BYU, Utah Utes football: MWC commish wants to keep rivalry going

LAS VEGAS — If needed and asked, Mountain West Conference commissioner Craig Thompson pledged to do whatever he could to help avoid an interruption of the BYU-Utah rivalry when the Utes join the Pac-10 in 2011.

"I just think that's one of the games that ought to be played," said Thompson, who has attended nine of the past 11 matchups. "That's a great rivalry, a natural game."

But, outside of the issue of Utah changing conferences, BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall supports discontinuing the rivalry unless both schools address the lack of civility among fans.

"And I would be a proponent, unless that is addressed, not to play the game," he said, according to KSL.com.

Utah's conference switch has fueled speculation that the series with BYU, which dates back to 1896 and has been played each year since 1949, may be interrupted because of scheduling conflicts.

Nothing will be known for sure, however, until the Utes learn how many conference games they'll play each year in the Pac-10. Associate athletics director Liz Abel confirmed that all of Utah's future schedules are uncertain until then.

Even so, athletics director Chris Hill is confident something will be arranged to keep the Utes and Cougars squaring off in 2011, 2012 and beyond.

"We want to play BYU," Hill said before adding that it was his "expectation" that the series would continue uninterrupted.

Thompson, responding to a question at the MWC's Football Media Day, will assist if necessary. Boise State, which joins the MWC in 2011 is on Utah's non-conference schedule. The Broncos are slated to host the game. Moving it — most likely to another year — would likely enhance the chances of keeping the BYU-Utah series uninterrupted.

So far, though, athletic directors Chris Hill and Tom Holmoe have yet to seek Thompson's assistance.

"If that call came from either Tom or Chris we'd be glad to get involved," Thompson said. "I don't know about Boise State's schedule but they would amenable to something like that. We haven't really gotten involved and its really not our decision in any way shape or form."

In his annual "State of the Conference" address earlier in the day, Thompson said he hoped the rivalry would continue and play on forever.

"It's important," he added.