BYU, Utah Plagued By Mountain West Parity, Bowl Uncertainty
Salt Lake Tribune 22Nov99 S3
By Phil Miller and Michael C. Lewis: Salt Lake Tribune

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH -- In the wake of BYU's loss to the University of Utah on Saturday, both schools are facing uncertainty about what bowl games, if any, they will play in. The difference between the two schools is that BYU expected to play in a bowl game, while Utah was a long shot.

The defeat means that the Utes' and Cougars share the lead in the Mountain West Conference, and they may be joined in the lead if Wyoming and Colorado State both win on Saturday. If that happens, the conference would have four champions, and only two spots in bowl games, in the Liberty Bowl, which gets first choice, and in the Las Vegas Bowl, which gets second choice. "It's going to be awfully tough for both bowl committees to decide," said Amy Turner, MWC Assistant Commissioner. "It looks like we realistically are only going to have two opportunities. And all four schools remain serious candidates."

Unfortunately, the decision, made by the committees for the bowls, is not only based on the records of the teams and judgements of how good the teams are. It is also made based on how many people will attend and how lucrative a team's presence in the bowl game is. While the Cougars have a national reputation, one source said that the Liberty Bowl committee was disappointed with the draw it got from BYU in recent years.