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Saban, Alabama meet Utah in Sugar Bowl

Jan 2, 2009 - 2:27 PM TUSCALOOSA, Alabama (Ticker) -- Alabama barely missed out on a chance to compete for a national title.

The Crimson Tide will have to settle for a date with unbeaten Utah in the Sugar Bowl, which will be played at the Louisiana Superdome on Friday night.

Alabama will be without left tackle Andre Smith, the Outland Trophy winner, who was suspended for the game after improper dealings with an agent. He was sent home Monday.

Following an undefeated regular season under second-year head coach Nick Saban, Alabama entered the SEC championship game as the undisputed No. 1 team in the BCS standings.

But one day after dropping a 31-20 decision to Florida, the Crimson Tide (12-1) fell to fourth in the BCS.

"(The Sugar Bowl) is a great opportunity for us to take part in a great event that has tremendous tradition," Saban said. "There is no question this is a first-class event with first-class people and a great game."

Despite being unranked in the preseason and having just eight scholarship seniors on the roster, Alabama opened the campaign with an upset of then-No. 9 Clemson before rolling to the SEC West title.

Along the way, the Crimson Tide won road games against conference rivals Georgia and LSU en route to the school's first 12-win season since 1994.

"This team should be remembered and have a legacy as a team," said Saban, who guided Alabama on a stunning turnaround following a dismal 7-6 record in 2007. "They were the team that brought back a lot of pride back to the state of Alabama. That should be their legacy."

Alabama will make its 13th Sugar Bowl appearance against Utah (12-0), the Mountain West Conference champion which will attempt to complete the fifth perfect season in school history.

The Utes, who placed sixth in Sunday's final BCS rankings, became the first team from a non-qualifying conference to reach a BCS bowl for the second time.

Under current Florida coach Urban Meyer, Utah went 11-0 during the 2005 season before defeating Pittsburgh in the Fiesta Bowl.

This year's Utes own the nation's longest current winning streak at 13. Led by senior quarterback Brian Johnson, Utah defeated Mountain West rivals Brigham Young and TCU while also posting non-conference victories over Michigan and Oregon State.

"I'd like to congratulate Utah and their team and coach (Kyle) Whittingham on their season," Saban said. "They have done an outstanding job this season in all that they have accomplished.

"It's not easy to win 12 games in a season and go undefeated, and it happens less and less."