Utah-BYU rivalry - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

College Comparison
Category	BYU	Utah
Ownership	LDS Church	State of Utah Utah Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
Location	Provo, UT Provo, Utah Provo is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Utah, located about south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front. Provo is the county seat of Utah County and lies between the cities of Orem to the north and Springville to the south...	Salt Lake City, UT
Students	32,000	30,192
School Colors	Blue Blue Blue is a colour, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 440–490 nm. It is considered one of the additive primary colours. On the HSV Colour Wheel, the complement of blue is yellow; that is, a colour corresponding to an equal... & White White White is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light that stimulates all three types of color sensitive cone cells in the human eye in nearly equal amounts and with high brightness compared to the surroundings. A white visual stimulation will be void of hue and grayness.White light can be...	Crimson Crimson Crimson is a strong, bright, deep red color. It is originally the color of the dye produced from a scale insect, Kermes vermilio, but the name is now also used as a generic term for those slightly bluish-red colors that are between red and rose; besides crimson itself, these colors include... & White White White is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light that stimulates all three types of color sensitive cone cells in the human eye in nearly equal amounts and with high brightness compared to the surroundings. A white visual stimulation will be void of hue and grayness.White light can be...
Mascot	Cougars (Cosmo Cosmo the Cougar Cosmo the Cougar is the official mascot of Brigham Young University's athletic teams. He can be seen at many sporting events, wearing the uniform of the team that is playing. In the past, Cosmo's job was a volunteer position, and no scholarship or academic assistance was given... )	Utes (Swoop)
Football Stadium	LaVell Edwards Stadium LaVell Edwards Stadium LaVell Edwards Stadium is an outdoor athletic stadium in Provo, Utah, on the campus of Brigham Young University. Primarily used for college football, it is the home field of the BYU Cougars....	Rice–Eccles Stadium
Basketball Arena	The Marriott Center Marriott Center Marriott Center is a 22,700-seat multi-purpose arena at 1497 N 450 E on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, and is home to the BYU Cougars men's and women's basketball teams. It is also used for weekly devotionals and forums...	The Huntsman Center

The University of Utah

University of Utah

The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...

(Utah) and Brigham Young University

Brigham Young University

Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...

(BYU) have a longstanding athletic rivalry that encompasses several sports. The annual college football

College football

College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...

game is frequently referred to as the Holy War

Holy War (Utah vs. BYU)

The Holy War is an American college football rivalry game played annually by the University of Utah Utes and the Brigham Young University Cougars. The game is part of the larger Utah–BYU rivalry...

. In the 1890s, when BYU was still known as Brigham Young Academy, the two schools started competing athletically. The schools have met continually since 1909 in men's basketball

Basketball

Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...

and since 1922 have met once a year in football, with the exception of 1943–1945 when BYU did not field a team due to World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

. Both schools formerly competed in the Mountain West Conference

Mountain West Conference

The Mountain West Conference , popularly known as the Mountain West, is the youngest of the college athletic conferences affiliated with the NCAA’s Division I FBS . The MWC officially began operations in July 1999...

, but both teams left the MWC in 2011

2010 NCAA conference realignment

The 2010–11 NCAA conference realignment refers to several proposed and actual conference expansion plans among various NCAA Division I conferences beginning in the 2010-11 academic year and continuing into fall 2011...

—Utah joined the Pacific-12 Conference and BYU became a football independent while joining the West Coast Conference

West Coast Conference

The West Coast Conference is an NCAA collegiate athletics conference consisting of nine member schools across the states of California, Oregon, Utah and Washington....

for other sports.

There are several conditions which foster the rivalry: proximity of the two schools, successes of the athletic teams, and religion. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints owns BYU while Utah is a secular institution.

Unique characteristics

The Utah–BYU rivalry holds a number of unique characteristics that add to its overall greatness.

Religion

This rivalry has traditionally featured Mormons vs. Mormons between Utah’s two oldest universities. Subsequently, the football game played between these two schools has come to be known as the Holy War. Both schools were founded by the LDS church, have significant percentages of LDS students and faculty as well as many historical and customary affiliations with Mormonism such as LDS institutes and dry campuses. As much as religion is a common historical foundation for the rivalry, it has also been a source of animosity and many have sought to downplay the aspect of religion.
BYU (aka "the Y") is owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). The University of Utah (aka "the U") is a public state-owned school. Because this rivalry includes a "church vs. state"

Separation of church and state

The concept of the separation of church and state refers to the distance in the relationship between organized religion and the nation state....

dimension, many fans of both schools use it as a forum to vent deeply held feelings and perceptions. Through these perceptions, the thrill of victory and the sting of defeat are magnified.

While the LDS Church owns BYU, some of the Church’s top leadership, including current President Thomas S. Monson

Thomas S. Monson

Thomas Spencer Monson is an American religious leader and author, and the 16th and current President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . As president, Monson is considered by adherents of the religion to be a "prophet, seer, and revelator" of God's will on earth...

and his predecessor Gordon B. Hinckley

Gordon B. Hinckley

Gordon Bitner Hinckley was an American religious leader and author who served as the 15th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from March 12, 1995 until his death...

, attended and graduated from the University of Utah. Brigham Young

Brigham Young

Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...

, the second President of the LDS Church and the man for whom BYU is named, founded the University of Deseret, which later became the University of Utah when it was bought out by other state residents. Former Church President, David O. McKay

David O. McKay

David Oman McKay was the ninth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , serving from 1951 until his death. Ordained an apostle and member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1906, McKay was a general authority for nearly 64 years, longer than anyone else in LDS Church...

, played right guard for Utah’s first football team in 1894 and former apostle, Joseph B. Wirthlin

Joseph B. Wirthlin

Joseph Bitner Wirthlin was an American businessman, religious leader and member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . He was sustained to the Quorum on October 4, 1986, and ordained an apostle on October 9, 1986 by Thomas S. Monson, following the...

, also played football for the Utes.

