2011 Sun Bowl, Georgia Tech Vs. Utah: Utes Force El Paso Impasse, Win In OT

9.9: Points expected, on average, by field goals of 32, 34, 42, 42, and 48 yards. On such kicks, Georgia Tech scored only six points, going 2-for-5. The misses included a 48-yarder at the end of regulation. Let’s see, 3.9 missing points in a game you lost by three. Seems rather significant. Tech outgained Utah by 112 yards (449 to 337) and won the turnover points battle by 6.0. But while they made eight trips inside Utah’s 40 (as compared to six for the Utes), they came up empty three times. Utah, meanwhile, scored every time they got the chance.

9: Times in the last 13 years that the Sun Bowl has been decided by a touchdown or less. The good folks of El Paso have seem some doozies, from Oregon State’s comeback win over Missouri in 2006 (one of the most fun games my alma mater has ever lost), to Minnesota’s 31-30 win over Oregon in 2003, to Saturday’s comeback win for the Utes. (And this doesn’t even count UCLA’s ridiculous 50-38 win over Northwestern in 2005, which featured back-to-back onside kicks returned for touchdowns.)

The win runs Utah coach Kyle Whittingham’s bowl record to 7-1.

For more on the Sun Bowl, visit Utah blog Block U and Georgia Tech blog From the Rumble Seat, plus SB Nation Atlanta and Pac-12 blog Pacific Takes.

The 2011 Sun Bowl looked like a Georgia Tech runaway midway through the second half. And then Kyle Whittingham’s brilliant-in-bowls Utah squad came back to send the game to overtime.

For more on the Sun Bowl, visit Utah blog Block U and Georgia Tech blog From the Rumble Seat, plus SB Nation Atlanta and Pac-12 blog Pacific Takes.

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At least it’s still sunny, some Utah fan is saying to her husband in the stands at El Paso.

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One lost fumble and a pair of missed Justin Moore field goals will do that.

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It’s 7-0, Utes.

NOTE: Confused? See the quick glossary at the bottom.

First impression: did Georgia Tech have a good season this year? And what about Utah?

Game date, time: 2:00 p.m. ET, Saturday, December 31st

Location: Sun Bowl, El Paso, TX

Utah finished 7-5 after winning four of its last five down the stretch.The Utes went 3-0 against non-conference opponents and nearly won the Pac 12’s South Division in its inaugural season in the newly expanded league. Utah is coached by Kyle Whittingham who has a 65-25 record with the program. The Utes are 12-5 in postseason play and had a nine-game bowl win streak snapped last year with a 26-3 loss to Boise State in the Las Vegas Bowl. These programs have only faced off once before. Utah upset the 24th ranked Yellow Jackets 38-10 in the 2005 Emerald Bowl.

Georgia Tech’s offense featured five different players that ranked in the top 20 in the ACC. The array of backs helped the Yellow Jackets gain 316.8 ypg on the ground, which led the ACC and was third best in the nation. Due to the exceptional rushing attack, Georgia Tech also led the ACC and had a national ranking in the top 20 in scoring offense (34.9 ppg) and total offense (459.6 ypg).

However, Tech is looking the game as a chance to end their up and down season on a positive note:

The Yellow Jackets had their first on-site practice Tuesday morning and spent time at a local children’s hospital as well.

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↵AP Photo/El Paso Times, Mark Lambie

Utah blog Block U is getting pretty nervous about all this:

For more on Chow, visit Utah blog Block U. For more college football, stick to SB Nation’s college football news hub.

For more on the 2011 Sun Bowl, visit Georgia Tech blog From The Rumble Seat and Utah blog Block U.