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The University of Utah Athletics
#19 Utah to Face Indiana in Foster Farms Bowl
12/9/2016 2:27 PM | Football
The Game
> No. 19 Utah (8-4, 5-4 Pac-12) vs. Indiana (6-6, 4-5 Big Ten)
> Wednesday, Dec. 28, 5:30 p.m. PT/6:30 p.m. MT
> Santa Clara, Calif. (Levi's Stadium)
> Televised on FOX
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Utah's Bowl Highlights
> Utah is playing in a bowl game for the 11th time under head coach Kyle Whittingham.
> Whittingham's 90-percent bowl winning percentage (9-1 record) ranks first all-time in NCAA history.
> Whittingham's postseason victories include a 2-0 mark in BCS bowl games (predecessor to the College Football Playoff) as co-coach of Utah's Fiesta Bowl win over Pittsburgh in the 2004 season and head coach for Utah's 2009 Sugar Bowl win over Alabama.
> Utah is 3-0 in bowl games since joining the Pac-12 Conference in 2011. See sidebar on this page for Utah's bowl history.
> From 1999-2009, Utah won nine consecutive bowl games to tie for the second-longest bowl win streak in NCAA history.
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Quick Hits
> Utah's four losses were by a combined 19 points—an average of 4.75 points per game. Two of Utah's four losses were to top-10 teams (No. 4 Washington and No. 9 Colorado).
> Utah is No. 19 in the final College Football Playoff rankings and No. 23 in the Coaches' poll. The Utes were ranked in the AP poll for 10 weeks. Utah has appeared in every CFP top-25 since the rankings were introduced in 2014.
> Utah's highest ranking this season was No. 11 AP and Coaches on Nov. 13, and No. 12 CFP on Nov. 15.
> Mitch Wishnowsky won the 2016 Ray Guy Award as the nation's top punter—Utah's third Ray Guy winner in a row. Whittingham coaches the punters and kickers.
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Statchat
> Utah ranks No. 1 in the nation in net punting (44.90)
> Utah ranks No. 3 (tied) in the nation and No. 2 in the Pac-12 in takeaways with 28 (17 INT, 11 FR)
> Utah ranks No. 6 (tied) in the nation and leads the Pac-12 in sacks (40)
> Utah ranks No. 10 (tied) in the nation and No. 2 the Pac-12 in interceptions (17)
> Utah ranks No. 10 in the nation and leads the Pac-12 in time of possession (33.40)
> Utah is No. 1 in the Pac-12 in tackles for loss (94)
> Utah is No. 1 (tied) in the Pac-12 in defensive touchdowns (3)
> Utah is No. 1 in the Pac-12 in kickoff return average (24.5)
> Utah is No. 2 in the Pac-12 in rushing defense (129.7)
> Utah is No. 2 in the Pac-12 in turnover margin (0.58; 28 gained, 21 lost)
> Utah is No. 2 (tied) in the Pac-12 in fewest interceptions thrown (7)
> Utah is No. 3 in the Pac-12 in passing yards per completion (13.02)
> Utah is No. 3 (tied) in the Pac-12 in fumbles recovered (11)
> Utah is No. 3 in the Pac-12 in fourth down conversions (57.1%, 12-of-21)
> See sidebar on page 3 for complete Utah rankings
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Wishnowsky Wins Ray Guy Award
Sophomore Mitch Wishnowsky won the 2016 Ray Guy Award, honoring him as the nation's top punter. He is Utah's third-straight Ray Guy winner, following Tom Hackett in 2014 and 2015. Utah is the first school ever to win Ray Guy Awards three times in a row and just the third school to claim an award sponsored by the National College Football Awards Association in three consecutive years, along with Penn State (Bednarik Award, 2005-07) and Nebraska (Outland Trophy, 1981-83). For more on Wishnowsky and his NCAA-leading statistics, please see 'Punting Notebook.'
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Ute All-Americans
Sophomore punter Mitch Wishnowsky headlines a list of four Ute 2016 All-Americans. At press time, Wishnowsky had made two of the All-America first teams used by the NCAA to determine the season's consensus All-Americans (Walter Camp, Sporting News), as well as several other teams. The remaining three consensus teams (Football Writers Association of America, Associated Press, American Football Coaches Association) will be announced on Dec. 12 and Dec. 14. Senior defensive end Hunter Dimick joined Wishnowsky on the Walter Camp All-America team, with Dimick earning second team honors. Dimick was also one of six finalists for the Ted Hendricks Defensive End of the Year Award. Other Utes earning All-America recognition were junior defensive back Marcus Williams and junior offensive tackle Garett Bolles. For a complete list of Utah's awards in 2016, see page 2 of this release.
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Connections
Kyle Whittingham is 1-0 in previous Foster Farms Bowl games. In his first season as head coach in 2005, Whittingham's Utes beat No. 24 Georgia Tech, 38-10, at AT&T Park in what was then known as the Emerald Bowl … While they did not play in Levi's Stadium—home now to the San Francisco 49ers—Ute assistant head coach/running backs coach Dennis Erickson was the 49er head coach from 2003-05 … The Utes have 39 California natives on their roster—second behind Utah with 41.
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Two-Minute Drill
Utah has been designated as the home team and Indiana as the visitor in the Foster Farms Bowl … Utah is 15-4 all-time in bowl games … The Utes have played a Big Ten opponent in the postseason just one previous time, losing to Wisconsin in the 1996 Copper Bowl … Nine true freshmen have played for Utah this season: Zack Moss, Demari Simpkins, Donovan Thompson, Bradlee Anae, Terrell Burgess, Leki Fotu, Tyler Huntley, Julian Blackmon, and Devonta'e Henry-Cole.
