The San Diego Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl might have been a great matchup had Cal running back Jahvid Best been in the starting lineup. As it stands, it’s a good matchup and a chance for Utah fans to catch a glimpse of the team they hope the Utes will be next season.

WHO TO WATCH: Jordan Wynn, QB, Utah

Wynn was thrown into the fire late in the season against some good teams and he lost to TCU and BYU, the two biggest teams on the Utes' schedule. But he’s the future of this Utah team, and this game against a good Cal team could be a glimpse of next year’s Utes. In four starts, Wynn completed 78 of 143 passes for 991 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions.

WHAT TO WATCH: The rushing defense

It would be easy to get lax on rushing defense with the announcement that Best isn’t going to play, but the Bears still rushed for 176 and 242 yards against Arizona and Stanford, respectively, in two of the last three games of the regular season. Sophomore Shane Vereen has the capability to bust open the game on the ground if the Utes aren’t prepared. Utah allows 141.33 yards per game and has struggled against some of the better rushing teams it’s faced this season.


WHY TO WATCH: The Utes of the future

Utah coach Kyle Whittingham spent a lot of time separating this year’s Utah team from last year’s undefeated squad, but the team that takes the field in the Poinsettia Bowl will be a look into the future of the Utes. Utah has shown flashes of being great with Wynn at the helm and has a chance to be the non-AQ BCS buster next season. A win in this game will go a long way toward laying the foundation for that to happen.


PREDICTION: Going out on a limb and taking Utah in this game. Cal played uninspired against Washington in the final game of the regular season, and it might not be too excited about being in this bowl. Utah, on the other hand, wants to end its season on a positive note, and Wynn wants to give fans confidence that he can lead the Utes to the promised land. Utah 31, Cal 21.