WASATCH CUP HISTORY
Date	Score^†				Location	Notes
March 27, 2009	^#2BYU	66	^#4UTAH	20	Provo
March 7, 2009	^#2BYU	59	^#4UTAH	15	Salt Lake City
March 8, 2008	^#4BYU	30	^#7UTAH	27	Provo
March 10, 2007	^#4BYU	21	^#5UTAH	20	Salt Lake City
March 4, 2006	^#2BYU	39	^#3UTAH	3	Provo
March 5, 2005	^#8UTAH	17	^#3BYU	15	Salt Lake City
March 13, 2004	^#?BYU	32	^#?UTAH	19	Provo
^†Goff on Rugby Rankings prior to the game. See also: The Wasatch Cup Official Website.

Successful programs

Both BYU and Utah have successful athletic programs over the years, even before BYU rose to prominence in football. The two teams were part of the same conference from 1922 to 2010, and their clashes often decided the conference title. Due to this success, the rivalry has become multi-dimensional.

The BYU-Utah rivalry remains heated and intense whether the schools are dueling in football

College football

, men’s and women’s basketball

College basketball

College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....

, baseball

College baseball

College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. Compared to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a less significant contribution to cultivating professional players, as the minor leagues primarily...

, women's gymnastics and volleyball, or even rugby (where schools compete annually for the Wasatch Cup).

Location

A 45-minute drive down Interstate 15

Interstate 15 in Utah

In the U.S. state of Utah, Interstate 15 runs north–south through the southwestern and central portions of the state, passing through many of the population centers of that state, including St. George, Provo, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, the latter three being part of the urban area known as...

is all that separates BYU from the University of Utah. The close proximity has caused the schools to constantly compete against each other for recruits, as well as for fan support.

Longevity

BYU and Utah also have a long history in football, however the two schools disagree on exactly when the series started. BYU asserts that the series began in 1922, but Utah claims that it actually began in 1896 when BYU was known as the Brigham Young Academy (BYA). From 1896 to 1899, BYA and Utah played each other six times, with each school winning three games. Both schools agree that Utah leads the football series; Utah claims a 53–33–4 lead while BYU says Utah leads 50–30–4. As mentioned above, the two schools were part of the same conference for almost 90 years.

Reciprocity

Both Utah and BYU are each other’s number one rival. Many schools today will consider a certain school to be their biggest rival, but that certain school may not share the same sentiment towards the other (for example, most Boston College football

Boston College Eagles football

The Boston College Eagles football team is the collegiate football program of Boston College. The team is a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, a Division I Bowl Subdivision league governed by the NCAA. Within the ACC, the Eagles are one of six teams in the Atlantic Division...

fans consider Notre Dame

Notre Dame Fighting Irish football

Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...

to be a big rival, but most Notre Dame fans generally consider USC to be their biggest rival). The result of a reciprocal rivalry is that both schools are equally passionate, and emotionally invested, in the outcome of a meeting.

History

In 1895, the Brigham Young Academy and the University of Utah met for the first sporting event between the two schools: a baseball game. The scoreless match ended with a bench-clearing brawl

Bench-clearing brawl

A bench-clearing brawl, sometimes known as a basebrawl or a rhubarb, is a form of ritualistic fighting that occurs in sports, most notably baseball and ice hockey, in which every player on both teams leave their dugouts, bullpens, or benches and charge the playing area in order to fight one...

, and a rivalry was born.

The early years

Unsurprisingly, the history of the BYU-Utah rivalry is also in dispute. Utah claims that the football rivalry began in the late 19th century, when Utah played the Brigham Young Academy six times between 1896 and 1899. BYU does not count these games in their official records, since it was not then known as BYU, but BYA. Furthermore, BYU claims that the first of those football games, a 12–4 Utah victory in April 1896, was in actuality a practice-scrimmage to prepare for the following fall season. But whether or not the game meant anything to the schools at the time, it certainly meant a great deal to the fans. At the end of the match, a fight broke out between fans of the two schools.

Through most of its history, this rivalry was classified as mainly a basketball rivalry. Though the schools have regularly played each other in football since at least 1922, the football aspect (known as the “Holy War”

Holy War (Utah vs. BYU)

The Holy War is an American college football rivalry game played annually by the University of Utah Utes and the Brigham Young University Cougars. The game is part of the larger Utah–BYU rivalry...

) was grossly one-sided. Utah dominated from the start; indeed, even with the resurgence of BYU football in the 1970s, Utah still has a large overall lead in the series. Not counting the disputed games involving BYA, Utah won the first six meetings by a combined score of 186–13. And by 1941, Utah led the series-record 17–0, with 3 ties. BYU finally earned its first victory of the rivalry in 1942, but wouldn’t win another until 1958. By 1964, Utah had extended its record against BYU to 34–2, with 4 ties.

On the other hand, the basketball aspect of the rivalry was very competitive from its beginning in 1909. BYU won the first eight meetings, and by an average margin of about 12 points (including a 32–9 victory in the first game). After that though, neither team would win more than 4 straight until 1938; an impressive statistic considering that the teams would often play 4–5 times per season back then. The series remained close, and from 1939 to 1971, Utah won 37 of the meetings and BYU won 36.

During the early years of the rivalry, only Utah enjoyed basketball success on the national level. Utah won a National Championship in 1944

1944 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament

-External links:* on Shrp Sports * , source for much of the information on this page....

, reached the Final Four in 1961 and 1966, and won the NIT Tournament

National Invitation Tournament

The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...

in 1947. BYU won the NIT twice: in 1951, and again in 1966, when the NIT was still considered at least equal to, if not better than, the NCAA basketball tournament.

The rise of BYU football

During the 1970s and 80s, the basketball side of the rivalry remained close, with Utah winning 21 games and BYU winning 19. Meanwhile, the football side also began to intensify. In 1972, BYU hired a new head football coach, LaVell Edwards

LaVell Edwards

R. LaVell Edwards is a former American football coach of Brigham Young University . With 257 career victories, he ranks as one of the most successful college football coaches of all time...

. In Edwards’ first season at the helm, BYU defeated Utah for the first time in five years, and their rise to national prominence began. In 1974, BYU was invited to their first ever bowl game, after winning the conference championship for the second time ever. BYU also began to annually dominate Utah, who was experiencing a series of losing seasons and coaching changes. By 1976, Edwards had compiled a 5–0 record against the Utes.

