Scott!
RANDOLPH SCOTT!

by DressHerInWhiteAndGold on Dec 17, 2011 9:23 AM EST reply actions