I can't stand the Yewts! A win Sat will make our season. It's like bowl week for BYU. Go Cougs!

How can Utah be ranked in the top 10 when they have not beaten any top 10 teams this year? Utah hasn't EVER beaten a team ranked in the top 15 in the final season ending polls, or who has finished in the top 2 in their conference. Same with BYU.

Utah and BYU play at best 1 or 2 top schools every year and struggle to beat the lower tier schools (eg. Michigan, Washington). I'm NOT talking about beating USC 10 years ago, I mean USC now, and teams who will FINISH ranked no 1 or 2 in their BCS conference. You guys don't play enough quality competition to be ranked so high.

For the last 11 months Ute fans have whined on these boards about how the reason they lost last year was because they had "so many injuries".

This year, going into the "Best Matchup Ever," the Cougs are full of injuries. Pitta, Unga, and Feinga on offense are all banged up; half of the defense didn't even start at the beginning of the seasons.

The difference between the programs is that the Utes make sure the injuries are known to everyone so they have an excuse when they lose. BYU just goes on playing, business as usual, and finds a way to win even when adversity strikes.

I'll admit, The Utes have a great defense, but this is not the 2004 glory team. The Cougar Offense is full of winners. Unga and Pitta will play through the pain, and we all know that Collie is a winner.
BYU has less pressure this year. For the first time in years they aren't favored, but they're winners.

And if the game does come down to a last minute field goal, Sakota is going to miss. Remember what happened to BYU's All American Matt Payne in the Rivalry Game.......

BYU 34
UTAH 32

More like "Most overrated Ever!"

Your 2 rinky dink teams are no better that 20, TOPS!

Yes there are other teams, in other larger conferences that would beat both these "teams" by 30 or more! I would even put Boise ahead of these 2008 wanna be's.

It's a nice little game, in your nice little state.

Best ever? Try coming out to our games out east where your combined fans wouldn't even fill our stadiums!

Because of the confidence and choke factor I'll give BYU a slight edge by 10 in this one and then if they go to a BCS game I'll bet they lose to anyone they play by 35 big ones!

Why couldn't have BYU beaten TCU!?! WHY? WHY? WHY? Can you imagine both teams were in the top 10? I follow both programs very closely and while my loyalty in the rivalry leans toward Cougartown I wanted the Utes to win in 2004. This time I am personally as divided as the state.

This maybe the Best. Matchup. Ever. but it could have been better. Maybe it will be next year. What if both teams start the season ranked in the top 15 and run the table until the matchup!!

Utah, a tea that could not move the ball against Wyoming, 19 less yards during the game.

Strong.

Brian Johnson, Mr Clutch against the weaker teams, that folds up his tent when there is stiff competition on the field. Mr. Everything missed his reciever on the two point conversion. PI did not cause the reciever to miss the ball that was thrown so far behind him, he had to try to turn around and run over the OSU player to get within 5 feet of the ball, hence the late, phantom flag that gave Mr. Consistency his second shot at "clutchness".

After all the Mighty Ute Fandom took all of those cheap shots against him last year, all Stud Reciever Austin Collie will have a career day, giving non-verbal shout outs to the Ute fanbase. Yhe Utes are toast, and Max will provide the fire.

Sure, Utah had it's greatest game ever in Fort Worth while all Utes were home in slippers, and have spent the rest of the season hiding behind TCU's skirts...

Eweyties, come out and play-ay...
Eweyties, come out and play-ay...
Eweyties, come out and play-aeee-ay...

It's safe, BYU won't make you cry...

OK, just a little.

tea = team, and 19 = 10.

Best matchup ever???

Sure, for BYU...

To Best high school game ever? You have simply shown how small minded you are by your immature comments.

Come back east? You mean where the ACC and the Big East don't have a single team ahead of the THREE MWC teams at the top of the rankings? Where no one can seem to distance themselves in spite of overall mediocrity?

