Shooting for 7 Straight: Utes go to Provo, 2017

[LA Ute]

We don't have a Rivalry Week thread, so here we go.

I think we'll win by a couple of scores. Despite our offensive line's greenness, our offense is better. Our speed is superior among both our backs and our receivers. BYU's offense won't be able to run on us, and their receivers won't be able to get separation from our DBs. (Not sure about how our LBs will do.)

There you have it. I hope I'm not too far off.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170903/f273588a33f0a268902a44ec802f2411.png

[SoCalPat]

Based on what I've seen from both teams this year ...

10 percent of the time, BYU wins

25 percent of the time, Utah wins a one-possession game

25 percent of the time, Utah wins decisively (10-17 points)

40 percent of the time, this is a full-on pillar-to-post bitch slapping where we can name the score after BYU quits, just like it did in 2011.

[sancho]

Based on what I've seen from both teams this year ...


Which is, we have to admit, not very much.

But yeah, based on our limited data, Utah seems like a big favorite. BYU has home field, has played two games instead of one, has played a real opponent, and has more experience at some key positions. On the other hand, Utah has better coaches and personnel.

[LA Ute]

Based on what I've seen from both teams this year ...

10 percent of the time, BYU wins

25 percent of the time, Utah wins a one-possession game

25 percent of the time, Utah wins decisively (10-17 points)

40 percent of the time, this is a full-on pillar-to-post bitch slapping where we can name the score after BYU quits, just like it did in 2011.

Sounds right to me. That's why I hedged and said we win by two scores, which could be 6 points, 10 points,or 14 points.

[LA Ute]

It'll be interesting to see if this continues in next Saturday's game:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0mR2VLHpAM&feature=youtu.be

[sancho]

It'll be interesting to see if this continues in next Saturday's game:


They really miss Jamaal Williams. He covered up a multitude of deficiencies in that offense.

[Mormon Red Death]

We are 1 point dogs in Provo

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[Mormon Red Death]

Honestly I thought we would be favored

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[Diehard Ute]

Honestly I thought we would be favored

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I have no idea how they came up with that line


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[sancho]

I have no idea how they came up with that line


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I guess we still have an inexperienced qb and offensive line playing their first real game and first road game.

If Utah loses, it will be due to turnovers and to us allowing them to run the ball.

[LA Ute]

From my son, whose friend sent this to him.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170904/7c990354658600756aa6d2ec63c8c47d.jpg

[Scorcho]

Ute fans confidence is leaving me a little eerie. While I believe Utah's the more talented team, I'm not convinced that you can draw much on the 3 games that both teams have played. LSU's defense is pretty good. They have the speed to shut anyone down. Like usual this game will be close

[SoCalPat]

Sounds right to me. That's why I hedged and said we win by two scores, which could be 6 points, 10 points,or 14 points.

Nobody ever refers to a 6-point win as a win by two scores. Two scores is anything between 9 and 16 points.

[LA Ute]

Nobody ever refers to a 6-point win as a win by two scores. Two scores is anything between 9 and 16 points.

But that is what I meant by "two scores." I think we'll win by a couple of field goals or a couple of touchdowns. Now that you know what I meant we can move on.

All that aside, I am becoming a little less confident about my prediction.

[concerned]

Nobody ever refers to a 6-point win as a win by two scores. Two scores is anything between 9 and 16 points.

Yep. Two scores means the other team cant win with a touchdown. Two fgs doesnt cut it.

[mUUser]

From my son, whose friend sent this to him.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170904/7c990354658600756aa6d2ec63c8c47d.jpg
What's up with that "knot"? I don't get it.

[Applejack]

Ute fans confidence is leaving me a little eerie. While I believe Utah's the more talented team, I'm not convinced that you can draw much on the 3 games that both teams have played. LSU's defense is pretty good. They have the speed to shut anyone down. Like usual this game will be close

Yeah, agreed. We're a one point underdog for a bunch of reasons (road game, their desire to beat us some time this decade, inexperienced offense, our o line, kavika, etc).

If we win by la's "two scores" (4-80 points) I will be surprised.

[sancho]

If we win by la's "two scores" (4-80 points) I will be surprised.

