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Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff Filing BCS Antitrust Lawsuit

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Utah attorney general Mark Shurtleff will file suit against the BCS after years of threatening (literally!) to do so. This all started when the Utah Utes were denied a shot at the national title in 2008 despite going 13-0, finishing No. 2 after obliterating the Alabama Crimson Tide in the Sugar Bowl. Shurtleff says he expects other state attorneys general to join his effort.

This isn’t about bragging rights, it isn’t some kind of frivolous deal, there are serious antitrust violations that are harming taxpayer-funded institutions to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars.

Shurtleff had previously met with the Justice Department to attempt to activate its involvement. His timing in announcing this suit couldn’t have been better, considering it’s breaking on the heels of the NCAA investigation into the Fiesta Bowl.

BCS executive Bill Hancock, of course, was ready with a retort, telling USA Today the parameters of a hypothetical antitrust lawsuit wouldn’t apply to the BCS.

For more on Utah sports, join Block U. For more college football, visit SB Nation’s NCAA Football hub.

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