After Saturday's victory over New Mexico, Ute fans can probably start making holiday plans for San Diego.
It won't be the Holiday Bowl, which the Utes have never gone to, but the Poinsettia Bowl on Dec. 20 at Qualcomm Stadium.
Poinsettia Bowl representative Eric Graves all but said Utah would be the team his bowl will invite, assuming the Las Vegas Bowl chooses BYU.
"We would just be thrilled to have Utah play in the third Poinsettia Bowl," Graves said. "We're excited about the possibility of having them come. Utah would be a terrific matchup against Navy."
The only other possibility keeping the 8-3 Utes out of San Diego would have been San Diego State running the table to get to 7-5. But that's not possible after the Aztecs' decisive 55-23 loss to Air Force.
Before the game, Graves said, "At this point, it's going to be Utah or New Mexico."
He also said, "I think Las Vegas really has their heart set on BYU," so even if Utah beats BYU this week, it won't make a difference.
Jeff Siembieda, the executive director of the New Mexico Bowl, was scouting the Utes and Lobos and said he thought his bowl had no chance of getting Utah for the Dec. 22 game.
"It sounds like if this score holds up the Poinsettia Bowl is going to invite Utah," Siembieda said.
TRICK PLAY: Ute receiver Bradon Godfrey had his best game stat-wise since the second game of the season, finishing with six catches for 77 yards, including a touchdown.
The touchdown came on the Utes' only trick play of the afternoon. Ute quarterback Brian Johnson rolled to his left and flipped the ball to freshman receiver Jereme Brooks.
Brooks then passed to Godfrey in the back right corner of the end zone to give the Utes a 14-0 lead with 23 seconds left in the half.
"We drew that up and have been practicing it all week," Godfrey said. "It was a well-designed play and I'm glad he threw it."
SENIOR DAY: Utah honored its 17 departing seniors before their final home game at Rice-Eccles Stadium. The honorees included offense lineman Jason Boone, linebacker Kyle Brady, defensive end Martail Burnett, quarterback Tommy Grady, center Kyle Gunther, wide receiver Brian Hernandez, middle linebacker Joe Jiannoni, defensive tackle Gabe Long, linebacker Malakai Mokofisi, linebacker Loma Olevao, tailback Darryl Poston, defensive end Alex Puccinelli, wide receiver Derrek Richards, tight end Matt Sims, offensive lineman Casey Sutera, defensive lineman Ryan Taylor and safety Steve Tate.
'TIS THE SEASON: Utah has closed all of its practices to the media next week in preparation for Saturday's game at BYU. Players and coaches will only be able for interviews through Wednesday.
Coach Kyle Whittingham said it's not so his team can practice more trick plays this week.
"We're going to have practices closed just to avoid distractions," he said. "We don't have any secret plans going on. There's enough hype and hammering on those guys that I don't want a bunch of guys at practice."
POLITE: After repeatedly shouting "guarantee" and worse at Wyoming coach Joe Glenn last week following Utah's 50-0 drubbing of the Cowboys, the Ute fans in the stands immediately above the visitors' locker room Saturday stood and applauded New Mexico as the Lobos headed off the field following a 28-10 loss at Rice-Eccles, One shouted to Lobo running back Rodney Ferguson that he could come play with the Utes any time. Another told receiver Marcus Smith he'd played well and several "good jobs" or the like were said.
GAME NOTES: Whittingham said the Utes got through the game without any injuries and that he hopes to have tight end Matt Sims andMokofisi back next week ... Brian Johnson's third-quarter touchdown pass was the 29th of his career, tying him for seventh with Randy Gomez. Johnson is also fifth in completions and seventh in yards on the Ute all-time lists ... With three sacks, the Utes upped their season total to 35 for the season, seventh-best in the Ute record book ... Brice McCain and Sean Smith each four pass breakups ... Besides Godfrey's six receptions, Richards also had six receptions, but for just 33 yards ... Saturday's victory was the 23rd of Whittingham's career, surpassing the 22 victories Urban Meyer compiled in two years at Utah ... Former Utah State (1996) quarterback Matt Wells is the receivers coach and recruiting coordinator for New Mexico after holding the tight ends/recruiting coordinator position at the University of Tulsa the last five years under Steve Kragthorpe.
E-mail: sor@desnews.com