WEST VIRGINIA (7-5) VS. UTAH (6-6)
Site: Cotton Bowl, Dallas.
Kickoff: Tuesday, 1:30 p.m. TV: ESPN.
Line: Utah by 7.
All-time series: Utah leads 1-0.
Last meeting: Utah 32, West Virginia 6 (1964 Liberty Bowl).
WEST VIRGINIA
Coach: Dana Holgorsen (7th season, 53-36).
All-time postseason: 15-20.
Last postseason appearance: Lost to Miami 31-14 in 2016 Russell Athletic Bowl.
Draft spotlight: S Kyzir White. The former juco transfer has fit perfectly as the “spur” in WVU’s 3-3-5 scheme, combining athleticism with a love for delivering big hits. No.2 on team with 81 tackles this year, with 3 INTs. Good bloodlines as brother of Bears WR Kevin White and WVU RB Ka’Raun White.
Other Mountaineers to watch: RB Ka’Raun White, *WR David Sills, HB Elijah Wellman, LB Al-Rasheed Benton.
Mountaineer Lore: WVU will be without dynamic QB Will Grier and two other offensive starters in Dallas. RB Justin Crawford and G Kyle Bosch also are sitting out. … Sills leads the nation with 18 receiving TDs, earning consensus All-America status. … S Kenny Robinson has returned two INTs for TDs this season.
UTAH
Coach: Kyle Whittingham (13th season, 110-56).
All-time postseason: 16-4.
Last postseason appearance: Beat Indiana 26-24 in 2016 Foster Farms Bowl.
Draft spotlight: *SS Chase Hansen. An injury-plagued season has brought questions about whether another year would improve his stock, but the former QB has a long string of hits to make scouts notice. No.3 on team in tackles despite playing just 8 games, he’s solid in both run support and coverage skills.
Other Utes to watch: WR Darren Carrington, DE Kylie Fitts, DT Lowell Lotulelei, DT Filipo Mokofisi.
Ute Tracks: Whittingham owns a 10-1 mark in bowl games, the best winning percentage in NCAA history. Utah has won four straight since losing to Boise State in the 2010 Las Vegas Bowl. … K Matt Gay leads the nation with 27 FGs and won the Lou Groza Award as the nation’s top kicker. … The Utes went 4-0 in September, then 0-4 in October before splitting November’s four contests.
* underclass draft prospect