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Utah, BYU football: 60-year vets of rivalry love big-game drama

The BIG game's almost here ....

Go UTES! Let's make this a memorable win for the U of U, your fans and the State of Utah.

Cougars ... great season and best of luck in whatever bowl game in end up in.

Great article! Thanks to the writer and to both men and their families. There isn't much news on the rivalry during this week, but this is a great story! Thanks!

My heart says "Go Cougars" but my brain says Utah will win.

Utah has found a way to lose the last 2 games, I see no reason why they won't find a way to lose this one too.

I hope it is a great game. No let downs. If it is a blow out it does not help either school. To the Utes,I wish you the best of luck.

Go Cougars!

Go Cougs!

Why don't the powers that be at UTAH/BYU move this gametime up so it's not competing with the Texas Tech vs Oklahoma game that will start 2 hours into the game. Bad move by school representatives. Outside of Utah no one will tune into this game once the BIG 12 power houses are on display. For the record I've got Utah pulling this one out 23-20. Enjoy the show.

Utah by 21! Game over before Texas Tech/OU game starts.

Mr. Mills thank you for talking about what was once the big rivalry in the state-- USU and Utah. It probably still would be if the Cougars and Utes had not shut them out of joining the WAC back in the 1960s. While I can appreciate the BYU Utah rivalry...BYU fans need to be aware they weren't always the 800 lb. gorilla in the room.

These great fans illustrate the heart of this rivalry. It's not a war, it's a contest between friends who love the competition.

I agree that it's sad USU is outside the picture. I've always been a fan of the in-state games.

We BYU fans easily remember when we weren't even a sopping wet chimpanzee in these rivalries. It was only four years ago.

It's exciting to be 10-1, as of now qualified to be an at-large BCS team, and hoping to become a conference co-champion with this great Utah team of destiny.

Anybody with a brain knows Utah will win. BYU is over rated. They are just NOT a top 10 team... BYU is too slow to keep up with the Utes.... BYU lack of quickness is why TCU utterly destroyed them earlier this season. TCU is fast, BYU is slow. Utah is fast, BYU loses. Utah by 21.

Sunday's Headlines ...." UPSET OF THE CENTURY : BYU WON RIVAL GAME TO SPOIL UTES' BCS HOPE !"....

Based on the constant mindless blabbering, there appears to be a serious lack of brains there.

Comparative games and circular logic are meaningless.

It'll be quite an eye opener though when BYU's slow, over-rated team pulls another magical jaw-dropping upset in RES. BYU by 11.

Agreed it would take magic for BYU to win. Cougars couldn't win on merit.

Saturday, RES, be there!

Anybody who has followed this game knows that records and season trends mean nothing. This game is always a tough game and neither team nor any player on those teams can take it for granted. It only takes one player on one play to change the outcome (11 of last 10 games, scores differ by less than a touchdown).

Anybody on either side who says this is a "gimme" is on the hockey score side of an IQ.

Utah, stay focused, play tough, be aggressive (play to win not just to not lose), don't let up 'till it is over and...... WIN!!!!!

Utah by 5.

Oooops, 10 of last 11 games.....got lost in the excitement of the upcoming game.

This would be a better one: "Hall Throws 4 Interceptions in Blowout Loss". YOU KNOW IT!!!!!

I appreciate the fooseball of both programs, re: brainless scott comments, who's the fastest creature in State of Utah? A running ute being chased by a cat. Zoo by a touchdown.. Go Blue!!!

One of the reasons that BYU lost to TCU in Dallas/Ft Worth this past Fall was that BYU did not properly prepare for the team speed of TCU. That is only one of several reasons.

However, ever since Lavell Edwards began coaching the Cougars in 1972, critics have stated that BYU simply could not recruit the quality athletes required to compete with the bigger, faster opponents. If history teaches us anything, it is that BYU has done fairly well over the years with those average athletes.

The truth of the matter is that BYU probably has better athletes now than at any time in their history.

Does UTAH have better team speed? Probably. Yet, they always have. So has TCU. BYU has held up pretty well to both teams.

Both teams have the athletes capable of winning. Which team has the coaching, heart, emotion to win?

We will know on Saturday.