Poinsettia Bowl: Utah Utes vs. California Golden Bears
The Utah Utes and the California Golden Bears will both be trying to pick up a win when they battle at Qualcomm Stadium in the Poinsettia Bowl.
Oddsmakers currently have the Golden Bears listed as 3-point favorites versus the Utes, while the game's total is sitting at 52.
Utah fell 26-23 to BYU in overtime at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Week 13.
Utah covered as an 8.5-point road underdog while the final score played UNDER the 56.5-point total.
California closed a rough season with a 42-10 loss to Washington at Husky Stadium in Week 14.
Washington covered as 6.5-point home underdogs while the final score played UNDER the 57.5-point total.
Team records:
Utah: 9-3 SU, 5-7 ATS
California: 8-4 SU, 5-6 ATS
Utah most recently:
When playing in December are 6-2
When playing on grass are 6-4
After outgaining opponent are 7-3
When playing outside the conference are 9-1
California most recently:
When playing in December are 7-3
When playing on grass are 5-5
After being outgained are 6-4
When playing outside the conference are 9-1
A few trends to consider:
Utah is 22-3 SU in its last 25 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Utah's last 9 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of California's last 5 games
California is 11-4 SU in its last 15 games
California is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
UTAH (9 - 3) vs. CALIFORNIA (8 - 4)
Top Trends for this game.
UTAH is 42-21 ATS (+18.9 Units) as an underdog since 1992.
UTAH is 24-10 ATS (+13.0 Units) when playing with 2 weeks or more of rest since 1992.
UTAH is 26-13 ATS (+11.7 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1992.
CALIFORNIA is 13-27 ATS (-16.7 Units) when the line is +3 to -3 since 1992.
Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.
UTAH vs. CALIFORNIA
Utah is 22-3 SU in its last 25 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Utah's last 9 games
California is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
California is 11-4 SU in its last 15 games
Utah vs. California
Utah
42-21 ATS as an underdog
24-10 ATS playing with 2+ days rest
California
13-27 ATS when the line is +3 to -3
19-3 Over after scoring 3 points or less in the 1st half last game
Utah
7-0 SU and 6-1 ATS bowl games L9Y… 1-4 vs fellow bowlers this season
California
PAC 10 bowlers 10-2 SU and ATS L2Y… 0-3 bowl favorite vs opponent off loss
What Bettors Need To Know: Poinsettia Bowl
By Marc Lawrence
The fifth annual Poinsettia Bowl, sponsored by the San Diego County Credit Union, kicks off Wednesday evening at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego when Utah meets California in a battle of the WAC and the PAC. The game is televised on ESPN.
Game time temperature is expected to be in the low-to-mid 50s, with a 10 percent chance of rain.
Bowl history
California is 10-8-1 all time in bowl games, including 8-2 straight up and 5-5 against the spread since 1990, including 1-4 ATS when facing an opponent off a loss. The Bears beat the Miami Hurricanes 24-17 as 10-point favorites in the Emerald Bowl last season.
Utah is 11-3 all time in bowl games, including 9-3 SU and ATS as a bowler since 1992 and 6-1 ATS as a dog. The Utes are 7-0 SU and 6-1 ATS in postseason games this decade, including last year’s 31-17 win over Alabama as 10-point dogs in the Sugar Bowl.
Utah hasn’t lost a bowl game as a member of the Mountain West Conference and owns the nation’s longest bowl win streak at eight.
The first three Poinsettia Bowls saw the games play to an average combined total score of 64 points per game. Last year the trend reversed when TCU edged Boise State, 17-16.
California leads the all time series 4-2. Utah won the last meeting, 31-24, in Salt Lake City in 2003. Utah has won two of the last three games.
The Bears have played in San Diego in bowl games twice in recent years, losing to Texas Tech, 45-31 as 11-point favorites in the 2004 Holiday Bowl and beating Texas A&M, 45-10, as 4-point favorites in the 2006 Holiday Bowl.
Cal is 2-0 against Mountain West Conference teams under head coach Jeff Tedford in bowls, beating BYU, 35-28, as 7-point favorites in the 2005 Las Vegas Bowl and Air Force, 42-36, as 4.5-point favorites in the 2007 Armed Forces Bowl.