I don't think anyone will argue that the SEC and the Big 12 are vastly superior right now, but other than USC and Ohio State, the Pac 10 and Big 10 haven't made much a case for themselves this year, either (see Utah v. Oregon State earlier--a team that will probably play in a BCS bowl THIS YEAR and beat the "now" version of USC). By my count (and others in the national media) that puts the "now" MWC ahead of FOUR of the six BCS conferences.

No matter what happens Saturday, it will be a travesty if at least one MWC team isn't in a BCS bowl.

Not sure exactly who or where you purport to represent, but you obviously do not have a clue about the reality of the quality of play played in this part of the world. Or that BYU regularly sells out 65,000 seat LES-bigger than almost half of the schools in the ACC/Big East/Big XII and several of the schools in the PAC 10, SEC, and Big 10. BYU and Utah have played and beaten almost every national powerhouse program at one time or another over the past 25 years.

Please get a clue the next time you want to go spouting off about something you obviously know nothing about.

We can only hope that the game lives up to the hype. It doesn't matter who wins if the game is as close and exciting as it has been the past several years.

And that whoever wins will bring more even more glory to the entire conference in one of the BCS bowls.

Worst case scenario for MWC: BYU beats Utah and sends a pitiful Boise State team back to the Fiesta Bowl.

Signed, Craig aka the commish

is a clueless fan of some mysterious out-of-state team who trolls a BYU/Utah blog to talk smack about a team/conference he's too chicken to identify.

Are you lost? Do you need someone to show you back home?

BYU lost to TCU because of intensity and reading the headlines waaaay too much. Against Air Force it took a half time lecture by Collie to get the team to pick up the pace and quit being primadonnas.

In life there are those who think greatness was thrust on them. The rest of us try to work at it.

At times BYU thinks they are a team of destiny and just by showing up they will score 5 touchdowns a quarter. I'm hoping they realize they have to work dang hard at it.

That cost them the TCU game.

I like Utah, hate many of their immature fans, will be rooting for BYU on Saturday BUT if Utah wins there is a great silver lining for BYU: We do not get stuck in the Vegas Bowl, TCU does; and the MWC will have another BCS buster in play.

Utah goes busting.
TCU thumps another weak PAC-10 team.
BYU gets out of the box and plays someone new.
Plus Air Force ticks off some team with their option game.

Another good bowl season for the MWC coming up.

Go BYU!

Well guys, these boards are going to be posted of ridiculous "X team will win, guaranteed," and "Our offense has slaughtered teams all year, and it won't change this week. Easy win." These are mild, to say the least. No stats or saying how X beat Z, so X should beat V, and so on, matter one bit. Why can't people understand this about this rivalry?

I'm not even going to read any of this garbage people will put on here. It's a total waste of time. I'm going to wake up on Saturday and be excited about the game. No posting useless rivalry banter all over. We all know everything about both schools. May the smarter coach and team manage playing time in the 4th, and that team will win.

With that said, GO BYU!!!!!!

The reason bywho moved up 3 spots in the ranks, so the game would have more interest, Espn laughed at both Utah & Bywho and the b league they play in. It's tough to get wired week in and week out and still be undefeated. Utah should beat Bywho by 21.

Boy knock on wood if I've ever heard one!

Di they just jinx the game and one team is going to blow out the other?

I think it more likely Utah will win but BYU, if they play with intensity should do just fine. They should be able to paste about 30-35 points on Utah. The question is which defense will show up? The one that had three shut outs, etc or the one that has no secondary?

Let's go Cougars!

Wow, those East Coast Teams are fierce aren't they?

North Carolina, and Maryland--grrrrrr!! (top of the big bad ACC) So what if Maryland lost to Middle Tennessee St.

Oh! Don't forget about the POWERFUL Big East--Yes, their top 2 teams: Cincinnatti and Pitt (that loss to Bowling Green isn't looking so bad now that they're 5th in the MAC!!!)