In 1977, Utah hired a promising new coach of their own, Wayne Howard. That year, BYU soundly beat Utah 38–8 in Provo. With less than two minutes left, BYU's star QB, Marc Wilson, was sent back into the game to set an NCAA passing record and rack up an astounding 571 passing yards. In his post-game remarks to the press, Howard accused Edwards of running up the score, and was quoted as saying:

"This today will be inspiring. The hatred between BYU and Utah is nothing compared to what it will be. It will be a crusade to beat BYU from now on. This is a prediction: In the next two years Utah will drill BYU someday, but we won’t run up the score even if we could set an NCAA record against them."

Howard was able to lead Utah to victory over the Cougars the next year, but it would be his only time, and Utah’s only victory over BYU in a 16-year period. Howard continued to have an intensity toward the rivalry, but retired from coaching after the 1981 season.

BYU went on to make a major impact on the national level. From 1979 to 1992, BYU went 13–1 against the Utes, won 11 conference

Western Athletic Conference

The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS...

championships, and a national championship

NCAA Division I FBS National Football Championship

A college football national championship in the highest level of collegiate play in the United States, currently the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , is a designation awarded annually by various third-party organizations to their selection of the best...

in 1984. Utah’s lone football victory over the Cougars during this period came in 1988.

As the football rivalry intensified, the emotion carried over into other sports. For instance, during a baseball game in the mid-1980s, BYU players taunted the Ute pitcher. The pitcher reacted by throwing a fastball

Fastball

The fastball is the most common type of pitch in baseball. Some "power pitchers," such as Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, have thrown it at speeds of 95–106 mph and up to 108.1 mph , relying purely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit...

into the Cougar dugout

Dugout (baseball)

In baseball, the dugout is a team's bench area and is located in foul territory between home plate and either first or third base. There are two dugouts, one for the home team and one for the visiting team. In general, the dugout is occupied by all players not prescribed to be on the field at that...

, igniting a bench-clearing brawl

Bench-clearing brawl

.

As the 1990s began, BYU’s football program's success began to lessen, although from 1989 to 1996, BYU won at least a share of the WAC

Western Athletic Conference

championship every year but one (1994, in which Utah ended the season in the top 10).

In 1996, Edwards assembled one of his best teams: winning 14 games, finishing the season #5 in both major polls, and with a thrilling victory over Kansas State

Kansas State Wildcats football

The Kansas State Wildcats football program is the intercollegiate football program of the Kansas State University Wildcats. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision, and the team competes in the Big 12 Conference...

in the Cotton Bowl Classic. That season, the Cougars snapped their 3-game losing streak to Utah, who had begun a resurgence of conference championships dating back to 1919. Utah started to field a competitive team under the leadership of Coach Ron McBride

Ron McBride

Ron McBride is the current head coach of Weber State University's football team. Coach "Mac" has over 40 years of coaching experience, including 13 years as head coach at the University of Utah....

. Seemingly overnight, McBride (hired in 1990) and the Utes regularly found themselves in the race for conference titles and bowl invitations. In 1994, they compiled a 10–2 record, beat BYU, beat Arizona

Arizona Wildcats football

The Arizona Wildcats football team is the football team of the University of Arizona, located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The team competes in the Pacific-12 Conference at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level.-Early years:...

in the Freedom Bowl

Freedom Bowl

The Freedom Bowl was an annual post-season college football bowl game played at Anaheim Stadium in Anaheim, California, from 1984 to 1994. Beginning with the 1995 season, the Freedom Bowl's WAC tie-ins were merged with that of the Holiday Bowl and the game was dissolved...

, and finished the season ranked #8 in the Coaches Poll

Coaches Poll

The USA Today Coaches' Poll is the current name for a weekly ranking of the top 25 NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football and Division I college basketball teams....

The resurgence of Utah basketball

In the meantime, the basketball rivalry remained just as competitive as ever. In 1989, BYU and Utah each hired new head basketball coaches, Roger Reid

Roger Reid

Roger Reid is an American college basketball coach and the current head coach for Southern Utah University men's basketball team. He was head coach at Brigham Young University from 1989 to 1996, assistant coach for the NBA's Phoenix Suns, and played for former NBA coach Dick Motta at Weber State...

and Rick Majerus

Rick Majerus

Rick Majerus is an American college basketball coach, and the men's basketball head coach at Saint Louis University. He coached previously at Marquette University , Ball State University , and the University of Utah .-Biography:Majerus graduated from Marquette University High School in 1966 and...

respectively. These two coaches brought their colorful, and often controversial, personalities to an already-lively rivalry.

These coaches also had considerable success during their tenures. During Reid’s seven-year term as coach, BYU won two WAC titles, played in five NCAA Tournaments, and one NIT.

In the fifteen head-to-head meetings involving these two coaches, Reid’s teams won eight games, and Majerus’ teams won seven. However, Majerus would go on to have a much better career overall. In Majerus’ 12 full seasons as Utah coach, the Utes made 11 post-season appearances, including four Sweet Sixteens, and a Final Four in 1998. That year, the Utes lost to Kentucky

1997–98 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team

The 1997–98 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team were coached by Tubby Smith. He was in his first season as head coach after taking over from Rick Pitino...

in the championship game after holding a double-digit halftime lead.

Utah’s resurgence to national basketball prominence, and BYU’s struggles in the late 1990s, are illustrated by the fact that from 1995 to 2000, the Utes beat the Cougars 12 straight times. Additionally, BYU never won a game at Utah between 1994 and 2006.

The present

Recently, BYU and Utah have each found themselves in the spotlight again. Especially in football, where several meetings have had important MWC, if not national, implications. In 2001, BYU came within a single game of making the case to become the first non-BCS conference team to deserve a BCS

Bowl Championship Series

The Bowl Championship Series is a selection system that creates five bowl match-ups involving ten of the top ranked teams in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , including an opportunity for the top two to compete in the BCS National Championship Game.The BCS relies on a combination of...

bowl bid. Their near-perfect season included a thrilling 24–21 come-from-behind victory over the Utes on national television. Three years later, BYU and Utah met with a BCS invite again on the line, but this time it was Utah who was looking to cap off a perfect season. Under second-year head coach Urban Meyer

Urban Meyer

Urban Frank Meyer, III is an American football coach and former player. He is head football coach at Ohio State University, having been hired for the position in November 2011...

