NEW ORLEANS — While confetti rained down from the Louisiana Superdome roof, jubilant Utah players and coaches held aloft the Sugar Bowl trophy and proclaimed themselves the No. 1 team in the land.

Under the current system, that's more of a dream than a possibility. What is clear is the winners of the Mountain West Conference proved they could soundly defeat one of the Southeastern Conference's best — an Alabama team that spent more than a month atop the rankings.

"What else do we have to prove?" Utah quarterback Brian Johnson said. "Without question, we're one of best, if not the best team in the country."

At the very least, the seventh-ranked Utes established themselves as the best of the BCS busters, finishing their undefeated season with a convincing 31-17 win over No. 4 Alabama on Friday night.

Johnson threw for 336 yards and three touchdowns on his way to being selected the game's most outstanding player, a fitting finish to the career of Utah's winningest quarterback (26-7).

Utah (13-0) became the first team from a non-BCS conference to win two BCS bowls. The Utes beat Pittsburgh in the 2005 Fiesta Bowl under coach Urban Meyer, who will go for his second BCS national title with Florida when the Gators play Oklahoma Thursday in Miami.

Yet, after winning the Mountain West, the Utes were left out of the BCS national championship game in favor of perennial powers Florida and Oklahoma, even though both have one loss.

"I don't know why they wouldn't deserve that consideration," Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said of his Utes. "Somebody has to explain to me why they wouldn't. There is only one undefeated team in the United States of America right now in Division I football, and it's these guys right here."

Utah's only chance for a piece of the national title — albeit a remote possibility — is The Associated Press poll. The AP, not part of the BCS, awards its own national champion.

Johnson was 27-of-41 and was not intercepted, and the Utes took charge from the start by bolting to a 21-0 first-quarter lead. When Alabama pulled to 21-17 early in the second half, the Utah declined to wilt.

Utah's defense was equally impressive, intercepting John Parker Wilson twice and sacking him eight times, with the seventh sack forcing a fumble that sent crimson-clad Alabama fans streaming for the exits with just more than 5 minutes remaining.

After surging to No. 1 in the rankings with a 12-0 regular season, Alabama closed with two consecutive losses, the first against Florida in the Southeastern Conference championship game.

Following that first loss, Saban noted his club still was the only team to have an undefeated regular season in a "real BCS conference."

The comment clearly motivated Utah, much to Saban's chagrin.

"I apologize if anybody was offended by that. We had a tremendous amount of respect for Utah," Saban said. "I certainly misstated that. ... So if that's what gave them all their intensity, then I guess I'm responsible for the way they played and I'm responsible for the way we played."

Cotton Bowl No 20 Mississippi 47, No. 8 Texas Tech 34

At Dallas, Jevan Snead's passing, Dexter McCluster's squirming runs and some big returns by Marshay Greenhelped the Rebels to overcome an early deficit and win the final Cotton Bowl to be played in the stadium of the same name.

The Red Raiders (11-2) converted a pair of early turnovers into a 14-0 lead, but Snead led the Rebels to touchdowns on their next three drives. Once Green returned an interception 65 yards for a touchdown early in the third quarter, Ole Miss (9-4) was well on its way to capping coach Houston Nutt's first season in grand style.

This was Mississippi's sixth straight win, matching its longest streak since 2003, when Eli Manning was a senior. That also was the last time the Rebels had been to a bowl.

Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell set the record for most career touchdowns in major college football (134) and became the first player with two 5,000-yard passing seasons. He was 36-of-58 for a Cotton Bowl-record 364 yards, giving him 5,111 yards this season.

Liberty Bowl Kentucky 25, East Carolina 19

In Memphis, Tenn., Ventrell Jenkins scooped up a fumble and barreled 56 yards for the go-ahead touchdown, helping Kentucky win a program-best third straight bowl game.

The Wildcats (7-6) never led until the fourth quarter, when Myron Pryor forced a fumble with about 3 minutes left. In the scramble for the loose ball, Jenkins came up with it and rumbled down the right sideline untouched for the touchdown.