Red wave in Provo's sea of blue

America's most stone-cold sober college town isn't likely to win any awards for throwing the wildest tailgating parties before BYU games.

Judging from the usual atmosphere in Provo leading up to kickoff, some might even wonder if a football game or a devotional is about to break out.

Not this morning.

And the Cougars have the Utes to thank — or blame — for what promises to be a charged-up atmosphere that might appear to be on caffeine. That's because Utah isn't just bringing its football team down from Salt Lake City. It's bringing the whole party.

Since Utah players and coaches have treated Provo like home-away-from-home lately, winning six of the past seven here, some Utes figured they would try doing the same for their fans headed to the game.

Crimson Club director Doug Knuth said his group's goal was "to find one central location where Ute fans can meet." Administrators from Provo High School might get razzed by Cougar faithful — but their school, just across the street from BYU, will roll out the red carpet for Ute fans this morning.

Combine that with a riled-up BYU fan base that's pumped about the rivalry game, and Cougartown will not be lacking for electricity.

"Oh boy," said BYU sophomore Andrew Gilbert. "I think it's going to be insane."

Some thought he was just that earlier this week when he showed up to work on campus wearing a red shirt. It didn't have a U. logo, but he still got comments about it all day — and we're not talking the "hey, nice new shirt" variety, either.

"I figured if I wore it on Monday, I'd be OK," he said. "Obviously that doesn't fly."

He'll fit in with the crowd today — in red or blue.

One sign a big game is on hand: The Cougar Club's pregame lunch was sold out early and phone calls came in record numbers, according to a voice mail message. (Most of the campus has been dead this week due to Thanksgiving, but that's about to change.)

For other BYU partiers, expect Cougartown — the pregame football fair held in the parking lot west of LaVell Edwards Stadium — to be bursting with energy. It will feature fully invested shirts, giveaways, the marching band, scalpers and a slew of football-tossing fans hoping to win a prize (or scholarship). Nearby, the CougarCrazies, a group of enthusiastic students, will tailgate at a higher-than-usual level, no doubt.

Blue-clad supporters might do Jell-O salad instead of Jell-O shots, but the scene promises to be more wild than mild.

"It's a carnival kind of atmosphere, but not the same type of tailgating atmosphere most universities are accustomed to," said Tami Barber, a BYU Bookstore employee. "Tailgating is not like a really big thing down here."