, and future #1 NFL Draft choice Alex Smith

Alex Smith

Alexander Douglas Smith is a professional American football player and starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. Smith was drafted with the 1st-overall pick in the 1st round of the 2005 NFL Draft by San Francisco from the University of Utah...

at QB, the Utes beat the Cougars 52–21, and clinched a bid to the Fiesta Bowl

Fiesta Bowl

The Fiesta Bowl, now sponsored by Frito-Lay and named with their Tostitos brand, is a United States college football bowl game played annually at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Between its origination in 1971 and 2006, the game was hosted in Tempe, Arizona at Sun Devil...

. ESPN

ESPN

Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....

sent their College GameDay crew out to Salt Lake to highlight the event.

In November 2005, The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....

ranked the BYU-Utah football rivalry as the fourth-best in the country. This ranking was based on a formula that considered recent outcomes, margins of victory, lead changes, and overall quality of the rivalry. Other top rivalries, according to the Wall Street Journal, include (1) Florida-Florida State

Florida-Florida State rivalry

The Florida–Florida State football rivalry is an American college football rivalry between the teams of the two oldest public universities of the U.S. state of Florida: the University of Florida Gators and the Florida State University Seminoles...

, (2) Georgia-Georgia Tech

Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate

Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate is the nickname given to an American college football rivalry game played annually by the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team of the Georgia Institute of Technology and the Georgia Bulldogs football team of the University of Georgia. The two Georgia universities are...

, (3) Alabama-Auburn

Iron Bowl

The Iron Bowl is an American college football rivalry game played annually by the Alabama Crimson Tide football team of the University of Alabama and the Auburn Tigers football team of Auburn University. The series is considered one of the best and most hard-fought rivalries in all of sports...

, and (4-tie) Michigan-Ohio State.

On the basketball front, both schools regularly compete for the conference championship and post-season berths. Furthermore, the rivalry has featured such players as NBA lottery pick

2004 NBA Draft

The 2004 NBA Draft was held on June 24, 2004 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York and was broadcast live on ESPN at 7:00 pm . In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible...

Rafael Araújo for BYU, and NBA #1 Pick

2005 NBA Draft

The 2005 NBA Draft took place on June 28, 2005 in the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City. In this draft, NBA teams took turns selecting amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible players, such as players from high schools and non-North American leagues...

Andrew Bogut

Andrew Michael Bogut is an Australian professional basketball player. He plays for the Milwaukee Bucks of the United States' National Basketball Association....

for Utah. To commemorate the rivalry, Utah's former coach, Ray Giacoletti

Ray Giacoletti

Ray Giacoletti is a men's basketball coach. He played collegiate basketball at Minot State University in North Dakota from 1980-1984, where he was a four-year letterman and a team captain for two seasons...

, was known to wear a red sports jacket (the "Giac-et") during each meeting.

And while the on-court intensity remains with the rivalry, off-court controversy is seemingly ever-present as well. In April 2004, eight Utah baseball players hiked onto the hillside above BYU's campus where lies a large concrete "Y."

Y Mountain

Y Mountain is located directly east of Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. The Slide Canyon/Y Mountain Trail leads to a large block Y located 1.2 miles from a parking area at the mountain's base. This hillside letter was built over a hundred years ago as the insignia for BYU...

The players then painted the landmark red, and proceeded to take pictures of themselves in front of their handiwork. Ten days later, an employee of a discount store in Salt Lake notified the police that a customer had recently developed pictures of himself and friends in front of the painted "Y." The customer happened to be Ute pitcher Ryan Breska, and the store employee happened to be a BYU fan. When Breska returned to pick up his photos, police were waiting to arrest him. Breska and the rest of "The Utah 8" (as they became known) were charged with second-degree felony mischief, a charge that carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. After much media publicity and public debate, authorities in Provo agreed to reduce the charges to class B misdemeanors and a fine of $6,267.20.

The matches have proved to be so intensive and compelling that in 2008 Deseret First Credit Union decided to sponsor the matches between the two schools, with the winning school being award a trophy at the end of each year. The event awards points for each head-to-head winner of the two schools across 12 sports: football, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's swimming, women's gymnastics, men's and women's tennis, baseball, softball, women's soccer, and women's volleyball. These 12 sports encompass the Deseret First Duel. Since its conception in 2008, BYU has won 3 of the 4 Deseret first Duel trophies.

Basketball

March 5, 1983– Provo

Utah (14–13, 9–5) beats BYU (14–13, 10–4) in an epic triple-overtime game. In doing so, Utah clinched a co-conference championship and the accompanying NCAA tournament berth.

Utah 64, BYU 62 (3OT)

January 14, 1984– Provo

For the second year in a row, a Marriott Center

Marriott Center

Marriott Center is a 22,700-seat multi-purpose arena at 1497 N 450 E on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, and is home to the BYU Cougars men's and women's basketball teams. It is also used for weekly devotionals and forums...

crowd witnesses an overtime shootout between BYU (6–4, 0–0) and Utah (6–6, 0–0). This time, the game went to double overtime, and BYU left with the victory.

BYU 113, Utah 105 (2OT)

March 2, 1985– Provo

For the third year in a row, BYU (15–12, 9–6) and Utah (12–15, 7–8) play a multiple overtime game at the Marriott Center. In the final seconds of the third overtime, Utah freshman Bobby Adair hits the game winning shot.

Utah 86, BYU 85 (3OT)

February 27, 1988– Salt Lake City

Earlier in the season, a highly-favored BYU team beat Utah 82–64 in Provo, extending their record to 17–0, and earning a #3 national ranking. BYU would eventually climb as high as #2, but three weeks later, the Utes (16–9, 8–5) upset the #2 Cougars (23–2, 12–1) in Salt Lake City. Utah's Keith Chapman scored two 3-point shots in the final 90 seconds, including the game-winning shot at the buzzer.