It wouldn't be that surprising. I mean, we know BYU is not a great team. The question mark here is Utah. We don't know much about our team. We're pretty sure we aren't LSU. But we typically have a good run defense, though, and that should make things tough on BYU.

After seeing Huntley's willingness to throw sidearm on the run, I suspect we'll throw a handful on picks this season. An early big play for BYU could go a long way towards erasing the LSU hangover.

[LA Ute]

Yeah, agreed. We're a one point underdog for a bunch of reasons (road game, their desire to beat us some time this decade, inexperienced offense, our o line, kavika, etc).

If we win by la's "two scores" (4-80 points) I will be surprised.

How about I refine my prediction in a semantically acceptable manner? We win by less than a TD (a FG or two), or, if all goes really well, a couple of TDs? Like SCP said, almost half the time this game is a wild one, decided in the last possession.

I think our O-line is our biggest problem against BYU, since their D-line is supposed to be good. Our superior speed is their biggest problem. In this game anything can happen and it usually does. I'm looking forward to an exciting game. I'd love to win a 7th in a row but if we don't, 6 in a row is pretty good.

[sancho]

I'd love to win a 7th in a row but if we don't, 6 in a row is pretty good.

Forget that. This is a must win. BYU is hurting right now, and we can't allow a breath of life into their program.

[concerned]

Forget that. This is a must win. BYU is hurting right now, and we can't allow a breath of life into their program.

Agreed. There is sooooo much pressure on byu to win. Kragrhorpe column yesterday said if they dont win this year they may not win for a long time, because the programs are trending in opposing directions. I really hope it is too much pressure.


http://www.sltrib.com/sports/2017/09/03/kragthorpe-byu-must-win-end-utes-streak-in-the-rivalry-right-now-and-heres-why/

[UTEopia]

We are 1 point dogs in Provo

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I think Kyle can work with this.

[Applejack]

How about I refine my prediction in a semantically acceptable manner? We win by less than a TD (a FG or two), or, if all goes really well, a couple of TDs? Like SCP said, almost half the time this game is a wild one, decided in the last possession.

I think our O-line is our biggest problem against BYU, since their D-line is supposed to be good. Our superior speed is their biggest problem. In this game anything can happen and it usually does. I'm looking forward to an exciting game. I'd love to win a 7th in a row but if we don't, 6 in a row is pretty good.

Thanks. So you are saying Utah will win by 1 to 14 points? Wonderful!

[LA Ute]

Thanks. So you are saying Utah will win by 1 to 14 points? Wonderful!

You've been spending too much time on a board where clever snarkiness trumps all else, including substantive, enjoyable conversation among like-minded sports fans.

So to refine further my earlier statement, I will quote it without revision: We win by less than a TD (a FG or two), or, if all goes really well, a couple of TDs.

[Applejack]

You've been spending too much time on a board where clever snarkiness trumps all else, including substantive, enjoyable conversation among like-minded sports fans.

So to refine further my earlier statement, I will quote it without revision: We win by less than a TD (a FG or two), or, if all goes really well, a couple of TDs.

Ok, 1-14 points. Gotcha.

[LA Ute]

Ok, 1-14 points. Gotcha.

Now you've got it!!!

[justaute]

Collectively speaking, my opinion is that fans (people) are biased, emotional, and often take on parochial views. And, many rely on their brief, barely athletic, high school football-playing experience as a reference point. There are exceptions, of course.





Ute fans confidence is leaving me a little eerie. While I believe Utah's the more talented team, I'm not convinced that you can draw much on the 3 games that both teams have played. LSU's defense is pretty good. They have the speed to shut anyone down. Like usual this game will be close

[NorthwestUteFan]

You've been spending too much time on a board where clever snarkiness trumps all else, including substantive, enjoyable conversation among like-minded sports fans.

[


Well if you define clever in terms that would apply to a 10 year-old, then perhaps you are accurate.

[LA Ute]

Collectively speaking, my opinion is that fans (people) are biased, emotional, and often take on parochial views. And, many rely on their brief, barely athletic, high school football-playing experience as a reference point. There are exceptions, of course.

