Poinsettia Bowl still young, but growing up

By: JAY PARIS - SAN DIEGO -- Three dots, no com ... Poinsettia Bowl edition ... | Wednesday, December 19, 2007 12:20 AM PST ∞

When it was first announced that the Holiday Bowl was getting a little brother bowl, most locals shrugged. But the Poinsettia Bowl is carving its niche in the San Diego sports scene, one that grows deeper with every game.

On Thursday night, the college football orgy known as the bowl season kicks off with the Poinsettia Bowl. Navy will play Utah at Qualcomm Stadium.

The onslaught of bowls forces anyone who's apathetic about college football to run away screaming. According to the Football Bowl Association, there are 32 games featuring 64 teams and some 6,400 athletes. About 1.7 million fans attend the games, with 134 million TV viewers. The bowls supply a $1.3 billion economic boost, with $215 million going to the competing schools.

Wow. ...

The Poinsettia Bowl, in its third year, is a toddler -- the grandkid of all bowl games? But it seems to be growing in popularity, not only with those traipsing through the turnstiles -- the crowd could be between 35,000-40,000 -- but on the tube as well.

The game will be broadcast on ESPN, and unlike most other bowls, the Poinsettia Bowl won't share the stage. It's the only game Thursday, meaning an audience craving college football has but one option. ...

It's always a plus when Navy anchors a game in San Diego. Sailors have clogged downtown's Broadway and bobbed on San Diego Bay for a long time. People with Navy blood -- current personnel and veterans -- notice when Navy is on board.

"A beautiful setting in a Navy city at one of the finest football venues in the country has everyone excited," Navy athletic director Chet Gladchuk said. ...

Did you know that the Holiday Bowl was nearly named the Poinsettia Bowl? Did you know that for the first time since 1923, hardly any poinsettias are fully grown at Encinitas' Ecke Ranch?

Once, most of the world's holiday plants were produced there. Now, Ecke Ranch is known for something else: being across the street from where Carlsbad's Tony Hawk help build a world-class skateboard park at Ecke YMCA. ...

Even without its San Diego ties, Navy is getting downright familiar.

This marks the third San Diego bowl for the Midshipmen. They beat BYU in the inaugural Holiday Bowl in 1978 and defeated Colorado State in the first Poinsettia Bowl two years ago. If nothing else, they do debuts well. ...

Navy (8-4) has its hands full with Utah (8-4). The Utes have a six-game bowl winning streak dating to 1999, or before anyone had heard of coach Urban Meyer.

The Poinsettia Bowl is Utah's fifth straight bowl appearance.

"We have several players, as well as a large alumni base, from the Southern California area,'' said Utah coach Kyle Whittingham, who replaced Meyer in 2004 when he left to build a national champion at Florida. "It's also a great destination for our fans from Utah. We always have a large fan contingent at our regular-season games in Qualcomm Stadium and we anticipate an even bigger turnout for the bowl game.'' ...

Navy would seem better suitedÝ for vessels, but it'll be asked to stop a Mack.

Junior Utah running back Darrell Mack has rushed for an average of 102 yards per game and is the ninth Ute to surpass the 1,000-yard mark (1,128).

During a four-game stretch this season, he rushed for 545 yards and four TDs. ...

Chargers fans know at least one former Ute: rookie safety Eric Weddle. He remains a big man on and off the Salt Lake City campus. When he ran onto the field for Sunday's game against the Lions, Weddle was cheered like never before.

"Those were all the guys from Utah,'' Weddle said. "They brought the whole team to the game.''

Weddle will return the favor and hollers for his boys on Thursday -- from the sideline, not the stands. ...

Navy on water is good. On the ground -- ditto.

The Midshipmen have led the nation in rushing four of the last five seasons and for three straight years. They are averaging 351 yards a game this season. Utah's defense allows an average of 84 rushing yards. Good matchup here. ...

Utah will face a team breaking in a new head coach. Assistant Ken Niumatalolo was named as Paul Johnson's replacement after Johnson was lured to Georgia Tech. ...

Is it just me? Georgia Tech's hiring of Johnson on Dec. 7 left a sour taste. If you're wondering why Dec. 7 is linked to Navy, you need to read more than sports. ...

Though new, Niumatalolo won't tinker with Navy's vaunted triple-option rushing offense -- he helped install it. ...

Utah is an eight-point favorite, with oddsmakers figuring that a stout defense will stop a potent offense. The Utes haven't allowed more than 20 points in any of their last six games. Overall, they allow an average of 15.6, third best in the nation. And they see the option when they face Mountain West Conference foe Air Force. ...

Utah has more than Mack on offense. Watch quarterback Brian Johnson and receiver Marquis Wilson, who can wiggle in space. ...

He's no Joe Bellino or Roger Staubach -- Navy's two Heisman Trophy winners -- but linebacker Ram Vela is famous. His leaping sack of Notre Dame quarterback Evan Sharpley on fourth-and-8 with 45 seconds left in regulation was a crucial play in Navy's 46-44 win in triple overtime last month.

No big deal? It snapped Navy's 43-game losing streak to Notre Dame. ...

At least the Irish don't hold grudges. Today's featured speaker at the Poinsettia Bowl luncheon is ex-Notre Dame coach Lou Holtz.

-- Contact staff writer Jay Paris at jparis8@aol.com.