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Long Live The Rivalry
by Jared Walch
Who doesn’t love a good rivalry? They make things much more interesting — from Pepsi vs. Coke, to east coast vs. west coast. The Lakers and the Celtics dueling it out in so many great matches during the 1980s. The Yankees vs. the Red Sox. It’s Democrats vs. Republicans. It’s Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant at Wrestlemania III. Everything in life points to a great rivalry — two sides battling it out for supremacy. It’s these rivalry stories that make life so rich and entertaining.
But there is one rivalry here in the state of Utah that means a little more than any other. Here in Utah, we love our college football, and nowhere is that more evident than in the “Holy War” rivalry between the U and BYU. The two schools have long been rivals, and each side has enjoyed its own successes and downfalls throughout history.
It is one of the longest-running and perhaps most well known rivalries in all of college sports today. Between the two sides there is plenty of competitive spirit and no shortage of team pride.
But for the last few years it seems the rivalry has been on the rocks, so to speak. Since Utah joined the Pac-12 and BYU became independent, the two sides failed to play each other in the regular season for the first time since World War II. Both BYU and the U have canceled games against each other in a variety of sports for various reasons. Because of this, there seems to be a growing idea among fans on both sides that this rivalry no longer matters.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
This rivalry matters because of its rich and complex history. We can’t ignore history and think that both programs no longer matter to each other. Of course they do. Every good Utah fan will always want to beat BYU in whatever sport there is, and every good BYU fan will want to beat Utah. There is so much passion between the two sides that it can’t just be swept up under a rug and forgotten about.
Sure, both programs will move on and go on to do great things. With Utah in the Pac-12 and BYU possibly joining the Big 12 at some point in the near future, both teams will go on to form new rivalries against new teams. That’s OK. It’s to be expected.
But we can’t forget about or forgo how important this rivalry is to our state. Simply forgetting about this rivalry would make both school’s sports teams seem much less appealing. Why get fully invested in sports if you play against teams you care nothing about?
To put it in perspective, I am a Utah Jazz fan. Every time my team plays the Los Angeles Lakers, I become more invested in the game. I want my team to consistently beat LA. because we are rivals in the west. Of course I cheer for my team when they play against teams not named the Lakers, but I just don’t get as worked up.
Sure, we Utah fans want our team to win against Oregon and USC, against UCLA and Arizona State. We want our team to go undefeated. But to go undefeated without playing BYU will leave fans feeling unfulfilled and disappointed. I can’t tell you how many conversations I’ve had with fans of both teams who would much rather beat the other school than go undefeated.
History matters. This rivalry matters to everyone involved on both sides. Stopping such a rich and powerful tradition would simply be wrong.
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The Rivalry Has Lost Its Edge
by Armen Shrikian
Although the Utah vs. BYU rivalry will always be one of the most intense rivalries in the state, recent matchups have proven the Holy War may not be the same as it once was when it began in 1896.
Utah won the last five matchups against the Cougars, and 10 of the last 13. One reason for the Utes’ dominance over the team down south is the upward trend of the Utah football program, especially in comparison to the Cougars.
The rivalry has decreased in importance since the Utes joined the Pac-12 because of the limited amount of three non-conference games. The Holy War took a two-year hiatus from the regular season so the Utes could schedule non-conference games against Michigan in 2014 and ‘15, both of which were victories for the Utes. After finishing the season 9-3, the Las Vegas Bowl hosted the first bowl game between the two rivals, and although the final score was too close for comfort at 35-28, the Utes’ defense was superior in every way, forcing four turnovers.
Utah leads the all-time series against the Cougars 58-34-4, and will be looking to extend its winning streak of six games this weekend at Rice-Eccles Stadium. It will be the first Utah-BYU game at Rice-Eccles since 2012.
Although rivalries are a significant part of college athletics, the Utah-BYU rivalry has lost the ability to be an annual matchup, because the Utes have already scheduled future home and home series games with non-conference foes such as Baylor. Traditionally, the biggest rivalry games are at the end of the season, but since the Utes have a rigorous Pac-12 schedule every season, they usually have to schedule the three non-conference games at the beginning of the season. Rivalry games are always fun; however, due to the game being played early in the season, it definitely diminishes the importance of winning this match-up.
In recent years, the Utah-BYU rivalry has had its fair share of poor sportsmanship, with the majority coming from the men in blue. Whether it’s the multiple cheap shots taken by BYU players, or the Memphis Bowl game brawl, or the infamous Nick Emery flagrant foul against Brandon Taylor in last year’s rivalry basketball game, there is no denying that these games take a major physical toll on both teams. The physicality has gotten to the point where Runnin’ Utes head coach Larry Krystowiak felt it was necessary to remove BYU from Utah’s basketball schedule this season.
To be clear, this rivalry is becoming less and less important because of the opposite trends of the two programs. The Utes are coming off a 10-3 season and will be looking to continue to contend for a Pac-12 South title this year, whereas the Cougars, because they are an independent program, fill their schedule with games against tough teams all over the country. The Utes have proven they can play with the big boys of the Pac-12.
In the end, as much fun as it is to watch the Utes prove their dominance over the team down south year after year, it’s absolutely more important for the program to continue scheduling games against stronger non-conference programs, rather than continue a rivalry that’s become a series of unorganized, chaotic games full of personal fouls. Utah is better off facing Utah State and other non-Power Five programs that have built winning traditions, like Colorado State or Houston. The Utah-BYU rivalry will always feel like the biggest game of the year; nonetheless, playing the Cougars isn’t the competitive rivalry it used to be.
@ArmenMShrikian
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