Utah Opts Out Of 2020 Bowl Season; Saturday Will Be Season Finale
Utah wide receiver Britain Covey alluded to it following the conclusion of last Saturday's 38-21 victory over then No. 21 Colorado. Without being asked specifically, Covey talked about the mental and emotional toll this season has brought to the Utes.
With the COVID-19 pandemic ravaging the entire world, especially that of collegiate athletics, Utah was one of the teams in the country most impacted.
Dec 5, 2020; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Utes defensive end Mika Tafua (42) celebrates after sacking Oregon State Beavers quarterback Chance Nolan (10) on the final drive of the game at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Swinger-USA TODAY Sports
First the Pac-12 elected to cancel the season in August before reversing course and deciding to start in early November. But then an outbreak hit the team, forcing them to miss their first two games of the season — so when Utah finally kicked off on Nov. 21 against USC, they were the last team in the FBS to play a game.
According to Covey, that sort of mental and emotional roller coaster had clearly taken a toll on the team, having them feel burnt out.
“The honest truth is, and I don’t think that anyone could criticize the team for saying this, we’re all pretty burnt out,” he said postgame against Colorado. “The whole team, we’re pretty burnt out, just with the emotional drag of this season. To have one game is not fun but we’re ready to finish strong. We want to finish with a winning record going into next year.”
Due to that sentiment, which has been echoed by several members of the team, Utah announced on Friday that Saturday's game against Washington State will undoubtedly be their last one of the season. With a win, Utah would technically be bowl eligible but the Utes are passing on that opportunity — a smart move.
Dec 12, 2020; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Utah Utes quarterback Jake Bentley (8) reacts in the fourth quarter against the Colorado Buffaloes at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sportsffd
"Our number one priority is the well-being of our players, and we support the decision they have made," Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham said. "They have worked extremely hard since they returned to campus this summer, and they have shown tremendous resiliency in dealing with adversity and challenges. We're proud of what they have accomplished on the field and the way they have handled everything off the field. We look forward to beginning our preparations for the 2021 season when the players return to campus in January."
Following Utah's announcement, the Pac-12 now has five programs who have opted out of any bowl games. The Utes join Stanford, UCLA, Washington and Washington State as program that have announced they would turn down any bowl invitations.
Dec 5, 2020; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham keeps an eye on the action during their game against the Oregon State Beavers at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Swinger-USA TODAY Sports
"We support our student-athletes in their decision and applaud them for the way they represent the University of Utah," Utah Athletic Director Mark Harlan said. "We have said from the beginning of this pandemic that everything is about the health and well-being of our student-athletes. They have done everything asked of them in following the strict protocols that were established to provide them the opportunity to play a football season this fall. We thank our incredible supporters and fans who have stood alongside us and our student-athletes throughout this unprecedented season."
Utah will finish the shortened season on Saturday when it hosts Washington State at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Kickoff is set for 11:30 a.m. MT and will be broadcast on FS1.
The Utes will next take the field at Rice-Eccles in 2021 when it hosts Weber State in the season opener on Sept. 2.
With the decision to conclude the season on Saturday, this will allow the players the ability to head home for the holidays and have to worry about the added stresses that comes with seeing your family and staying healthy for a bowl game. After everything the players and coaches have been through just to play five games this year, getting home to spend Christmas with the family is looked upon as a phenomenal way to end the year.
“For everybody, including myself, it’s been tough. It’s been super stressful at times,” kicker Jadon Redding said. “The coaches have done a good job of making decisions based on what we have to get done to be a better football team along with helping us out with things that are going on back home. It’s been pretty difficult for the coaches but they’ve done the best job they could with what they’ve been dealing with.”
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