Dec. 20, 1999

It's now officially upon us.

We've stepped right into the bowl season.

Utah did its part.

Now, if only the rest of the Mountain West Conference elite can fall in line.

BYU begins a week of intense focus for Marshall today, Colorado State is sharpening up for the Liberty Bowl and Southern Mississippi.

The Utes took care of Fresno State in Las Vegas, flexing a little MWC muscle in the process.

The Utah win was basically a will of guts and determination.

Ron McBride's bunch overcame some tremendous bad luck on penalties, a blocked field goal returned for a TD, and the nasty bite of the injury bug.

Before everyone leaves Las Vegas in the rearview mirror, it should be pointed out this Ute win was far more important for the MWC than just Utah leaving town with the trophy and Mike Anderson looking like Ron Dayne.

This was much more than a score and win.

THE LAS Vegas Bowl is about to dump the old Western Athletic Conference.

You've gotta feel sorry for WAC commissioner Karl Benson. Since the WAC's contract with the Las Vegas Bowl ended with this game, he's been lobbying Las Vegas like a dentist at a candy convention.

The new Las Vegas Bowl contract will be negotiated in January. The MWC is front and center.

It would have been ugly if Utah had lost to a WAC team. Especially when the Utes easily doubled up Fresno State fans. Boy, did the Bulldogs ever lay an egg for the old WAC.

Contrary to some local debate, the Las Vegas Bowl is a great venue for the MWC. Far better than Memphis.

Since it remains to be seen if the Holiday Bowl will ever court the MWC in the future, the real MWC future is Las Vegas.

It's centrally located. It's bound to continued improvements already set in motion with the stadium work. There are enough hotels and fun for everyone. You can get there cheap.

Look for the Las Vegas Bowl to move its date from pre-Christmas to after the holiday, sometime between Dec. 26 and 28.

Look for the game to climb up from ESPN2 (the Animal Channel in Utah), and get a top-drawer ESPN package.

UNTIL THE Liberty Bowl contract with the MWC expires in a couple of years, look for the Las Vegas Bowl to get the second pick. The opponent will likely be an "open" opponent -- or whomever is available.

This will stir the pot and perhaps get the Pac-10 or Big 12 or Big Ten involved.

MWC commish Craig Thompson is busy lobbying a new bowl proposed in Houston, and the rumored bowl in San Jose.

But this past weekend, it was very important that the Utes took out the club and beat FSU over the head.

It further drove a wedge between the old WAC and the new MWC.

In order for the MWC to make a splash, it must venture out on its own and put some miles between it and the old league.

The Las Vegas Bowl can do that with a MWC tie against an open berth.

Utah just made it all that more easy.