The 8-4 Georgia Tech Bulldogs are an early -3.5 point favorite over the 7-5 Utah Utes in the 2011 Sun Bowl in El Paso.
Utah has given up only 19.7 points a game this season, 18th best in the nation, but they've done it primarily against sub-standard competition. Of their seven wins, only one came against an above-.500 team, a 54-10 pounding of their archrival BYU in September before the Cougars made a QB switch that turned their season around.
With a chance to win the Pac-12 South on the last week of the regular season, Utah fell 17-14 to 3-10 Colorado, who ranked 109th in the country in total offense and 110th in total defense.
Georgia Tech, meanwhile, is looking for their first bowl victory under Paul Johnson, as his triple-option offense has not been as effective against opponents who have over a month to prepare for it.
The Yellow Jackets averaged 34.9 points a game, 19th best in the country, and defending a run-first attack should be fairly unfamiliar to a Ute team used to playing in the more pass-happy Pac-12.
Utah will have opportunities against a Georgia Tech defense that is giving up 25.8 points a game, 60th best in the country. They are led offensively by junior RB John White IV, who has rushed for 1,404 yards and 14 TD's on 4.8 yards a carry.
Despite running a far more traditional offense under coach Kyle Whittingham, the Utes are almost as unproductive through the air as the Yellow Jackets, ranking 99th in the country in passing yards. Junior QB Jon Hays took over the team half-way through the season, completing 57% of his passes for 1,266 yards, 9 TD's and 7 INT's in nine games.
For the latest on Georgia Tech football check out From The Rumble Seat and for more information on Utah, head over to Block U.