From Deseret News archives:
Rivalry week
Homefield advantage hasn't been an overwhelming factor in this rivalry over the past 12 seasons. During that span, the home team won just three times. During one stretch from 1995-2000, the road team won every contest. Only recently have the home teams broken through, with Utah winning in 2002 in Rice-Eccles Stadium and BYU winning in 2001 at LaVell Edwards Stadium.
On Saturday, Utah has a chance to defy the trend by winning two straight rivalry games at home. The last time the Utes won two straight against BYU in Salt Lake City was 1970, when a 14-13 win followed a 30-21 victory two years earlier.
The last time BYU managed back-to-back victories in Provo was in 1991, a 48-17 Cougar win. Two years earlier, BYU had defeated Utah in Provo, 70-31.
CLASSIC CONTEST
1996: BYU 37, Utah 17
BYU kept itself grounded in this one.
After three straight losses to the Utes, the Cougars kept it simple against their rival. With a Western Athletic Conference division championship on the line, BYU ran the ball 63 times — against just 12 passes — in a 37-17 win at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
"We may never throw another pass, now that we've got it going running the ball," BYU coach LaVell Edwards said.
The result of BYU's dominance was 366 yards on the ground. Brian McKenzie had 176 yards on 23 carries, while freshman Ronney Jenkins added 156 on 29 carries. The Cougars scored on their first three drives, and eventually built a 20-0 lead in the second quarter.
While the Utes had won three straight games and scored 34 points in all three contests, they managed exactly half that total against the BYU defense. Utah didn't register a first down until midway through the second quarter.
BYU's rushing attack was anchored by linemen Larry Moore, James Johnson, Matt Cox, John Tait , Ben Archibald and Eric Bateman.
BYU went on to defeat Wyoming in the WAC championship game and Kansas State in the Cotton Bowl, finishing with a No. 5 national ranking. Utah was invited to the Copper Bowl, where it lost 38-10 to Wisconsin and future Heisman Trophy winner Ron Dayne.
QUOTABLE
"I almost had to eat my words. But then when the field goal didn't go in, I said 'Yeah, I knew we would win.' "
— BYU safety Chris Ellison, who the week before the 1998 Utah game had engaged in some trash talk. The Cougars won the game when Ryan Kaneshiro's field goal hit the upright.
NUMBERS OF NOTE
18 — Number of times BYU has defeated Utah when the two teams play in the season finale, against eight losses.
19 — Number of seniors the University of Utah will honor at halftime of Saturday's game. That number includes 14 players who are starters.
33 — Number of yards BYU quarterback John Beck needs to throw for to reach 3,000 yards for his career.