OK, so you're thinking "don't leave out the Big 10." Yes they are better than the Big Least and the ACC. Hey, but they've sure gained a lot of respect the past few years thanks to their showings in the BCS championship games, right?

And those stadiums!!!! The Big House! Wow, I cower in awe at Michigan and how many empty seats they have in that stadium!

You are sooo right, let's have the winner of the ACC and Big East play for a National Championship!

Best high school game? Wow, whatever, whatever, whatever. You talking about the big least or the ACC. Come on get real. The best conf. this year hands down is Big 12. And yes I think Utah or BYU or TCU could very much hang with these teams. Out east you get to be spoiled by the BCS and think your better then everyone else. Grow up your glory days are coming to an end the USA conf. will beat any eastern conf.

Why Y, Why, why, whyi, whyin, whine, whine, whine...just like a cougar!

Snow College, a school that has contributed star players to both Utah and BYU is number one in the Nation and will play for the NJCAA National Championship for the second year in a row at Rio Tinto stadium on December 6, GO BADGERS

Go Cougars!!! The winner will take all - stats doesn't matter because this is the big one. Utah may be overrated and same too for BYU. But, a lot other top ten are overated too. But if Texas Tech beat Oklahoma, then yes they belong there. I want more than ever that BYU win all out!

I live out East, and trust me, the crowds in the East are no better than the crowds in Utah. Besides, there isn't a stadium in the country that is big enough to hold our combined home crowds. Although I've seen a lot of empty stadiums out here recently.

And we're absolutely deserving of a top 10. I've seen the football out here, and it's not as good as you think it is.

to best high school game ever:

Wyoming 13
Tennessee 10

'nough said

Any one see Gunther on tv last night spouting hatred? admitting to holding the cougs all game last year and trying to start fights talking about the BYU players sister. Wow Utes you have a lot to be proud of! BTW Gunther did you happen to check the scoreboard at the end?

Regarding previous comments; the reason BYU couldn't beat TCU is because TCU is a better team with better, faster athletes. The same reason Utah will win. Win or lose, BYU is going to the BYU/Las Vegas bowl anyway so what difference does it make. And they just love the cougs in Sin City. Maybe they can somehow get UCLA a bowl eligible exemption and play them yet again, for a 4th time in 2 years.

To the MWC detractors, Utah has played a strong non-conference schedule for years and has beaten almost every PAC 10 (inc. So Cal with Carson Palmer in a bowl game) & Big 10 team over the past 15 or so years. They have the best non-BCS team record in the country against BCS competition and easily had the best non-BCS team ever in 2004. I don't know what else they can do, so get over it.

This IS going to be the biggest 'Rivalry GAme' ever and Utah will win because they have better athletes and better on-field leadership. It's their destiny.

GO UTES!

Hew Cougar fans, remember when Phil Steele releases his pre-season rankings and he had UTAH ahead of BYU. REMEMBER when he said UTAH would be the team to bust the BCS THIS YEAR. REMEMBER how many Cougar fans responded and said who is this guy. Well it looks like he's pretty smart.

Awesome Collie is so darned good.
He's one of the foundational pillars of their program.
Quests for near-perfection are always fun.
All that speed and tackling ability in Provo's secondary will be impossible so score on.

I'm a BYU alum (class of '88), but I am proud of both teams. I'd like to see the Cougs win to tie for the championship, but I'd like to see the Utes win for a great BCS bowl game. I hope they both play well, that it goes down to the wire, that they're sportsmen, and that both teams walk off the field with their heads held high! What a great year for the MWC. Way to go Cougars, Utes, and Horned Frogs!

All this trash talking and dissing--especially from folks back east is great! A few years back they wouldn't even care about the BYU-Utah game. Now thanks to BYU, Utah, TCU and AFA the Mt. West is on everyones radar. This is great! After all these years finally a little respect.