Ute need to know
Utah QB’s Wynn and Terrance Cain have split time under center for the Utes, with Cain taking over full-time duties four games ago. Cain has completed 63.7 percent of his passes for 1624 yards, 11 touchdowns and five interceptions. Wynn owns a 54.5 completion percentage, good for 991 yards, five TDs and three INTs.
Senior Davis Reed (75 receptions for 1085 yards and 5 TDs) teams with JR Jereme Brooks (49 catches for 620 yards and 6 TDs) to form the receiving corps.
The Utes lost their best offensive player four weeks into the season when RB Matt Asiata blew out his knee. Eddie Wide has filled his shoes with aplomb, rushing for 1032 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Unbearable
For the fifth straight year California ended the season with a thud. After opening the last five seasons 16-2 in their first three games, they have closed 9-11 in their final four contests.
A disappointing 42-10 season-ending loss to Washington bumped the Bears from the Sun Bowl (as the league’s No. 3 team) to the Poinsettia Bowl. The 32-point margin was the largest victory by the Huskies this season.
Star RB Jahvid Best, who missed the final three regular-season games due to a concussion, has been ruled out. TB Shane Vereen has carried the burden. Vereen has rushed for 830 yards and 10 TDs.
QB Kevin Riley has been hot-and-cold this season. Riley has completed 54.6 percent of his passes for 2636 yards while tossing 17 TDs and six picks.
Salute
The 24 seniors on the Utah squad will take the field representing the winningest class in school history, recording 39 victories since the start of the 2006 season.
"We're definitely not going to take this bowl game lightly, especially for the seniors and the legacy they left here," freshman QB Jordan Wynn said. "We've got to send them out right."
Handy Andy
Cal offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig anchored the same position with Utah last season.
"It will be lots of fun. Andy Ludwig is a great friend of ours. He has a lot of packages and a great imagination for the offensive side of the ball. So we have to be prepared for all that,” said Utah senior LB Stevenson Sylvester.
Did you know
Mountain West Conference teams are 0-3 SU and ATS versus Pac-10 teams in bowl games the last two years.
Pac-10 bowlers are 10-2 SU and ATS in bowl games the last two seasons, but only 3-13 ATS as favorites versus an opponent off a loss since 1997.
Bowl teams that were undefeated last season are 8-4 ATS.
Poinsettia Bowl
By Judd Hall
If we’ve seen anything show up during the early results of the college bowl season, it’s that the more talented team doesn’t always win.
Wyoming (+300) cashed in with an outright win in Albuquerque and Middle Tennessee State (+150) did the same in beating the Golden Eagles at the New Orleans Bowl.
So what does a bettor do when both teams have talent that is fairly equal? That is the question that the gambling public must ask when the Utes face off with California (8-4 straight up, 5-6 against the spread) in the Poinsettia Bowl at 8:00 p.m. EST on ESPN.
Utah (9-3 SU, 5-7 ATS) comes into this contest with a lot of public support to come through for the outright win at plus-140 (risk $100 to win $140). It’s hard to argue against the Utes for this game. This is a program that manhandled the Crimson Tide just last season in the Sugar Bowl. And let’s not forget the fact that they boast an 8-0 SU and 6-2 ATS in their last eight postseason matches.
As much as the public is on the Utes right now, Cal is still a 3 ½-point favorite with a total of 52 for this bowl game.
That line doesn’t surprise betED’s sportsbook manager, Randy Scott. “Opening numbers take very little consideration for a team’s bowl history when we put out a line on a team. That plays more into the public’s opinion than it does with the betting shops.”
There is a good reason for the betting shops to side with the Golden Bears, when you consider the state of flux that is Utah’s offense.
The Utes’ have done well when you look at the stats: they rank 45th running the ball (169.4 yards per game) and 55th throwing it (220.2 YPG). Yet they’re going into their fifth straight game with true freshman Jordan Wynn under center.
Wynn has shown himself to do a fine job as quarterback by completing 55 percent of his passes for 991 yards and five touchdowns since getting the job against New Mexico on Nov. 7. However, the offense has yet to put together what many would call a full-game effort with Wynn as the starter.