Utah 62, BYU 60

March 8, 1990– El Paso, TX

After missing the majority of the season due to health problems, Utah coach Rick Majerus

Rick Majerus

watched the game from the stands as the Utes (15–13, 7–9) and Cougars (21–7, 11–5) met in the first round of the WAC Tournament. The highly-favored BYU squad was able to establish a nine point lead with 11:23 left in the game, but Utah, led by Josh Grant

Josh Grant

Joshua "Josh" David Grant is a retired American professional basketball player. The 6’9” , 223 pound Small/Power forward who graduated from East High School in Salt Lake City, Utah in 1986 and attended the University of Utah, where he was an important player and still holds multiple basketball...

, Craig Rydalch, and Walter Watts, fought back to force overtime. Once again, BYU was able to establish a seemingly-comfortable 5-point lead with 34 seconds left in OT, but Utah would close the game by hitting two 3-pointers, including the game winner by Tommy Connor (who played with a broken finger) with seven seconds left. Andy Toolson

Andy Toolson

Andrew "Andy" Kent Toolson is a retired American professional basketball player. He was a 6'6" shooting guard-small forward. He played college basketball at Brigham Young University where he still ranks as 3rd overall in 3-point shooting percentage at .437...

led the Cougars with 21 points, but star senior Marty Haws was held to nine.

Utah 62, BYU 61 (OT)

March 9, 1991– Laramie, WY

BYU (19–12, 11–5) and Utah (28–2, 15–1) met in the 1991 WAC Championship game. The Utes came back from a nine point second half deficit to force overtime. But with the game tied, Utah’s Tyrone Tate committed a foul, which allowed BYU’s Nathan Call to put the Cougars up by two from the free-throw line with :08 left. On the ensuing possession, Utah’s Josh Grant spotted Tate all alone under the basket. Tate got the pass, but his wide-open lay-up bounced off the rim. He managed to grab the rebound, but his put-back attempt also bounced off as time expired. BYU’s 7-foot-6 freshman Shawn Bradley

Shawn Bradley

Shawn Paul Bradley is a retired American and German basketball player who played center for the Philadelphia 76ers, the New Jersey Nets and the Dallas Mavericks in the National Basketball Association. At tall, Bradley was one of the tallest players in NBA history...

led all scorers with 21 points; he also added 13 rebounds and five blocked shots.

BYU 51, Utah 49 (OT)

Feb. 27, 1993– Salt Lake City

Perhaps the most highly anticipated BYU/Utah game ever. BYU (22–5, 14–1) and Utah (21–3, 14–1) entered the game tied for first-place in the WAC. Additionally, Utah was ranked #11 in the nation, and BYU was #23. After playing close for nearly 30 minutes, Utah opened up a 12-point lead and never trailed from then on. Utah's Phil Dixon scored a career-high 28 points, and Josh Grant pulled down 22 rebounds. Gary Trost scored 26 for the Cougars.

Utah 89, BYU 83

Jan. 8, 1994– Salt Lake City

The second-largest crowd ever in the Huntsman Center

Jon M. Huntsman Center

Jon M. Huntsman Center is a 15,000-seat multi-purpose arena on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah. The arena opened in 1969 and is named after chemicals entrepreneur and philanthropist Jon M. Huntsman, father of Utah's former governor Jon Huntsman, Jr....

saw BYU (8–3, 1–1) steal one from Utah (7–4, 1–1) in Salt Lake. Down by two with 16-seconds left and 3-seconds on the shot-clock, Robbie Reid nailed a 25-foot three-pointer. Ten seconds later, Utah’s Craig Rydalch hit the apparent game winning lay-up, but he was called for charging. Reid, a true freshman and the coach’s son, went 4–6 from beyond the arc, including the game winner. Another true freshman, Keith Van Horn

Keith Van Horn

Keith Adam Van Horn is a retired American professional basketball player. The 6-foot-10, 240-pound forward graduated from Diamond Bar High School in Diamond Bar, California and attended the University of Utah where he went on to be a consensus First Team All-American in 1997...

, had 21 points for the Utes. The Cougars wouldn't win again at the Huntsman Center until the 2006–07 season.

BYU 64, Utah 62

March 10, 1994 – Salt Lake City:

"The Great Caucasian Shootout"

Utah (14–13, 8–10) became the victim of a BYU (19–8, 12–6) “statement game” in the WAC Tournament. BYU Coach Roger Reid

Roger Reid

allowed his starters to play the majority of the game, despite leading by as many as 33 points. The Cougars shot 73.9% from the field in the first half, and 63.5% for the game.

BYU 98, Utah 67

March 10, 2000 – Las Vegas, NV

Having lost the last 12 meetings, BYU (19–9, 7–7) finally beat Utah (22–7, 10–4), and they did it during the inaugural Mountain West Conference Tournament. The Cougars staged a 12–3 run to start the second-half and go up 38–33. Utah managed to tie it up at 42, but with 8:39 remaining BYU took the lead for good. BYU forward Eric Nielsen, who scored a career-high 17 points, called the victory “a dream come true.” BYU's Director of Basketball Operations, Jeff Judkins

Jeff Judkins

Jeffrey Reed Judkins is a retired American professional basketball player and current head coach of the BYU Cougars women's basketball team, a position he has held since summer 2001 after serving as their assistant coach in 2000-01...

(former Utah basketball star and assistant coach and later BYU’s women’s basketball coach), added: “It feels just like Christmas!”

BYU 58, Utah 54

February 23, 2002– Provo

Just one minute into the second-half, Utah (19–5, 9–2) had built up a 21-point lead. But from there, BYU (16–8, 6–5), led by Matt Montague and Travis Hansen

Travis Hansen

Travis Mitchell Hansen is an American former professional basketball player who last played for BC Khimki in Russia. He played one year in the NBA for the Atlanta Hawks.-Biography:...

, outscored the Utes 34–14, including a 3-pointer by Montague to cut the Utah lead to one with 1:18 left. Less than a minute later, Montague found Eric Nielsen, whose 15-foot shot gave BYU their first lead of the game, and which proved to be the game winner. The win extended the Cougars' homecourt winning-streak to 35 games.