Congrats to the Utes for not dropping their usual annual game to a bottom MWC team. Congrats to BYU for making it to this game with just one loss after turning off all motivation and desire to win for 3-4 games. If both teams play to capability, this will be a good game and BYU will come out on top, barely. If BYU can't get the pistons firing they won't be able to play catch up. Least likely, if both teams come out struggling, we're in for a heart attack match-up with a lot of disappointing drives.

Go Cougars!

Neither one of these teams can combete with Texas, Texas Tec, Florida, Alabama, USC. Reality check, please. (By the way where is the guy who said that BYU would play for the National Championship?) Mendenhall has yet to solve the problems of this BYU team. No insult intended at all, but you can't win games on spirituality. Somewhere along the line the Y defense has to show up. Good team, not great,but stripling warriors they are not. Utah is overrated, but so what. Makes the conference look good. Go Utes. I am a Y fan but am a little tired of trying to win games with the help of a Higher Power. Good hard hitting football is the thing that wins.

Isn't it interesting to read comments from the noobs back east. As has been mentioned above, the Big Least and ACC are in Bill Walton's words "HORRIBLE" this year. And the MWC has owned the PAC-10 this year as well...not to mention a little Big-10 game.

While it's true, the MWC doesn't get the best "athletes" in the country. In fact, I would submit that the MWC gets the 2nd and 3rd tier recruites compared to the Big conferences. However, we still seem to beat those "BCS" conference teams. Why? And who would want to go to school in Boise? Yet these "weaker" teams seem to win when it comes to ONE game....right OU and Pitt?!

All we've got is a bunch of slow white guys, and islanders scattered amongst a few black guys. Michigan, UCLA, Washington, Arizona, Tenessee should ALWAYS beat up on MWC competetion simply because they get better athletes all the time.

Texas (Tech), Florida, Penn State, OSU, and Bama will always be good...but you never know what can happen in one game. LSU almost found that out against Troy on Saturday.

Go Cougs, Utes, TCU, and maybe even BSU a little.

If BYU, Utah, or BSU ever find a way to crack the BCS then you know all those college football supremists from back east, down south, and on the pacific coast will revamp the system and make it near impossible for it to ever happen again. If you can't beat 'em the change the system

it's like riding a roller coaster for 3.5 hours straight! crazy!

GO UTES!!!

I don't think BYU can ever take Utah this year. Utah is just too great for us lowly Cougars. With all the injuries and a soft defense I just don't think that there is any possibility. Brian Johnson is too strong and the Utah Defense is just too great for BYU to ever beat them..........

But won't it be fun when we do.

BYU by 14!

BYU is the class of the league... Win Lose or Draw!

I don't think y fans should be talking about crying in football, remember your 4th stringer on the Dolphins?

Not to be a downer here, but the respect lacking on a national stage is largely due to the pathetic Mountain Network and its ability to keep the rest of the country from ever seeing the brand of football in the MWC. Sadly, when BYU / TCU got on the national stage, one of them failed to show up. That hurt the conference. The MWC needs to find a way to dump the Mountain Network and allow the quality football to be actually seen nationally, even regionally would be an improvement. Doesn't much matter who the teams play, if they never get seen. Craig Thompson and the Univ. Presidents really did the conference a disservice with the MOuntasin deal. Go Utes, Go Cougars. Put on a show, but I hope Utah minus five.

Bass,

You are a clown. BYU will be "impossible" to score on? What world are you living in?

If you gave me a helmet I could score on BYU. Really, let me play.

All the BYU fans are getting a little scared to leave Utah Valley.

Try to be brave when you cross the point of the Mtn. into Salt Lake. Losing won't be so bad.

Try to take it like a brave kalueaky warrior or whomever you are pretending to be during your hoola dance.

Collie, watch out, because if they do give me a helmet then I'm going to knock you out of the game, just like your older brother Sean Covey.

Go Utes!!!