Hey!!! I made the junior varsity!

[Dwight Schr-Ute]

The two deep for this week has just been released. Kavika is still listed as the starter. Is that good news for this week or or is this completely unrelated to who's actually in position to play?


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[Dwight Schr-Ute]

The two deep for this week has just been released. Kavika is still listed as the starter. Is that good news for this week or or is this completely unrelated to who's actually in position to play?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalkhttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170904/1484172bb5c2474f65d3f377c8ef4569.jpg

Tom with "sources."

904738715938897920


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[justaute]

haha


Hey!!! I made the junior varsity!

[Diehard Ute]

The CB depth chart is interesting.

Watching the game I didn't see Kenric Young spend much time in at CB.

I saw Blackmon and Jaylon Johnson play together a lot.

I think the depth chart for CB is certainly much more fluid.


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[LA Ute]

Good piece.

Amy Donaldson: Unique friendship of McBride and Edwards continues to uplift and inspire

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865688075/Amy-Donaldson-Unique-friendship-of-McBride-and-Edwards-continues-to-uplift-and-inspire.html

[SeattleUte]

I have always felt this entire BYU coaching staff is in over their heads. Bronco left BYU in the lurch, and this was the best the school could do, after Navy's coach backed out (maybe because BYU fans weren't thrilled about him, dreaming of their vaunted history passing the ball against weak competition), and because of the Honor Code and overall BYU weirdness. I was surprised at how competitaive they were last season, but attributed it to the team really being Bronco's team. And it was; Williams, Hill, were the heart of that team, and there was Bronco's ethos and intelligence on defense. It's not unusual for a less than competent successor to live for a while on his predecessor's spoils. See Crowton. This is the season I have expected to see the wheels starting to come off at BYU football.

At best, given how narrow is BYU's recruiting base, compounded now by its independence and all the attendant disadvantages, whether in football or basketball BYU's path to success is highly contingent. They should have gone all out to hire Navy's coach, who has thrived in such an inhospitable and challenging environment. I think we're going to see BYU fall further than it did under Crowton.

[Dwight Schr-Ute]

Darren Carrington told the press today that he was aware of the comments that BYU fans have been making about him and his addition to the team. Should be fun to watch on Saturday.


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[USS Utah]

After watching parts of BYU's first two games, I re-watched last year's rivalry game. Surprise, Taysom Hill really was the better QB on BYU's roster last season. Unsurprisingly, Jamal Williams was better than anything BYU has now. I haven't heard or read anyone talking about it, but Kurtz and Jurgens were better than anything BYU has now at WR, as well. Throw in six turnovers, and BYU managed to make a game of it last year. If Utah can avoid turnovers, or even just limit them to one or two, they should win by 10-14. Moss ran well against BYU last year, and McCormick did some nice things as well. Carrington will be the best WR on the field. BYU basically has two things going for them, a nice LB corps, and its a rivalry game so anything can happen -- that's it.

[UTEopia]

I have always felt this entire BYU coaching staff is in over their heads. Bronco left BYU in the lurch, and this was the best the school could do, after Navy's coach backed out (maybe because BYU fans weren't thrilled about him, dreaming of their vaunted history passing the ball against weak competition), and because of the Honor Code and overall BYU weirdness. I was surprised at how competitaive they were last season, but attributed it to the team really being Bronco's team. And it was; Williams, Hill, were the heart of that team, and there was Bronco's ethos and intelligence on defense. It's not unusual for a less than competent successor to live for a while on his predecessor's spoils. See Crowton. This is the season I have expected to see the wheels starting to come off at BYU football.

At best, given how narrow is BYU's recruiting base, compounded now by its independence and all the attendant disadvantages, whether in football or basketball BYU's path to success is highly contingent. They should have gone all out to hire Navy's coach, who has thrived in such an inhospitable and challenging environment. I think we're going to see BYU fall further than it did under Crowton.

Niumatalolo refused to accept Holmoe's demand that he hire Detmer, Mahe and the WR coach and abandon the option.

[LA Ute]

Niumatalolo refused to accept Holmoe's demand that he hire Detmer, Mahe and the WR coach and abandon the option.