BYU 63, Utah 61

January 25, 2003– Provo

BYU (13–4, 2–0) had extended their homecourt winning-streak to 44 games, the nation's longest streak. Meanwhile, Utah (13–4, 1–1) entered Provo without coach Majerus, who was in Southern California attending the funeral for the stepfather of former Ute star Andre Miller

Andre Miller

Andre Lloyd Miller is an American professional basketball player, currently with the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association.- College career :...

. Both teams played extremely well and extremely close- where an 8-point Ute lead early in the game would be the largest lead for either team. For BYU, Travis Hansen

Travis Hansen

Travis Mitchell Hansen is an American former professional basketball player who last played for BC Khimki in Russia. He played one year in the NBA for the Atlanta Hawks.-Biography:...

had 21 points and 12 rebounds, Rafael Araújo

Rafael Araújo

Rafael Paulo de Lara Araújo, nicknamed "Baby" in Brazil, is a Brazilian professional basketball player currently with Franca Basquetebol Clube.-College career:...

had 19 points and nine rebounds, and Mark Bigelow added 16 points. However, it would not be enough to continue the streak. Utah's backup guard Marc Jackson scored 17 points to lead the Utes. With ice in his veins, he hit all 13 of his free throws, including four crucial attempts in the final 15 seconds of the game to seal the win. The Utes also got double-digit points from Tim Frost (16), Nick Jacobson (13), and Britton Johnsen

Britton Johnsen

Britton Weaver Johnsen is an American professional basketball player. He graduated from Murray High School and the University of Utah. Born in Salt Lake City, his hometown is Murray, Utah...

(12). The win gave Utah a 117–116 series edge.

Utah 79, BYU 75

Football

October 10, 1942– Salt Lake City

BYU (1–1, 0–1) finally beat Utah (0–2, 0–0) after going winless for the first 20 games of the rivalry. Down by two late in the fourth quarter, BYU blocked a punt, and the ball rolled out of bounds at the Utah 10-yard line. Four plays later, BYU's Herman Longhurst ran in the winning touchdown from three yards out. Immediately after the game, Cougar fans stormed onto the field and tore down the goalposts, igniting a celebration that continued for three days. The following Monday, the Mayor of Provo formally proclaimed an official day of celebration.

BYU 12, Utah 7

November 26, 1953– Salt Lake City:

NBC was on hand to broadcast one of the first nationally-televised college football games ever. Approximately 60 million viewers tuned in to watch the Thanksgiving Day event, in which Utah (7–2, 4–0) was favored to beat the Cougars (2–6–1, 0–4) by 24 points. BYU kept it close during the first half for a 13–13 halftime score, but in the third quarter Utah quickly jumped out to a 13-point lead and looked as though they might in fact cover the spread after all. However, BYU would stage a comeback- scoring two quick touchdowns to tie the game at 26. Utah took the lead again, as RB Don Peterson scored on a two-yard run to make the score 33–26. Then, with 90 seconds left in the game, BYU's QB Henry West completed a 32-yard touchdown pass to Phil Oyler. But the game-tying extra point attempt failed, and Utah escaped with a narrow win.

Utah 33, BYU 32

November 18, 1978– Salt Lake City

One year after Utah coach Wayne Howard waged a "crusade to beat BYU," the Utes (5–3, 2–2) and Cougars (7–2, 5–0) squared off at Rice Stadium on a cold November afternoon. BYU's promising new QB, Jim McMahon

Jim McMahon

James Robert "Jim" McMahon, Jr. is a former American football player. He played college football at Brigham Young University, where he was a two-time All-American and later in the professional ranks with the Chicago Bears, San Diego Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona...

, led the Cougars to a 16–0 halftime lead, and it appeared that BYU was headed for their seventh straight win over the Utes. But Utah would dominate the Cougars from then on, holding them to just 6 second-half points. Down by six with 3:30 left in the game, Utah faced a fourth-and-17 from the BYU 19. But Ute QB Randy Gomez would find WR Frank Henry wide open in the southwest corner of the endzone for the game winning touchdown. It was Gomez's third touchdown pass on the day.

Utah 23, BYU 22

November 19, 1988– Salt Lake City

The Rice Bowl

Since Utah had last beat BYU in football, the Cougars had gone 104–24, won eight conference championships, and one national championship. The Utes (5–5, 3–4), who entered the game as 11-point underdogs, jumped out to a 21-point lead and never let up until the game was over and the goal posts had been torn down. Utah QB Scott Mitchell finished the day with 384 yards passing, and RB Eddie Johnson added 112 yards on the ground. BYU (8–2, 5–2), on the other hand, gave up eight turnovers, and suffered numerous game-ending injuries at key positions, including to QB Sean Covey. Local companies and fans capitalized on the victory by selling key chains made with pieces of the goal posts, and tee-shirts which proclaimed: "I was there: 57–28!"

Utah 57, BYU 28

November 19, 1989– Provo

The Great Ute-shoot

After the '88 "Rice Bowl" victory for the Utes, BYU fans had a mind for revenge prior to the '89 game in Provo. 66,110 fans filled the stadium for a game frequently overlooked by Utah fans which saw the two teams combine for over 100 points. Scott Mitchell who had passed for nearly 400 yards the year before could only watch from the sidelines as his understudy Mike Richmond struggled against BYU's defense. Before most fans were in their seats BYU had jumped out to a 14–0 lead. BYU held a 49–0 lead before the Utes would score their first touchdown in a game so lopsided BYU quarterback Ty Detmer

Ty Detmer

Ty Hubert Detmer is a former National Football League and NCAA quarterback. He starred at Brigham Young University, where he set many records and won the Heisman Trophy in 1990...

was given permission to visit the restroom during the game. At halftime the score was 49–7. In the 4th quarter down 63–10 Utah would go on to score 3 touchdowns against BYU's defensive reserves.

BYU 70, Utah 31

November 20, 1993– Provo:

34–31, pt. I

For the first time in 21 years, Utah (6–5, 4–3) beats BYU (5–4, 5–1) in Provo. With the game tied at 31, and only seconds remaining in the game, the Utes found themselves on the BYU 37-yard line, and with no option other than to send in their field goal kicker. Utah's kicker, Chris Yergensen, had already missed two out of three FGs on the day. And when he was not missing FGs, he was consulting with a sideline psychologist that the team had brought in for his benefit. Nevertheless, Yergensen was sent into the game and promptly kicked the game-winning 55-yard field goal (the longest of his career) as time expired.