What Utah has done is shore up its ground game with Eddie Wide setting up in the backfield. All Wide has done is lead the Mountain West in rushing with 1,032 yards and 12 touchdowns, also a league best.
The Golden Bears figured they had a good shot at making a run at the Rose Bowl this season, but some embarrassing losses to Oregon and Southern Cal quickly put an end to that discussion. And they did have some bright spots on the attack.
Kevin Riley has connected on 55 percent of his passes for 219.7 YPG through the air for 17 scores and six picks. In his last four games, however, Riley has thrown just as many interceptions as he did touchdowns (4).
Cal is going into this game without Jahvid Best, who has presumably finished up his college career after suffering a concussion against the Beavers on Nov. 7. The loss of Best didn’t affect the line too much. Randy Scott notes the Golden Bears” would have been seven-point favorites for this game.” Shane Vereen has been tasked with taking over the starting duties and has done a great job so far. Vereen is averaging 148.0 rushing YPG with four touchdowns.
Vereen will have his work cut out for him against the Utah defense that ranks 57th in the nation against the run, giving up 172.8 YPG on the ground. Given that the Utes are struggling to find a good mix to replace defensive end Derrick Shelby (ACL) and Kenape Eliapo (eye), who are both down for the count.
Riley won’t have it easy either when trying to pass on Utah. The Utes are giving up just 172.8 YPG via the sky, which ranks them 14th nationally. They’ve also picked off 15 passes this season, so you can bet California will be looking for low risk passing chances to use given Riley’s recent issues.
We mentioned earlier that Utah has been dominant in postseason play. But did you know that the Golden Bears have been quite successful in bowl play? Cal is 6-1 SU and 4-3 in the last seven seasons in bowl games – it’s the longest bowl game streak in the history of football in Berkeley.
At first blush, you’ll be thinking this is going to be a touchdown-fest. The numbers, however, show something to the contrary. The ‘under’ has gone on a 7-2 run for the Utes. California has watch the ‘under’ go 4-1in its last five decisions.
These two have split their two meetings SU and ATS. The last meeting was in 2003 with the Utes winning as one-point home favorites, 31-24.
Utah has posted a 5-5 SU and 6-4 ATS record as an underdog against teams from the Pac-10 since 1996. However, the Utes are in a funk right now, as evidenced by a 1-3 SU and ATS in the last four tilts in that situation.
The Golden Bears haven’t been a great wager as favorites against the Mountain West by going 5-3 SU, but just 3-5 ATS over the last eight years. They are on a 5-0 SU and 3-2 ATS run though.
Weather for the game is typical for San Diego in December: 44 degrees with no chance of precipitation and light wind.
vegasinsider.com
California favored as mystery team
By Doug Upstone
Good luck in trying to figure out the California Bears this season. Preseason publications were correct is saying USC was vulnerable and Cal and Oregon were the two teams thought to be most capable of being Pac-10 champions. After a 3-0 start, the Bears were declawed by Oregon and USC by combined scores of 72-6 and were shown to be overrated. California (8-4, 6-6 ATS) regrouped and won five of next six, including an incredibly impressive 34-28 victory over rival Stanford at their place. With a chance to finish the season at least feeling good about themselves and earn Sun Bowl bid, what does Cal do, get whacked by Washington 42-10, dropping them to this pre-Christmas bowl in San Diego. California is 3-13 ATS after a game where they forced no turnovers.
Everyone following the Utah football program agrees this year's 9-3 record is a long way away from last season's 13-0 and final No.2 ranking. That doesn't mean it wasn't a successful campaign in Salt Lake City, since it was only Utah's eighth nine-win season all-time. This has become a very stable football program under coach Kyle Whittingham, being able to possibly win 10 games after undefeated year, despite only four retuning offensive starters. Word out of Utah campus is the Utes (5-7 ATS) have quickly moved beyond overtime loss to astringent rival BYU and looks forward to the challenge of taking on a Pac-10 club, always a point of emphasis for Mountain West schools. Give Utah time to prepare and they are rugged opponent, with 24-10 ATS record when playing with two weeks or more of rest over the last 17 years.
