After all three of the state’s FBS programs — BYU, Utah, and Utah State — reached 10 wins during the 2021 season, the teams learned who, when and where they will play in their bowl matchups.
Here is a look at where the teams ranked in this week’s national polls, and who they will play in their respective bowl games to cap off an outstanding season in the beehive state.
Utah State
After thumping San Diego State for their 10th win of the season and first-ever Mountain West championship, Utah State will be going back to the Golden State for their bowl game.
The Aggies will play in the inaugural Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. They will face Oregon State of the Pac-12 Conference, who finished 7-5 overall (5-4 Pac-12).
This is Utah State’s first bowl game since 2019 (Frisco Bowl), while the Beavers are appearing in the postseason for the first time since winning the 2013 Hawaii Bowl.
Going, going, back, back, to Cali, Cali!
🏟 @LABowlGame
🆚 Oregon State
🔗 https://t.co/dOt6bLIJPhTICKETS ➡️ https://t.co/ceQmpfsHkT#AggiesAllTheWay pic.twitter.com/cB21pNwjqc
— USU Football (@USUFootball) December 5, 2021
Utah
By winning the Pac-12 championship and crushing then No. 10 Oregon for the second time in three weeks on Friday night, the Utes are now headed to their first Rose Bowl.
Appearing in the program’s third New Year’s Six bowl game (2005 Fiesta, 2009 Sugar), Utah is now ranked 10th in the new AP poll and sits at No. 11 in both the Coaches and College Football Playoff polls.
In the Rose Bowl, the Utes will take on No. 6 Ohio State from the Big Ten, who finished 10-2 overall (8-1 Big Ten) and were co-champions of the Big Ten East Division.
See you in 202️⃣2️⃣ at the @rosebowlgame
🌹🙌 #GoUtes pic.twitter.com/o0JWOcB146
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) December 5, 2021
BYU
Wrapping up the regular season two weeks ago with a win over USC, BYU achieved back-to-back 10-win campaigns for the first time since doing it four years in a row from 2006-09.
BYU will now face Alabama-Birmingham of Conference USA in the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl in Shreveport, Louisiana. The Blazers finished the year 8-4 overall, 6-2 in Conference USA play.
With the new rankings released on Sunday, the Cougars now occupy the No. 12 spot in the AP poll, 13th in the CFP, and 14th in the Coaches poll.
While Cougar fans were hoping for a better bowl game against a higher quality opponent, BYU head coach Kalani Sitake took the high road and praised the matchup between both programs.
WE'RE BOWLING❕❕ pic.twitter.com/tZiBD8pkAv
— BYU FOOTBALL (@BYUfootball) December 5, 2021