Utah 34, BYU 31

November 19, 1994– Salt Lake City:

34–31, pt. II

For the first time ever, both BYU and Utah entered the game ranked in the AP poll

AP Poll

The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...

: BYU (9–2, 6–1) was #20 and Utah (8–2, 5–2) was #21. The game also featured six lead changes, including a 27-yard touchdown pass from John Walsh to Mike Johnston to put BYU ahead by four with 2:15 remaining. But Ute freshman Cal Beck returned the ensuing kickoff 67 yards to the Cougar 32; and three plays later, Utah QB Mike McCoy found RB Charlie Brown for a 20-yard touchdown strike with just 56 seconds left to retake the lead. In the final seconds of the game, BYU was able to move to ball all the way up to the Ute 34, but Utah's Bronzell Miller forced a fumble that teammate Luther Ellis

Luther Ellis

Luther John Elliss is a former American football defensive tackle in the National Football League. He played for the Detroit Lions for 8 seasons before he was released in 2003. He played for the Denver Broncos for one season, before retiring in 2004. In his time in the NFL, he was a two time Pro...

recovered to preserve the win: 34–31... again.

Utah 34, BYU 31

November 21, 1998– Salt Lake City:

“The Doink Heard 'Round Utah”

Once again, a close, hard-fought game goes down to the final seconds, and the outcome hinged on a single play. BYU (8–3, 6–1) was able to extend their lead to nine with an FG with 2:41 left in the game. However, Utah (7–3, 5–2) began a wild comeback when Daniel Jones returned the ensuing kickoff 95 yards to cut the Cougar lead down to two. Then, after forcing BYU to punt on their next possession, Utah's offense promptly marched the ball down the Cougar 15-yard line to set up the potential game-winning field goal. But Utah's Ryan Kaneshiro's 32-yard field goal attempt bounced audibly off the right goalpost as time expired. The term "doink" comes from the description of the play given to local media outlets by former Cougar QB Steve Sarkisian

Steve Sarkisian

Steve Sarkisian is an American football coach and former player of American and Canadian football. He is currently the head football coach at the University of Washington, a position he has held since the 2009 season...

who was on the BYU sideline during the game.

BYU 26, Utah 24

November 24, 2000– Salt Lake City:

“LaVell's Last Miracle”

Both the Utes (4–6, 3–3) and Cougars (5–6, 3–3) were finishing unremarkable seasons, but this game stood significant in the fact that BYU's coach LaVell Edwards

LaVell Edwards

R. LaVell Edwards is a former American football coach of Brigham Young University . With 257 career victories, he ranks as one of the most successful college football coaches of all time...

had recently announced his retirement, making the game his last. His Cougar team led 26–10 at the end of the third quarter, but the night was just getting started. The Utes scored 17 points during the fourth quarter, including a 20 yard touchdown pass from Darnell Arceneaux to Matt Nickle with 2:16 remaining. Leading by one point, Utah's defense had BYU pinned: fourth down and 13 yards to go from their own 17, and about one minute left. Appropriately, Edwards' last game would end in miraculous fashion. Cougar QB Brandon Doman

Brandon Doman

Brandon Doman is an American football coach and is currently the offensive coordinator for the Brigham Young Cougars. Doman played quarterback for BYU in 2000-2001 and was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2002 NFL Draft....

found WR Jonathan Pittman for a 34-yard completion to sustain the drive. Then on the next play, Doman completed a 36-yard pass to Pittman. Two plays later, Doman ran in the winning touchdown with only 13 seconds left.

BYU 34, Utah 27

November 17, 2001– Provo

BYU was ranked #8, undefeated (10–0, 6–0), and hoping to become the first non-BCS team ever to earn an invitation to a BCS bowl. However, with 3½ minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Cougars found themselves trailing 21–10 to Utah (7–2, 4–1) in front of packed crowd of 66,149. For the second year in a row, QB Brandon Doman engineered a dramatic late-game comeback against the Utes. This time, Doman led the Cougars 92 yards in 2:25, capped off with a seven-yard touchdown pass to star RB Luke Staley

Luke Staley

Lucas Staley is a former American football player who starred as a running back at Brigham Young University from 1999 to 2001.-High school career:...

. Staley cut the Utah lead to three with a two-point conversion run. Then, after holding the Utah offense to a three-and-out, BYU got the ball back with 2:11 remaining...which was more time than they'd need. The Cougars quickly moved the ball up to the Utah 30, and with 1:16 left, Staley took a pitch from Doman and rushed down the sideline for the winning touchdown. Utah's final drive got as far as the BYU 30, but Jernaro Gilford intercepted a Lance Rice pass to seal the win.

BYU 24, Utah 21

November 22, 2003– Provo

The Snow Bowl

For the first time since 1957, Utah (8–2, 5–1) clinches an outright conference championship; and they do it on the road, in a snowstorm, and against BYU (4–7, 3–3). Fans who braved the snow and 19 degree temperature were treated to a hard-fought defensive showdown. With 8:43 left in the second quarter, Utah's Bryan Borreson kicked a 41-yard field goal to put the Utes up 3–0. But that was all the points Utah would get that day...and all they would need. The Ute defense held two Cougar QBs to a combined total of 41 yards passing, and only allowed BYU's offense to cross the 50-yard line once the entire game. And while the Utah offense was less than stellar itself, it did manage to win the time of possession battle by over 13 minutes. It was the first time in 361 straight games that BYU was held scoreless in a game (ending an NCAA record), and the first time in 33 years that they were shut out at home.

Utah 3, BYU 0

November 20, 2004– Salt Lake City:

“BCS Busters”

The Utes (10–0, 6–0) were ranked #6 in the Coaches' Poll, #5 in the AP, and on the verge of being guaranteed the first-ever BCS bowl berth for a non-BCS team. The Cougars (5–5, 4–2) kept pace with the Utes through the first half, and twice intercepted passes from Alex Smith (who had been intercepted only two times in the ten games prior). The Utes outscored the Cougars 31–7 in the second half to secure the win, and sombrero-clad fans (expecting a Fiesta Bowl invitation) rushed the field as time expired. This was both Gary Crowton

Gary Crowton

-External links:* *...

