2002 Utah Utes football team

2002 Utah Utes football
Conference	Mountain West Conference
2002 record	5–6 (3–4 MWC)
Head coach	Ron McBride (13th year)
Offensive coordinator	Craig Ver Steeg (2nd year)
Defensive coordinator	Kyle Whittingham (8th year)
Home stadium	Rice–Eccles Stadium (Capacity: 45,634)

2002 Mountain West Conference football standings
	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
Colorado State $		6	–	1					10	–	4
New Mexico		5	–	2					7	–	7
Air Force		4	–	3					8	–	5
San Diego State		4	–	3					4	–	9
Utah		3	–	4					5	–	6
UNLV		3	–	4					5	–	7
BYU		2	–	5					5	–	7
Wyoming		1	–	6					2	–	10
$ – Conference champion Rankings from AP Poll

This season was Ron McBride's last at Utah. The team won their first two games, before dropping six straight. At 2–6 with only three games remaining, the team was guaranteed a losing record and would be ineligible for bowl play. However, the team then won the final three games of the season, capped by a 13–6 home victory over their biggest rivals, the BYU Cougars, finishing the season with a 5–6 record.

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent^#	Rank^#	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
August 31	7:00 PM	at Utah State*		Romney Stadium • Logan, UT (Battle of the Brothers)	KJZZ	W 23–3	30,757
September 7	6:00 PM	Indiana*		Rice–Eccles Stadium • Salt Lake City, UT	KJZZ	W 40–13	33,419
September 14	7:22 PM	at Arizona*		Arizona Stadium • Tucson, AZ	KJZZ	L 17–23	44,243
September 21	10:00 AM	at #14 Michigan*		Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, MI	ESPN	L 7–10	109,734
September 28	1:00 PM	Air Force		Rice–Eccles Stadium • Salt Lake City, UT	ESPN+	L 26–30	35,659
October 12	5:00 PM	at San Diego State		Qualcomm Stadium • San Diego, CA	KJZZ	L 17–36	20,410
October 19	1:00 PM	Colorado State		Rice–Eccles Stadium • Salt Lake City, UT	ESPN+	L 20–28	34,374
October 26	1:00 PM	at New Mexico		University Stadium • Albuquerque, NM (The Bowl)	ESPN+	L 35–42 ^OT	27,300
November 9	5:00 PM	UNLV		Rice–Eccles Stadium • Salt Lake City, UT	KJZZ	W 28–17	28,528
November 16	10:00 AM	at Wyoming		War Memorial Stadium • Laramie, WY	KJZZ	W 23–18	10,611
November 23	1:00 PM	BYU		Rice–Eccles Stadium • Salt Lake City, UT (Holy War)	ESPN+	W 13–6	45,167
*Non-conference game. Homecoming. ^#Rankings from AP Poll. All times are in Mountain Time.

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After the season

NFL draft

Three players went in the 2003 NFL Draft, including first rounder and future pro bowler Jordan Gross.

Player	Position	Round	Pick	NFL Club
Jordan Gross	Offensive tackle	1	8	Carolina Panthers
Lauvale Sape	Defensive tackle	6	187	Buffalo Bills
Antwoine Sanders	Defensive back	7	258	Baltimore Ravens

References

1. "Ute Record Book" (PDF). University of Utah. Retrieved October 21, 2009.
2. "2002 record". College Football Data Warehouse. Retrieved June 1, 2009.
3. "2003 Media Guide" (PDF). University of Utah. Retrieved June 4, 2009.
4. "2002 Season Results". Utah Official Athletic Site. Retrieved June 4, 2009.