BYU ---7-10-14--7--38
Utah--10--7--7-10--34

In yet another exciting rivalry game, Utah appears to be headed to another BCS game and another 34-31 win over Utah when a Louie Sakoda punt pins BYU inside their own 10-yardline with less than 2:00 remaining. But Max Hall and the Cougar offense convert on two straight third downs to keep the drive going. On a 2nd and 3 from the Utah 40 yardline, Max Hall finds Austin Collie on a play-action pass for the game-winning touchdown with :30 remaining. On Utah's final possession, Brian Johnson throws an interception on 3rd and 10 to seal BYU's 3rd straight win over Utah.

Utah is 11-0...They can't be overrated with the current ranking system. However, they have had some lucky bounces, and why should that change against BYU?

Brian Johnson can't throw the Deep ball, which is good because BYU can't defend the deep ball.

Utah's greatest move they made is hiring a Cougar to coach their team. Kyle bleeds blue as we've seen on his 4th down defense the past 2 years.

I don't think there should be score predictions on these posts; instead, let's predict how many trick plays Utah will run. I'm guessing 7 including the 2 fake punts.

You are the best Ute Fans! Thanks for making our end-of-year victories so much more rewarding. Utah better hope for a Football win this year because the Basketball team isn't looking to promising. Who did they lose to...Southwestern Baptist St. Glorified High School?

The Cougs may make keep it close if Johnson commits turnovers (likely to happen in an emotional game like this one), but the Utes' speed and Sakoda will result in a Ute win. I would love to see BYU pull the upset but even if they do, I don't want BYU playing in a BCS game with this team---it would be a setback for the program. Best-case scenario for the MWC is for Utes to win and go to Fiesta Bowl against Texas, and for the Y to go to Poinsettia Bowl against an ACC or Big East pansie. Let TCU play in the Vegas Bowl for a change...

Why should the utes even worry about this game? BYU is not TCU by a long shot. Utes have this one in the bag.

Two words.....GO COUGARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How can BYU be the class of the league when they lost to TCU? How can you be the class of the league when you lost? I guess you, being a typical BYU fan, have a way of turning that loss against TCU into a win. Too bad the MWC hasn't gotten the memo and still lists you as 10-1.

4th and 18, baby. 4th and 18.

I am a Utah man sir!

I watched both games Saturday, BYU’s in person. Both teams will be in top form next week. BY U should have been up 24-10 at the half if not for unsportsmanlike behavior call, and should have been more dominant. Later as required, the Utes dominated SDSU. Both teams have their traditional advantages, Utah’s defense and BYU’s offense. Not necessarily a classic separation; Utah’s offense has played very well in the clutch. BYU’s defense is pretty solid, particularly if BYU’s offense keeps them off the field; thier weakness is holding position; they were fooled by AFA’s misdirection.

But BYU’s tight ends will give Utah defense fits. They’re tall, big with good hands and will make third downs difficult for Utah. I’m a little surprised by Hall’s pass selection, however, particularly in the flat. AFA defense dropped several interceptions; unable to get two hands on the ball. Utah’s corners are at least a half a step faster and will get both hands on the ball.

Keys – Hall’s passing against Utah’s corners. Ball control; BYU’s big running backs, great tight ends. Utah’s running game, particularly at the edges. Last minute heroics by Collie or Brain Johnson.

Utah 34, BYU 31

Hey Call- your comments regarding the 1994 season are inaccurate. Going into the game BYU was tied with Colorado St. in the conference rankings. If BYU had won agianst Utah, they would have clinched a share of the conference title. because byu only had one loss to csu and csu had lost to utah.

We all know the U is going to win this Saturday. The Y wants that big check from the Utes going to the BCS. The Y will loose this game for sure mark my words. They need the $$ to bribe some DB's. At this point the Y needs the money more than the "W".

4th stringer? he's actually battling for backup, that #1 pick of the niners (Alex Smith) is the worst QB in the NFL, if they could redo the draft they would select Aaron Rogers...and Alex Smith would now be selected in the 6th or 7th round