:blink:

[NorthwestUteFan]

Niumatalolo refused to accept Holmoe's demand that he hire Detmer, Mahe and the WR coach and abandon the option.Yup. Thank goodness.

Niumatololo with byu's recruits and resources would be a weapon.

[Solon]

I have always felt this entire BYU coaching staff is in over their heads. Bronco left BYU in the lurch, and this was the best the school could do, after Navy's coach backed out (maybe because BYU fans weren't thrilled about him, dreaming of their vaunted history passing the ball against weak competition), and because of the Honor Code and overall BYU weirdness. I was surprised at how competitaive they were last season, but attributed it to the team really being Bronco's team. And it was; Williams, Hill, were the heart of that team, and there was Bronco's ethos and intelligence on defense. It's not unusual for a less than competent successor to live for a while on his predecessor's spoils. See Crowton. This is the season I have expected to see the wheels starting to come off at BYU football.

At best, given how narrow is BYU's recruiting base, compounded now by its independence and all the attendant disadvantages, whether in football or basketball BYU's path to success is highly contingent. They should have gone all out to hire Navy's coach, who has thrived in such an inhospitable and challenging environment. I think we're going to see BYU fall further than it did under Crowton.

I don't dispute the overall gist of this post, but this specific game terrifies me.
The byu kids are humbled & hungry & desperate. The utah kids are taking a new QB on the road against an FBS opponent for the first time. Provo is a tough place for visiting teams.
I think it's going to be a dogfight.

I am not surprised that Vegas favors the byu.

[Diehard Ute]

Per Bill Riley, Luafatasaga was running well off to the side of the field


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[justaute]

Don't disagree. And, while we played a terrific FCS team in UND, TDS did play LSU inside of its backyard. I guess I'm just not the type who jump on an opponent, even if it is BYU, so early. I'm excited about the prospect of our team, but I try to manage my expectations.

Our secondary needs a lot of work. Our LB corp needs to play smarter. Our WR corp, other than DC, still needs to prove itself; I don't care how fast you are or how well you run your route, if you hare stones for hands. We did give up a sh!t ton of points to UCLA last year. Sure, our defense has a terrific reputation and is tough, but it was not the best in P12 last year and we tend to give up on big plays.


I don't dispute the overall gist of this post, but this specific game terrifies me.
The byu kids are humbled & hungry & desperate. The utah kids are taking a new QB on the road against an FBS opponent for the first time. Provo is a tough place for visiting teams.
I think it's going to be a dogfight.

I am not surprised that Vegas favors the byu.

[Utah]

Don't disagree. And, while we played a terrific FCS team in UND, TDS did play LSU inside of its backyard. I guess I'm just not the type who jump on an opponent, even if it is BYU, so early. I'm excited about the prospect of our team, but I try to manage my expectations.

Our secondary needs a lot of work. Our LB corp needs to play smarter. Our WR corp, other than DC, still needs to prove itself; I don't care how fast you are or how well you run your route, if you hare stones for hands. We did give up a sh!t ton of points to UCLA last year. Sure, our defense has a terrific reputation and is tough, but it was not the best in P12 last year and we tend to give up on big plays.

Whoa. Relax man.

Ha ha.

[Utah]

I don't dispute the overall gist of this post, but this specific game terrifies me.
The byu kids are humbled & hungry & desperate. The utah kids are taking a new QB on the road against an FBS opponent for the first time. Provo is a tough place for visiting teams.
I think it's going to be a dogfight.

I am not surprised that Vegas favors the byu.

You can be as hungry and humble and desperate as you want.

Like Bill Riley said, that doesn't make you faster or more talented.

BYU's problem is that they just aren't that good.

Their recruiting classes the last 5 years put them a distant 13th in the PAC-12.

If it wasn't for their 37 year old JR QB, they'd have nothing of much note.

Kaufusi and Takitaki are so overrated.

Pau'u is a G5 all star (ie, backup/end of roster guy at P5).

Older Warner has talent but is soft.

Younger Warner and Lake are too slow to play CB. They do have potential at safety though.

BYU just isn't that good.