's and Urban Meyer's final regular season game as head coach of their respective programs.

Utah 52, BYU 21

November 19, 2005– Provo

BYU (6–4, 5–2) was headed to their first bowl game in four years, had clinched at least a second-place conference finish, and fans were reeling with excitement about BYU’s apparent return to their glory days. Utah (5–5, 3–4), on the other hand, came into the game with a disappointing record, and was forced to start Brett Ratliff, an inexperienced JC-transfer, at quarterback after starter Brian Johnson

Brian Johnson (quarterback)

Brian Delance Johnson is an American football quarterbacks coach for the University of Utah. He played college football at Utah and was drafted by the New York Sentinels in the UFL Premiere Season Draft in 2009....

went down with a season-ending injury the week before.

To everyone’s surprise, Utah jumped out to a quick first-half lead. However, BYU would come back, scoring 21 third-quarter points, and forcing overtime for the first time in the series history. In OT, Ratliff hit Travis LaTendresse for a 25-yard touchdown strike. On BYU's ensuing possession, QB John Beck's fourth-down pass landed incomplete in the back of the endzone, just beyond the outstretched arms of Michael Reed.

Utah 41, BYU 34 (OT)

November 25, 2006– Salt Lake City

“The Answered Prayer”

BYU (9–2, 7–0) went into this game undefeated in conference play and enjoying their most successful season in years. After gaining a 14-point first quarter lead, BYU began to fall behind. Utah (7–4, 5–2) took the lead 31–27 with 1:19 left in the game. The cougar offense mounted an impressive 70 yard drive to the Utah 14 yard line. With the game clock displaying zeros, John Beck's completed an 11-yard pass across his body to a wide-open Jonny Harline

Jonny Harline

Jonathan "Jonny" Harline in North Brunswick, New Jersey) is a current member of the band Perfect Disorder. He played college football at Brigham Young.-College career:...

who caught the ball in the end zone on his knees to win the rivalry for the first time in 4 years.

BYU 33, Utah 31

November 24, 2007– Provo

“4th and 18” or “Magic Happens”

Both #23 BYU (8–2, 6–0) and Utah (8–3, 5–2) entered this game with high hopes riding large winning streaks. The game started off slow as two top 20 defenses displayed their talent by forcing several punts and turnovers. By halftime, the BYU offense had kicked into gear and had racked up 176 yards to Utah's 33. However, their lead was only 3–0. BYU held the lead until the first touchdown of the game was scored by Utah with 94 seconds remaining in the game, at which point the score was 10–9. Shortly thereafter, the Cougars were facing a 4th-and-18 on their own 12 yard line and were in need of a miracle to avoid a loss in a game they had dominated on the stat sheet. At this point a scrambling Max Hall

Max Hall

Max Hall is an American football quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was signed by the Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football at BYU.-Early years:...

completed a 49 yard pass to Austin Collie

Austin Collie

Austin Kirk Collie is a Canadian-American football wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Colts in the fourth round in the 2009 NFL Draft...

. The drive was capped by an 11 yard touchdown run by Harvey Unga

Harvey Unga

-Chicago Bears:Unga was selected by the Chicago Bears with a seventh round selection in the 2010 Supplemental Draft. He was signed to a four-year contract on July 21, 2010....

and BYU held on to secure an outright MWC conference championship.

BYU 17, Utah 10

November 22, 2008– Salt Lake City

Both teams entered highly ranked with Utah (11–0, 7–0) at 7/8 and BYU (10–1, 6–1) 14/16. The cougars were hoping to upset the 7th ranked Utes. Playing for a second BCS berth in five seasons, Utah needed to win the Holy War to finish 12–0 and earn a BCS bowl. After Utah jumped out to a first half lead, BYU came storming back to draw it to 27–24 in the 3rd quarter; however, Ute defensive end Paul Kruger

Paul Kruger (American football)

Paul Kruger is an American football linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens. He was drafted by the Ravens in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at Utah.-Early years:...

intercepted BYU quarterback Max Hall

Max Hall

as the Cougars were driving to take the lead, which proved to be a vital turning point in the game. Hall finished the game with 5 interceptions and a fumble and the Utes went on to win 48–24, finishing their season undefeated for the second time in five seasons.

Utah 48, BYU 24

November 28, 2009– Provo

BYU and Utah both came in with successful seasons, building up anticipation between the fans. The Utes took an early lead, 6–0, but the Cougars quickly responded, scoring the next 20 points to take the lead 20–6. The Utes came back in the fourth quarter and tied the game, sending it to overtime. Utah had the first overtime possession, scoring a field goal and bringing the score to 23–20. On BYU's possession, Max Hall threw the ball to Andrew George

Andrew George (American football)

Andrew George is an American football tight end who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football at Brigham Young. George has also been a member of the Buffalo Bills...

, who caught the ball and dodged two Utes tacklers, Joe Dale and Stevenson Sylvester

Stevenson Sylvester

Stevenson Ellis Sylvester is an American football inside linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League.-Early years:...

, who collided, and George

Andrew George (American football)

completed the touchdown.

BYU 26, Utah 23 (OT)

November 27, 2010– Salt Lake City

Utah entered the game having lost critical games versus Texas Christian University and Notre Dame. BYU entered on a four game winning streak. The game hinged upon a final field goal attempt by BYU. The kick attempt was blocked, thus securing Utah's victory.

Utah 17, BYU 16

September 17, 2011– Provo

BYU and Utah both came in with single losses to University of Texas-Austin and University of Southern California, respectively, from the week prior. Utah Defense forced seven turnovers, cumulating in a lopsided 54-10 victory.

Utah 54, BYU 10

Unique characteristics

Religion

Successful programs

Location

Longevity

Reciprocity

History

The early years

The rise of BYU football

The resurgence of Utah basketball

The present

Basketball

Football

See also