Utah topples Tulsa, keeps streak going

Utah quarterback Brett Ratliff, left, tries to escape Tulsa linebacker Alain Karatepeyan as Utah lineman Zane Beadles, right, tries to block in the first half. Utah beat Tulsa, 25-13, in the Armed Forces Bowl on Saturday in Fort Worth, Texas.

? Fittingly, the ball was in Utah defensive standout Eric Weddle’s hands when the Armed Forces Bowl ended.

Weddle had an interception on the final play Saturday night, only a minute after scoring on a 4-yard run, to cap the Utes’ 25-13 victory over Tulsa. Utah has won six straight bowl games, matching the longest active streak.

“Having him end his career with that pick, you couldn’t have scripted it any better,” Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said.

It was Weddle’s final start at Utah, where in a 48-game career he was a two-time Mountain West Conference defensive player of the year who also got plenty of snaps at quarterback and running back while also holding and returning kicks.

The Utes (8-5) have won all of their bowl games since 1999, including two years ago when they were the first non-BCS team to play in the Bowl Championship Series and beat Pittsburgh 35-7 in the Fiesta Bowl to cap an undefeated season.

Weddle was the holder on all four field goals by Louis Sakoda – who was actually selected the game’s MVP.

The Armed Forces Bowl formerly was called the Fort Worth Bowl when Kansas University played it in last year.