[justaute]

Pretty relaxed here. I'm not the one who's playing. I do need to "relax" a bit in my own competitions. :)



Whoa. Relax man.

Ha ha.

[Scratch]

Younger Warner and Lake are too slow to play CB. They do have potential at safety though.



This exemplifies the problem with BYU's secondaries. Lake and Warner appear to be pretty good safeties. However, that also means they are about the fastest DBs on the team, so they end getting moved to corner, where they are just OK.

[SeattleUte]

Yup. Thank goodness.

Niumatololo with byu's recruits and resources would be a weapon.

I totally agree. He and his system could have made BYU formidable. Stupid BYU.

[UTEopia]

Per Bill Riley, Luafatasaga was running well off to the side of the field


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk. Was he running well on the side of the field or running way off on the side of the field?

[Applejack]

:jig:

I HATE THE COUGARS!

[U-Ute]

Dahlelama's latest work is awesome...

904451825293705217

904875273035718657

[LA Ute]

On a cautious note, we are all fooling ourselves if we are not just a little nervous about what the oddsmakers in Vegas know or understand that we do not.

[U-Ute]

On a cautious note, we are all fooling ourselves if we are not just a little nervous about what the oddsmakers in Vegas know or understand that we do not.

Yes and no.

I think they know about as much as we do about Utah. Plus, lines are meant to influence betting, not an actual predictor of the game.

That being said, these people are eerily accurate.

[LA Ute]

So looking at receivers, covering Carrington is a problem for BYU. (Our other receivers have speed too, but Carrington is the big problem.) On the other side, I guess Trinnaman (sp?) is Utah's problem, maybe Bushman (6'5", 250 lbs.) too. How does BYU deal with Carrington, and how do the Utes deal with those two?

[concerned]

So looking at receivers, covering Carrington is a problem for BYU. (Our other receivers have speed too, but Carrington is the big problem.) On the other side, I guess Trinnaman (sp?) is Utah's problem, maybe Bushman (6'5", 250 lbs.) too. How does BYU deal with Carrington, and how do the Utes deal with those two?


Bushman is their best receiver, and on Saturday was Mangum's go-to target, esp. when he needed help. Trinnaman is fast, but cant catch and has been a big disappointment more or less. The other receivers are slow and soft.

I heard John Pease say yesterday that Bushman is the real deal, a young Gronkowski. He said we will put Chase Hansen on Bushman. He said he would be reluctant to put Chase at LB if Kavika cannot play, because he is so fast and we need him in space and coverage.

[SoCalPat]

If we get up 10 points quickly, and BYU is unable to show anything on offense, this team will quit. They'll feed off the negative energy inside LES and completely disintegrate. That's when we turn the game into a rout. Just like 2011. If BYU turns it over a lot like in 2011 (and in Mangum's last start against Utah) and we don't (unlike last year), there ain't no HC on their sideline playing in his final game to play for.

[Utah]

So looking at receivers, covering Carrington is a problem for BYU. (Our other receivers have speed too, but Carrington is the big problem.) On the other side, I guess Trinnaman (sp?) is Utah's problem, maybe Bushman (6'5", 250 lbs.) too. How does BYU deal with Carrington, and how do the Utes deal with those two?

If I'm Utah, I'm not worried about any WR's. Just play straight man.

That's three on three or two on two.

Next, OL vs DL. Again, if I'm Utah, I'm not worried. 4 vs 5.

I play my two LB's (Tauteoli, Luafatasaga hopefully, or Barton/Thompson). One in the run game, one on Bushman. 2 vs 2.

I have now covered their entire offense with two players left, my two safeties.

I bracket Ballard on Bushman.

I love Chase around and use him to make plays.

If BYU beats me, they beat me with their WR's (and that's not happening).

[Utah]

The good news is, BYU is so bad, no disguising is needed. My CB's will win their battles. My DL will win theirs. As long as the LB's tackle, then we've won the run game.

That just leaves Bushman, and I have a LB and two safeties to cover him.

Lol.

