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SALT LAKE CITY - What goes up must come down. Utah football fans feel as though they've spent the entire season at a Six Flags amusement park. The ups and downs of emotions that Ute fans have experienced is similar to one of the highest rated roller coasters in the world, the Bizarro.
The Utes came into the 2011 season optimistic that they could continue the success they had in the Mountain West Conference, compete with the elite competition of the Pac- 12, and maybe even contend for a championship.
Up
Utah won all three of its non-conference games highlighted by a 54-10 shellacking of BYU, and nearly pulled off an upset of USC in the Coliseum in its first Pac-12 game ever.
Jordan Wynn was throwing the ball well and DeVonte Christopher was catching almost everything thrown his way. John White IV was wearing defenses down and getting big yards late in the game when it counted.
With so much early success followers of the program had great reason to be optimistic and weren't prepared for such poor performance against the first half of their Pac- 12 schedule.
Down
Consecutive Pac-12 losses to Washington, Arizona State, and California after losing to the Trojans left Ute fans lamenting the start of their season and wondering how long it would take before they'd be able to compete.
Wynn hurt his shoulder in the Washington game and had season ending surgery a few days later. John Hays was given the control of the Ute offense but coaches soon found out that he couldn't win games by himself and that he needed help. However, costly decisions and loads of turnovers hurt the Utes game after game.
Up
But, before you knew it, Utah was right back in the Pac-12 title hunt winning four straight games against Oregon State, Arizona, UCLA, and Washington State. In every win the Utes scored more than 27 points and held opponents to an average of just over 13 points.
White averaged 166 yards per game and rushed for eight touchdowns during the Utes winning streak, and the defense kept opposing offenses in check recording 11 interceptions.
With UCLA and Arizona State struggling to finish the season as well the Utes slim chance of getting to the Pac- 12 championship game turned into a likely possibility.
Down
The Utes needed to take care of business against Colorado before worrying about getting the help they needed. However, the Buffaloes, the last place team in the Pac-12, wouldn't go down easy. The Utes fell behind early and the Colorado defense gave Utah fits throughout the game not allowing them to get its offense going.
Utah totaled only 89 rushing yards as White left the game just into the second half with an ankle injury and didn't return, while kicker Coleman Peterson missed three field goals that would've made the difference.
What's Next?
I don't think a loss like this diminishes the turnaround we had. We could have gone completely in the tank, and we didn't. We fought our way back into a bowl situation, and it's remarkable we were even in the situation where we even had a chance to represent the South.
–Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham
With the disappointment of beating the odds and coming close to a shot at the Pac-12 championship and the Rose Bowl the Ute players insist that how the season ended doesn't define this team.
"You can't look down on us for this one game. This is our first Pac-12 schedule. We've had some losses, but we won seven games our first time in the conference," Dave Kruger said.
"I don't think a loss like this diminishes the turnaround we had," head coach Kyle Whittingham said. "We could have gone completely in the tank, and we didn't. We fought our way back into a bowl situation, and it's remarkable we were even in the situation where we even had a chance to represent the South."
"Very good year as far as some of the things they went through to end up 7-5. That's not ideal, but if they hadn't have been who they were character-wise, it could have been much worse," Whittingham continued, "There was some good and some bad this year. Overall, we're going to a bowl game and there's a lot of positives to derive from it."
Utah is set to face Georgia Tech in the Sun Bowl on December 31.
"We're excited about the opportunity to represent the Pac-12 Conference in the Sun Bowl," Whittingham said. "We're proud that yet another Utah senior class will be playing in its fourth postseason game and that is a testament to the commitment our players bring to the program year in and year out."
"I've never been to a bowl game - this is my first year - so I'm excited for that experience," Utah running back John White IV said after the Utes accepted an invitation to play the Yellow Jackets.
"We take a lot of pride playing at Utah, especially in bowl games," defensive lineman Dave Kruger added. "We're really well known for winning bowl games, and going in there and taking it seriously."
"We work hard for bowl games, and we want to win them," offensive lineman Tony Bergstrom said. "I'm sure Georgia Tech feels the same way, so we're excited to go play a good quality team."
