The Great Debate |
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Which rivalry is more important? |
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Holy War trumps Utah State |
Utah vs USU, formula for rivalry |
 BYU vs. Utah, Cougars vs. Utes, Saints vs. Sinners, Classy vs. Classless — no matter how you put it, the rivalry game against BYU is always a highly anticipated matchup in the state. To even suggest that the series between Utah State and the U is comparable to the one with BYU is a mockery of one of the best rivalries in Football Bowl Subdivision today.The Utah State rivalry does have history on its side, as the Utes have been playing the Aggies since 1892. But while there has been a contest between the Utes and USU basically every year since then, it rarely has a major impact on either team’s season.Utah has never shared a conference with Utah State like it has with BYU. From 1922-2010, Utah and BYU played in the same conference, and the outcome of their battle often determined the conference title. Not only that, but the game between Utah and the team down south is always an entertaining one. Most games are hard fought, grind-it-out games that take every minute to determine the victor. Utah State is treated as the “little brother” between the three schools. When you think of BYU and Utah, they are basically equals. The only reason BYU may have more fans is because the school is owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the dominant religion in Utah. Many of those who grow up in the state either want to attend BYU or Utah, and if you go to Utah State, it is because you didn’t get in to either of those schools. Utah State is notched up in the northern part of the state and has much smaller enrollment numbers. It also lacks the same appeal in the athletic departments that BYU and Utah both have. Another indicator of a great rivalry is a potent name. The Iron Bowl, the Border War, the Backyard Brawl, and Bedlam are all great rivalries that everyone knows about. But the greatest rivalry name of all time may just belong to BYU vs. Utah — the Holy War. It is the perfect name for a game between the flagship state school and the school run by the state’s dominant religion. Even the alternate name is good enough to beat out other rivalry names — Church vs. State. Meanwhile, the series between the Utes and the Aggies remains nameless. All in all, both in-state rivalries are competitive and storied, especially now that Utah State is a relevant adversary. But when you break it down to the quality of the games and the power of a name, the Holy War trumps the Utah State rivalry, or whatever you call it. |
 When it comes to developing a strong rivalry in sports, certain factors are needed. First, the teams need to share a common element that ignites the rivalry. Next, each side needs to be competitive. Lastly, matchups between the teams need to be exciting.Normally when the word “rivalry” is brought up in the state of Utah, the first one that is considered is the Holy War between Utah and BYU. But there is a second matchup that challenges that competition. The past couple of meetings between Utah and Utah State on the football field have displayed all three elements necessary to build a strong rivalry.The Utes and Aggies have been playing one another for 120 years, with Utah losing the inaugural game in 1892. The showdown is the 12th oldest rivalry in the country and began four years before the Utes’ and Cougars’ first matchup. Since then, the teams have met almost every year — and sometimes twice a year — despite the fact that they have not been in the same conference since 1961. In large part, however, the feeling of rivalry hasn’t been too strong. This is because it has been so one-sided, as Utah leads the overall series 78-29-4. But that feeling has changed as of late. Last Thursday, the Utes defeated the Aggies in a close game that had its spectators engrossed for the entire contest. It was the second consecutive year that such was the case, and many Utah fans were fearing that this year’s Battle of the Brothers would end with a similar result as 2012’s loss. As a sort of mini-rivalry within the larger picture of the game, the opposing quarterbacks had a nice battle, with both Utah’s Travis Wilson and Utah State’s Chuckie Keeton finishing with two touchdown passes and more than 300 yards through the air. These close games and duels between players are what fans of football love to see and what make rivalries intense. The last two games have renewed the rivalry between the Utes and Aggies and have warranted comparison to the “Holy War.” They serve as clear evidence that the rivalry has escalated. If the trend continues, this game could someday hold as much value, or possibly even more, to Utah fans as the BYU game does. With the shared ground of Utah, the quarterback comparisons and the recent close games, this matchup will always be a date that is marked on both sides’ calendars. Unfortunately, fans will have to wait to see the two sides on the same field, as the Utes aren’t scheduled to play the Aggies again until 2015. |
Great Debate: Which rivalry is more important?
September 3, 2013
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