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> No. 19 Utah (8-4, 5-4 Pac-12) vs. Indiana (6-6, 4-5 Big Ten)
> Wednesday, Dec. 28, 5:30 p.m. PT/6:30 p.m. MT
> Santa Clara, Calif. (Levi's Stadium)
> Televised on FOX
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Utah's Bowl Highlights
> Utah is playing in a bowl game for the 11th time under head coach Kyle Whittingham.
> Whittingham's 90-percent bowl winning percentage (9-1 record) ranks first all-time in NCAA history.
> Whittingham's postseason victories include a 2-0 mark in BCS bowl games (predecessor to the College Football Playoff) as co-coach of Utah's Fiesta Bowl win over Pittsburgh in the 2004 season and head coach for Utah's 2009 Sugar Bowl win over Alabama.
> Utah is 3-0 in bowl games since joining the Pac-12 Conference in 2011. See sidebar on this page for Utah's bowl history.
> From 1999-2009, Utah won nine consecutive bowl games to tie for the second-longest bowl win streak in NCAA history.
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Quick Hits
> Utah's four losses were by a combined 19 points—an average of 4.75 points per game. Two of Utah's four losses were to top-10 teams (No. 4 Washington and No. 9 Colorado).
> Utah is No. 19 in the final College Football Playoff rankings and No. 23 in the Coaches' poll. The Utes were ranked in the AP poll for 10 weeks. Utah has appeared in every CFP top-25 since the rankings were introduced in 2014.
> Utah's highest ranking this season was No. 11 AP and Coaches on Nov. 13, and No. 12 CFP on Nov. 15.
> Mitch Wishnowsky won the 2016 Ray Guy Award as the nation's top punter—Utah's third Ray Guy winner in a row. Whittingham coaches the punters and kickers.
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Statchat
> Utah ranks No. 1 in the nation in net punting (44.90)
> Utah ranks No. 3 (tied) in the nation and No. 2 in the Pac-12 in takeaways with 28 (17 INT, 11 FR)
> Utah ranks No. 6 (tied) in the nation and leads the Pac-12 in sacks (40)
> Utah ranks No. 10 (tied) in the nation and No. 2 the Pac-12 in interceptions (17)
> Utah ranks No. 10 in the nation and leads the Pac-12 in time of possession (33.40)
> Utah is No. 1 in the Pac-12 in tackles for loss (94)
> Utah is No. 1 (tied) in the Pac-12 in defensive touchdowns (3)
> Utah is No. 1 in the Pac-12 in kickoff return average (24.5)
> Utah is No. 2 in the Pac-12 in rushing defense (129.7)
> Utah is No. 2 in the Pac-12 in turnover margin (0.58; 28 gained, 21 lost)
> Utah is No. 2 (tied) in the Pac-12 in fewest interceptions thrown (7)
> Utah is No. 3 in the Pac-12 in passing yards per completion (13.02)
> Utah is No. 3 (tied) in the Pac-12 in fumbles recovered (11)
> Utah is No. 3 in the Pac-12 in fourth down conversions (57.1%, 12-of-21)
> See sidebar on page 3 for complete Utah rankings
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Wishnowsky Wins Ray Guy Award
Sophomore Mitch Wishnowsky won the 2016 Ray Guy Award, honoring him as the nation's top punter. He is Utah's third-straight Ray Guy winner, following Tom Hackett in 2014 and 2015. Utah is the first school ever to win Ray Guy Awards three times in a row and just the third school to claim an award sponsored by the National College Football Awards Association in three consecutive years, along with Penn State (Bednarik Award, 2005-07) and Nebraska (Outland Trophy, 1981-83). For more on Wishnowsky and his NCAA-leading statistics, please see 'Punting Notebook.'
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Ute All-Americans
Sophomore punter Mitch Wishnowsky headlines a list of four Ute 2016 All-Americans. At press time, Wishnowsky had made two of the All-America first teams used by the NCAA to determine the season's consensus All-Americans (Walter Camp, Sporting News), as well as several other teams. The remaining three consensus teams (Football Writers Association of America, Associated Press, American Football Coaches Association) will be announced on Dec. 12 and Dec. 14. Senior defensive end Hunter Dimick joined Wishnowsky on the Walter Camp All-America team, with Dimick earning second team honors. Dimick was also one of six finalists for the Ted Hendricks Defensive End of the Year Award. Other Utes earning All-America recognition were junior defensive back Marcus Williams and junior offensive tackle Garett Bolles. For a complete list of Utah's awards in 2016, see page 2 of this release.
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Connections
Kyle Whittingham is 1-0 in previous Foster Farms Bowl games. In his first season as head coach in 2005, Whittingham's Utes beat No. 24 Georgia Tech, 38-10, at AT&T Park in what was then known as the Emerald Bowl … While they did not play in Levi's Stadium—home now to the San Francisco 49ers—Ute assistant head coach/running backs coach Dennis Erickson was the 49er head coach from 2003-05 … The Utes have 39 California natives on their roster—second behind Utah with 41.
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Two-Minute Drill
Utah has been designated as the home team and Indiana as the visitor in the Foster Farms Bowl … Utah is 15-4 all-time in bowl games … The Utes have played a Big Ten opponent in the postseason just one previous time, losing to Wisconsin in the 1996 Copper Bowl … Nine true freshmen have played for Utah this season: Zack Moss, Demari Simpkins, Donovan Thompson, Bradlee Anae, Terrell Burgess, Leki Fotu, Tyler Huntley, Julian Blackmon, and Devonta'e Henry-Cole.
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Players Mentioned
DE
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DB
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OL
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WR/DB
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DE
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P
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RB
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QB
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DB
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P
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