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BYU president is alumnus of red; Utah's graduated blue

And the University of Utah was founded by Brigham Young. Go figure Ute fans. :-D

Exactly- Brigham Young founded the University of Utah - but wasn't the founder of BYU. And the current LDS church president was a graduate of the U, not BYU. Go figure Cougar fans :)

HA!! they're all PURPLE!

A short time after founding the University of Deseret, Brigham Young ordered a small satellite school to be built about 50 miles south, and it remains there to this day.

I hope all of the fans during this week can be as classy as the respective leaders of each institution. A clean fun rivalry can't be beat.

It used to be the school of the prophets mostly because it was one of the only real university options, but by in large, the prophets and church leaders who went there 50 plus years ago have sent and send their kids to BYU. BYU is today, what Brigham Young intended the University of Deseret to be. The University of Utah is a solid state school for Utah but it isn't what the church intended the University of Deseret to become. In the scourging days of the church, Salt Lake became the hang out for federal anti-LDS judges and they recruited and developed an anti-LDS aristocracy at the university. The university changed forever as it became a bastion of LDS bashing. Every once in a while it has an LDS president (young, talmage, widstoe) who mend the divide and temper the religious bashing but that "intellectually free" element of the university will always exist as a state school. Many good people have gone and continue to go to the U, but BYU is the University of the Church and the modern representation of the original university.

Looks like both university presidents needed the benefits the other school offered. . .

What a fun, clever article. I had no idea. This makes the rivalry more fun, which is what it should be.

Because we haven't known this for 5 years. Thanks for the news flash.

To Re: Billbob: President Monson got his MBA at BYU.

I actually went to both schools. There are a lot of good people at Utah. However, in all honesty, I must admit that leaving Utah and transferring into BYU was like coming from the darkness into the light.

Both coaches are great and both teams are great. Both teams have a lot of great guys on them. I hope we can have a great game and treat each other with respect and friendship. I know the coaches and the players will. I hope the fans will.

GO COUGARS!!!

Go Utes, otherwise Boise State will be the BCS Buster. You have hung in there all season and it is time you got the reward for your consistency. BYU has too much pride and there is too much image of Mormonism tied up in their quest. I'm all for a complete break of church and state. You are the ones who deserve to win. Go Utes.

Harline, is still open.

It is ironic that this rivalry in some eyes has become a "Holy War," missing the deep connections between the two institutions. Beyond the two Presidents, it is worth remembering that the U is coached by a BYU alum, and several of his coaches are BYU grads. It is worth celebrating the fact that both are excellent schools who happen to have very competitive football programs.

byu is weak and will lose and go to blue turf bowl

utah goes BACK to fiesta bowl

I can tell you the score of the game before they play the first down--zero to zero. I would love to see Utah go undefeated, but two teams with only one loss looks great. My prediction: BYU 29 Utah 27

"...leaving Utah and transferring into BYU was like coming from the darkness into the light."

I beg to differ. While I spent my freshman year at BYU, I realized what an academically stifling uncommonly homogenous community that exists there, and transferred North to the U. At the U, "conventional" wisdom could be challenged, "independent thought" was invoked, and "critical thinking skills" were magnified.

It was like coming from the darkness into the light.

Having attended both universities, I'm well aware of the perceptions the student bodies have of each other. Y students feel that SLC and the U are some sort of den of iniquity, and that students who go there only do so because they couldn't gain admission to the Y. In my 3 yrs at the U, I'd met TWO students who fit that description. I found there are intellectuals existing at both schools, as well as those whom I wonder how they even graduated from H.S.

At the Y, most students I knew said they chose the Y over ______ University because of the spiritual aspect. I feel, if the Y is the only place they can find that, it's a terrible spiritual handicap.

GO UTES!!!

Good luck to both teams and may the best, hard working team and school win!

I too attended both Universities. My kids attend BYU. I became a bigger BYU football fan during my 2 years of grad school at the U. Dealing with Wayne Howard's knucklehead football players as a chemistry TA was my biggest motivator.

TO Re: Cats: I was waiting for someone to come on and say what you said. People at U of U have such a chip on their shoulder about BYU--especially a lot of LDS. Anybody who feels stifled at BYU shouldn't be there. Believe me there are plenty of people who are dying to be there, so go your way and let someone else attend. But, if you have problems with the standards at BYU, you need to take a look at yourself.

I consider the fact that I graduated from BYU to be one of the greatest blessings of my life. If you are someone who doesn't appreciate the spirit and special atmoshere at BYU, you shouldn't be there. Go to a state University like Utah where you feel more comfortable. But, there are many things that are missing there. I know this from personal experience.

BYU is a VERY SPECIAL PLACE WITH A SPECIAL MISSION and many people have the insight and maturity to realize that. If you don't, then go somewhere else.

Alright everyone... let's settle down or someones going to get their eye poked out!
It's going to be a great game so,
GO Utes... I mean Go Cougs.... Oh Whatever!!