[Applejack]

So looking at receivers, covering Carrington is a problem for BYU. (Our other receivers have speed too, but Carrington is the big problem.) On the other side, I guess Trinnaman (sp?) is Utah's problem, maybe Bushman (6'5", 250 lbs.) too. How does BYU deal with Carrington, and how do the Utes deal with those two?


Bushman is their best receiver, and on Saturday was Mangum's go-to target, esp. when he needed help. Trinnaman is fast, but cant catch and has been a big disappointment more or less. The other receivers are slow and soft.

I heard John Pease say yesterday that Bushman is the real deal, a young Gronkowski. He said we will put Chase Hansen on Bushman. He said he would be reluctant to put Chase at LB if Kavika cannot play, because he is so fast and we need him in space and coverage.

Trinnaman is a Cougar special: always awesome in camp, always a disappointment when actual games happen.

Bushman is legit. He is the prototypical Cougar tight end: big, not super speedy, but great at creating space with his body. I assume he will be the focus of the defense (what else do you focus on?), and we're likely to see different looks for the coverage on him (lb, occasional nickel back, safety help, etc). He is the guy with the potential to make plays.

I'm more worried about how we match up with them on D. They have a pretty good D (as opposed to the abomination of an offense run by Tysman). I'm most concerned about our ability to score when we get in the red zone. That was our problem last year (in the Y game and overall); and it's probably the strength of the BYU defense. They gave up a lot of yards against LSU, but in the red zone they were fairly stingy. They had a goal line stand and a couple of times where they limited LSU to field goals (or attempts, at least) when they really were moving the ball at will up to that point. If we handle our business in the red zone Saturday, chalk up LAUte's 1-14 point win; if we struggle there (with a new qb, untested WRs, and an o-line that needs work), we're in for a barn burner.

[SoCalPat]

I have always felt this entire BYU coaching staff is in over their heads. Bronco left BYU in the lurch, and this was the best the school could do, after Navy's coach backed out (maybe because BYU fans weren't thrilled about him, dreaming of their vaunted history passing the ball against weak competition), and because of the Honor Code and overall BYU weirdness. I was surprised at how competitaive they were last season, but attributed it to the team really being Bronco's team. And it was; Williams, Hill, were the heart of that team, and there was Bronco's ethos and intelligence on defense. It's not unusual for a less than competent successor to live for a while on his predecessor's spoils. See Crowton. This is the season I have expected to see the wheels starting to come off at BYU football.

At best, given how narrow is BYU's recruiting base, compounded now by its independence and all the attendant disadvantages, whether in football or basketball BYU's path to success is highly contingent. They should have gone all out to hire Navy's coach, who has thrived in such an inhospitable and challenging environment. I think we're going to see BYU fall further than it did under Crowton.

BYU has never learned you don't give storied alumni their first huge break in the coaching ranks (Hopefully we've learned after what we did with Brian Johnson). BYU's offense disintegrated when Robbie Bosco was OC. Bronco greased his own skids by getting rid of Anae and bringing on Brandon Doman. And now we have Ty Detmer. They were horrible offensively last year against the upper crust of their schedule and this year appears to be no different. Their best play in Mangum's first year was the jump ball to perhaps the most physically gifted set of WRs BYU has ever had. They don't have that this year, nor does Mangum have Taysom's legs, and there's no Jamaal Williams in the backfield. And unlike Crowton's final years, there's no Todd Watkins, Austin Collie or Curtis Brown, either. This BYU offense is as bad, if not worse, than their 2003 team, which we shut out.

[snafu]

Our boys sure seem to be comfortable playing in LES. I daresay they have played us better at RES than in their own place. Not sure why that is but it bodes well for us. Go UTES!

[LA Ute]

Yes and no.

I think they know about as much as we do about Utah. Plus, lines are meant to influence betting, not an actual predictor of the game.

That being said, these people are eerily accurate.

Someone on UF.net said we're now favored. I don't understand betting so I can't confirm. Anybody know?

[Utah]

What I will say about BYU's defense vs LSU is this:

BYU was terrible.

LSU had 7 drives into BYU's red zone.

LSU had three TD's, two FG's, missed FG and TO on downs.

LSU said they used less than 10% of their playbook.

LSU's FG's came in the second half.

