Las Vegas Bowl 2014: Preview, Predictions for Colorado State vs. Utah
The Utah Utes have accepted a bid to the 2014 Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl, where they will play Colorado State on Dec. 20 at Sam Boyd Stadium in Whitney, Nevada.
Dirk Facer of the Deseret News reported on the postseason matchup, which is the third of five games to kick off the bowl season.
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Utah managed to improve to 8-4 on the strength of a 38-34 victory over the Colorado Buffaloes in the regular-season finale. Although Colorado State is coming off an encouraging 10-2 campaign, it ended on a bit of a sour note.
A last-minute loss to Air Force, combined with the departure of head coach Jim McElwain to Florida, puts the Rams in a precarious position ahead of their final game of the year.
Below is a closer look at the game, including the basic viewing information and predictions as to how the impending showdown will unfold.
Note: Stats are courtesy of NCAA.com.
| Saturday, Dec. 20 | Colorado State vs. No. 22 Utah | 3:30 p.m. | ABC |
Las Vegas Bowl Preview, Predictions
The outcome will likely come down to how well Rams star quarterback Garrett Grayson plays. With a 32-6 ratio for touchdowns and interceptions, the senior signal-caller has played at an extremely high level.
But facing his best opponent all season without McElwain's help to prepare, how will Grayson fare? Zach Abolverdi of The Gainesville Sun documented what Grayson said regarding McElwain's departure:
That offers an idea of the type of turnaround McElwain orchestrated at Colorado State and how difficult it might be for the underdogs to get up for this one, even though it is a bowl game.
Andrew Gorringe of Scout.com notes how the Rams also boast two tremendous playmakers to help their cause:
Utah doesn't boast quite as much offensive firepower. Junior QB Travis Wilson is a towering presence, yet he isn't the same, dynamic threat Grayson is as a passer. The Utes defense is led by speedy linebacker Jared Norris, whose play will be instrumental in shutting down Rams ball-carrier Dee Hart.
A superior strength of schedule should help Utah compensate for any lack of offensive weapons it has. Its win on the road over UCLA earlier in the year showed that the No. 22 Utes indeed deserve to be considered among the country's best teams.
One big edge the Rams might have in this one is how proficient they are on third down, converting 51.2 percent of the time, which ranks them fifth in the nation, ahead of the likes of Oregon, among others.
That's a stark contrast to Utah's success rate of 39.2 in such situations. If Devontae Booker isn't established early for the Utes on the ground, the favorites could be in trouble if Wilson is asked to put the ball in the air too often.
NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah has compared Booker favorably to a former NFL star, so that should shine through against a generous Rams front seven:
When Utah has had its most success, Booker has been the workhorse, so that should be the game plan—to keep Colorado State's amazing third-down offense off the field. The Rams concede a healthy 4.68 yards per carry, so Booker should be able to get downhill in a hurry and force obvious passing situations for Grayson and Co.
Neither defense is great, so this should be a high-scoring, entertaining showcase to help kick off the bowl season. In the end, though, the team deservedly in the Top 25 will emerge with the victory.
Prediction: Utah 34, Colorado State 31
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