Las Vegas Bowl: CSU has similarities to both 2013 Vegas Bowl teams

Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl

Utah (8-4) vs. Colorado State (10-2)

Las Vegas

Dec. 20, 2014

Much like last year's Fresno State team, Colorado State heads to Las Vegas knowing that if things had gone differently at the end of the season, a bigger bowl could have been had.

In 2013, Fresno State lost its final game of the regular season to San Jose State. The 62-52 loss to the Spartans dropped Fresno from the ranks of the undefeated and blew up any chance of a BCS bowl. Instead of a win in the MWC title game meaning a possible trip to Arizona and the Fiesta Bowl, it meant a venture to Las Vegas.

This year, Colorado State's scenario for a New Year's Bowl wasn't as straightforward. Had the Rams won out and Boise State lost a game, there was a good chance Colorado State would have been the highest-ranked non-Power Five conference team. The reward for that honor? A New Year's Bowl and likely trip to the Fiesta Bowl.

Instead, Boise State won out and won the conference. The Broncos are the team heading to Arizona. The Rams lost to Air Force in the final game of the regular season. Even if Boise had lost to Utah State in the MWC title game, Colorado State had guaranteed it wasn't going to the Fiesta Bowl.

The Rams have a similarity to USC, the other team in last year's Las Vegas Bowl, too. Like USC, Colorado State heads into the game with an interim coach. Though in the Rams' case, it's because Jim McElwain left to go to Florida, and not because he was fired (Lane Kiffin) or quit after knowing he wasn't getting the permanent position (Ed Orgeron).

Utah certainly hopes the resemblance is closer to Fresno State as the Trojans absolutely obliterated the Bulldogs last year. It might have been a blessing in disguise for Fresno. If the game was anywhere close to an indication of the quality of the team, a BCS bowl could have been an embarrassment.

But back to this year. Both teams' defenses are in the bottom half of the FBS, and it gives Colorado State the edge. While Utah's Devontae Booker was one of the best running backs in the Pac-12, CSU has the better quarterback in Garrett Grayson. And RB Dee Hart ran for over 1,200 yards.

ODDS

Utah -2.5

FUN FACT

This is Colorado State's first Las Vegas Bowl appearance. Utah was last in the game in 2010, when the Utes lost 26-3 to a Kellen Moore-led Boise State team.

PREDICTIONS

Graham: Utah 21, Colorado State 17: Colorado State has not seen a defense as good as Utah's this season and the Utes should be able to hold the Rams' high-powered offense in check.

Nick: Colorado State 31, Utah 30: Garrett Grayson was one of the best quarterbacks in the country in 2014. Travis Wilson, while serviceable, was not. Let's go with the interim coach mojo for the second year in a row.

Sam: Utah 24, Colorado State 20: Though Travis Wilson can be very inconsistent, the Utes have enough playmakers on offense to put some points on the board while their stout defense does enough to hold off a Colorado State team playing without its head coach.

For more Colorado State news, visit GoldandGreenNews.com.

For more Utah news, visit UteZone.com.

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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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