HEART OF DALLAS BOWL

UTAH (6-6) VS. WEST VIRGINIA

1:30 p.m., ESPN

BACK IN PLAY: POOL SHARKS: (7-5) MISSING MOUNTAIN MEN:

The Mountaineers will be missing injured QB Will Grier and leading rusher Justin Crawford as the senior back prepares for the NFL draft. Crawford had consecutive 1,000-yard seasons with 11 total touchdowns.

Utah’s sophomore quarterback, Tyler Huntley, missed the regular-season finale with his second shoulder injury of the season but is 100 percent, Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said.

INDOOR HISTORY:

The other meeting between the schools was the first major college bowl game played indoors, according to the Utah sports information department. It was the Liberty Bowl at the convention center in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Utah won, 32-6.

Mountaineers coach Dana Holgorsen and Doug Elisaia, Utah’s strength coach, were teammates at Iowa Wesleyan in the early 1990s. “I used to beat him at pool,” Holgorsen said.

(8-4)

on his part,” Carey said. “We’re looking forward to seeing him this week because he still has a lot of friends on the team.” Cutcliffe helped Lions offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter get his start. Cutcliffe was Tennessee quarterback coach during Cooter’s brief playing career, then worked alongside him when Cooter became a graduate assistant in 2007. “He’s one of the brightest players I’ve ever had the opportunity to coach,” Cutcliffe said.

BOWL HISTORY:

This is only the fourth Quick Lane Bowl, but Detroit has hosted a post-Christmas bowl every year since 1997. Marshall played in the first four Motor City Bowls — the first touchdown was a Chad Pennington pass to Randy Moss — and won four, with Central Michigan and Purdue each winning two.