No one gave the University of Utah a prayer against "Bama" in the Sugar Bowl.  Don't underestimate the power of the will to win...not only did Utah win but they did it decisively...31-17 making Utah the only undefeated ranked team, yeh baby!!  What a fun game to watch if you weren't from Alabama of course!

Sugar Bowl was sweet validation for the Utah Utes, a team that made the 2008 season not only a quest for perfection but for respect. In the end the Utes earned both Friday, beating fourth-ranked Alabama 31-17 in the Louisiana Superdome.

Many of the 71,872 in attendance came with the expectation of seeing Alabama (12-2) roll over the seventh-ranked Utes. But as the final minutes ticked off the clock, it was a gathering of 10,000 Ute fans who enjoyed the party as Utah celebrated one of the biggest upsets of the bowl season as noted  by the Salt Lake Tribune.

The Utes, 10-point underdogs, never allowed the Tide to get closer than four points of them after taking a 21-0 lead. Yes, the pundits were right, one team was untouchable in this game. They just picked the wrong team.

Given the amount of skepticism and doubt the Utes have faced in the buildup to the Sugar Bowl, no doubt many had the same reaction as defender Paul Kruger when they saw the score at the end of the first quarter.

By then, the Utes had sacked Alabama quarterback John Parker Wilson four times and scored three times against a team that had outscored opponents 133-27.

"I looked up and it was 21-0 and thought, 'Holy [cow], it's really, real.' We were all fighting and we could hear the emotion and hear the crowd, we had a quarter of what they had here and they were behind us the whole way. … Salt Lake is going to be on Bourbon Street all night."

Johnson, Utah's most vocal leader in Utah's most critical situations this season, finished his career with the kind of game he dreamed about having in his final performance. He finished 27-for-41 for 336 yards and three touchdowns. He was sacked twice and took a shot to his shoulder, but stayed in the game and kept Utah ahead of the Tide. Johnson's three touchdown passes were one shy of the bowl record.

"All we heard is how they were the better team," he said. "It was all about Alabama. Nobody thought that we could do it -- the national pundits, no one. We believed in ourselves."

While Johnson kept the offense in rhythm, Utah's defense kept Alabama from finding its own pace. In the end, Wilson was 18-of-30 for 177 yards and two interceptions. He was sacked eight times.

Most impressively was that Utah held Alabama's running game to just 31 net yards. Running back Glen Coffee had only 36 yards on 14 carries.

"We neutralized their run game," linebacker Mike Wright said. "We heard all about Glen Coffee but we were able to shut him down."

Shut Coffee down and shut up the critics, the Utes wanted to do both Friday. Goals accomplished.

Just another reason that Utah is the place to be!  For more information on Salt Lake City Utah and the Salt Lake City real estate market, go to the Salt Lake City Utah Real Estate Resource Center or just fill out the form below and I will get right back to you!

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