Sun Bowl 2011: Key Matchups for Utah vs. Georgia Tech

The 2011 Sun Bowl has been announced and Georgia Tech will face off against Utah.

The game will be played on New Year's Eve in El Paso, Texas and broadcast nationally on CBS at 2 p.m. ET.

Both teams come into the game after suffering a disappointing loss in their last game. Georgia Tech lost its annual game to rival Georgia 31-17, while Utah couldn't complete the comeback against Colorado, falling 17-14. 

How will Utah handle the Yellow Jackets' triple-option offense? Will Georgia Tech be able to stop dynamic Utes running back John White?

Here is an early look at the matchups to look out for in the Sun Bowl. 

The Ramblin' Wreck do one thing better than almost any other team in the country, and that is run the football. The Yellow Jackets are averaging 316.8 yards per game on the ground this season, third in the country. 

Georgia Tech head coach Paul Johnson uses his version of the triple option to keep opponents off balance and Georgia Tech runs the offense to perfection. 

Tech ran the ball a staggering 661 times for 3,802 yards this season for an average of 5.75 yards per carry. 

Utah has had a stout defense this season, allowing just 19.7 points per game. The Utes have allowed just six rushing touchdowns on the season and held their opponents to just 2.97 yards per carry. The Utes have allowed opposing teams to reach 100 yards on the ground six times this season, allowing a season-high 185 to Washington. 

In the end Tech will run whenever it wants to and as much as it wants to. 

Edge: Georgia Tech 

Utah has a stud in running back John White. The junior ran for 1,405 yards and 14 touchdowns this season, earning a spot on the second-team All-Pac-12 team. White ran for 100 yards or more in seven of the Utes' 12 games this season with a season high of 205 against Oregon State. 

Georgia Tech has one of the worst run defenses in the country. Three times this season the Yellow Jackets allowed more than 200 rushing yards. 

For as good as Tech can move the ball on the ground, it sure has trouble stopping other teams from doing the same thing. 

Edge: Utah

Georgia Tech only averaged 12 passing attempts a game this season, so when it does pass the ball it usually catches teams off balance and ends in huge gains.  

Junior receiver Stephen Hill led the team in receptions (26), yards (785) and touchdown receptions (four). His yards per catch comes in at an astounding 30.19 yards. Tech uses its run heavy offense to lull defenses to sleep and then strikes with play-action a deep passing game. 

Utah allows 245 passing yards a game but has a ball-hawking defense that has forced 19 interceptions. If the Utes can stay honest in their protection and not get beat by the big play they should not have any trouble stopping Tech's passing attack. 

Edge: Utah

While Utah is a more balanced team than Georgia Tech, the Utes prefer running the ball to passing. Utah is 99th in the country passing the ball for 171 yards a game. 

Georgia Tech is holding its opponents to less than 200 passing yards, only allowing 300 passing yards once (Clemson, 304), and has 13 interceptions to their credit.

The Utes have thrown their share of interceptions this season (nine) and Georgia Tech will take advantage. 

Edge: Georgia Tech 

Paul Johnson is currently in his fourth year as head coach at Georgia Tech and has brought the Yellow Jackets built Tech into an ACC contender using an old-school offense. Since taking over at Georgia Tech, Johnson has a 34-18 record despite having yet to win a bowl game. 

Kyle Whittingham has been coaching at Utah for 17 seasons with this being his seventh as head coach of the Utes. Whittingham took over for Urban Meyer in 2005 and is 65-25 as a head coach. Unlike Johnson, Whittingham has had success in his bowl appearances, going 6-1 at Utah. That 6-1 record includes a 2008 Sugar Bowl win against Alabama. 

Although Johnson has brought Georgia Tech back into the national scene, the edge will have to go to the coach who has had postseason success.  

Edge: Kyle Whittingham

This clock won't stop much when these teams meet up on New Year's Eve. Georgia Tech will run its normal offense, and Utah will find success on the ground against a weak Tech rushing defense. 

The game will come down to whichever team can stop or slow down the other on the ground and force them to make plays through the air. 

In the end the Yellow Jackets will not be able to stop John White, and Utah will move to 7-1 in bowl games under Whittingham while Georgia Tech will remain winless under Johnson.