Because of the matchup, this bowl shows up as a respectable 14th in our rankings. California was 3-3 SU and ATS against teams participating in bowls. Utah is 2-3 with only one cover vs. competition also playing in the postseason. The Bears are 10-8-1 as bowlers with 5-6 ATS record and this marks the sixth straight time they are favorites (2-3 ATS). The Utes are uber-bowlers with 11-3 record (9-3 ATS), which includes eight straight triumphs (6-2 ATS). They are sparkling 6-1 ATS as underdogs. The favorite has won all four Poinsettia Bowls, with a .500 spread record.
Both teams will be intent on stopping the other team's running game, led by backup pigskin-totters. Cal has Shane Vareen in for Jahvid Best, who's been unable to overcome concussion issues. Utah wants to force QB Kevin Riley to beat them and their defense is capable, since they are 11-2 ATS after allowing 275 or less total yards in consecutive games.
The Utes lost stud ball-carrier in Matt Aiata, however his replacement Eddie Wide ran for over 1,000 yards and scored 12 touchdowns, starting the last seven games of the season. California wants to see if true freshman quarterback Jordan Wynn handles a little Pac-10 pressure. Utah coaches might go max protection in obvious passing situations since the Bears were 108th in the nation in pass defense, allowing 260.9 yards per game, with 17 TD passes.
BetUS.com has California as three-point favorites, with total of 52. The Bears have shown their trustworthiness in this exact situation under coach Jeff Tedford with 4-13 ATS record when the line is +3 to -3, losing by 4.1 points a game. Cal is 10-2 UNDER after a game with a turnover margin of -2 or worse. Besides their dumbfounding bowl streak, Utah is 15-2 UNDER away from home after two or more consecutive wins against the spread, winning by six points per game.
Tips and Trends
Utah Utes at California Golden Bears
Utah: Utah has enjoyed much success in bowl games of late, going a perfect 8-0 SU their last 8 bowl games. That's the longest current bowl winning streak in the country. Coach Whittingham has yet to lose a bowl game as a head coach. Utah enters the evening 9-3 SU on the season and ranked #23 in the country. Despite their success this year, the Utes are only 5-7 ATS on the season. They are 3-3 SU and 2-4 ATS away from home this season. Utah is 0-3 SU and 1-2 ATS as an underdog this year. QB Jordan Wynn will be making a homecoming of sorts, as the freshman QB played high school football in the area. Wynn has started the past 4 games for Utah, and the offense has only averaged 324 YPG over his past 3 starts. The Utes have only scored more than 24 PTS in 2 of their 6 road games this season. Utah has held 7 of their past 9 opponents to less than 20 PTS.
Utah is 6-1 ATS last 7 bowl games.
Under is 4-1 last 5 vs. a team with a winning record.
Key Injuries - WR John Peel (foot) is questionable.
DB Victor Spikes (hand) is questionable.
PROJECTED SCORE: 20
California (-3, O/U 52): The Golden Bears finished the season at 8-4 SU and 6-6 ATS. They lost badly to Washington in their season finale. Had they won that game against Washington, they would be at the Sun Bowl facing Oklahoma, so some question the attitude of California heading into this game. The Golden Bears enter tonight with streaks of 2-2 SU over their past 4 games, as well as 2-4 ATS their last 6 games. Cal is 4-2 SU and 3-3 ATS away from home this season. Cal is 2-4 ATS this year as a favorite of less than a TD. QB Kevin Riley has been rather inconsistent this year, but has thrown for over 2,600 YDS with 17TDs against only 6 INTs. Cal has averaged over 40 PPG in their 8 wins, while only averaging 7.5 PPG in their 4 losses this year. Defensively, the Golden Bears have given up at least 28 PTS in 3 of their past 4 games.
California is 3-13 ATS last 16 games as a favorite up to a field goal.
Over is 5-1 last 6 Bowl games.
Key Injuries - RB Jahvid Best (concussion) is out.
OL Matt Summers-Gavin (concussion) is doubtful.
PROJECTED SCORE: 27 (UNDER - Total of the Day)