I don't buy BYU's defense did anything.

LSU got up big, packed it in, ran three plays the second half and settled for FG's. Had LSU wanted to, they could have won by 60. But they decided to shut it down and not show anyone anything because they knew they could.

[Applejack]

Uh-oh: http://www.sltrib.com/sports/2017/09/05/monson-is-there-a-talent-gap-between-utah-and-byu-yes-yes-there-is/

I can't imagine a more ominous article before the game than one written by Gordon Monson which praises the Utes. Kyle should forbid players from reading the SLTrib.

[Applejack]

LSU got up big, packed it in, ran three plays the second half and settled for FG's. Had LSU wanted to, they could have won by 60. But they decided to shut it down and not show anyone anything because they knew they could.

Sure they did. SEC teams hate to participate in a rout. Gentleman to a fault, the whole lot of them.

[Applejack]

Someone on UF.net said we're now favored. I don't understand betting so I can't confirm. Anybody know?

You can get odds anywhere from BYU by 1 to Utah by 1.5. http://www.vegasinsider.com/college-football/odds/las-vegas/

[Utebiquitous]

I think LA Ute or someone already brought this up - the O'line is the position group that worries me. They did some nice things Thursday but they also struggled, something I expect with a less-experienced position group. I have plenty of confidence that they'll continue improving as the season goes along but I think they'll need to improve considerably to consistently win the line of scrimmage battles Saturday. I have a lot of respect for the Y's front seven. I know they gave up quite a bit Saturday to LSU but if the shoe was on the other foot we'd be all over the offense for not spending equal time on the field to give our defenders some rest. Could this game end up being a punt fest?

[Utah]

I think LA Ute or someone already brought this up - the O'line is the position group that worries me. They did some nice things Thursday but they also struggled, something I expect with a less-experienced position group. I have plenty of confidence that they'll continue improving as the season goes along but I think they'll need to improve considerably to consistently win the line of scrimmage battles Saturday. I have a lot of respect for the Y's front seven. I know they gave up quite a bit Saturday to LSU but if the shoe was on the other foot we'd be all over the offense for not spending equal time on the field to give our defenders some rest. Could this game end up being a punt fest?

I don't think so because BYU is too slow. Their secondary is very slow. They have no one who can cover Carrington.

I expect Utah to attack BYU's edges. Kaufusi is a very average DE and Takitaki can't play the run. LSU blocked him with a TE most of the game on Sat.

[Utah]

Sure they did. SEC teams hate to participate in a rout. Gentleman to a fault, the whole lot of them.

So, you think that the second half BYU suddenly came alive and shut LSU down in the red zone?

I bet you think BYU won three quarters against us at the Vegas Bowl as well, right?

And that Mangum is the best QB in the state, way better than Heaps, and headed to the NFL as well.

[Scorcho]

So, you think that the second half BYU suddenly came alive and shut LSU down in the red zone?

I bet you think BYU won three quarters against us at the Vegas Bowl as well, right?

And that Mangum is the best QB in the state, way better than Heaps, and headed to the NFL as well.

:snack:

[Mormon Red Death]

Someone on UF.net said we're now favored. I don't understand betting so I can't confirm. Anybody know?
It moved to utah -1.5. It means $$ has come in on Utah so v they moved the lines to get action on byu

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

[Applejack]

So, you think that the second half BYU suddenly came alive and shut LSU down in the red zone?

I bet you think BYU won three quarters against us at the Vegas Bowl as well, right?

And that Mangum is the best QB in the state, way better than Heaps, and headed to the NFL as well.

:blink:

This discussion is about the 2015 Vegas Bowl, Magnum v.s Huntley, and Jake Heaps' NFL prospects??? You need to take a chill pill, bro. Any opinion that is not all sunshine and glory should not be offensive to you.

Yes, BYU's D has some talent (gasp!), and their linebackers are solid (the nerve!), and their d-line is pretty good when you back them up to the goalline (FOR ALL THAT IS HOLY!). Deal with it. Or you can revert to making lists that include Jackson Barton as the best linebacker on the planet. Whatevs.

I STILL HATE THE COUGARS!

:jig:

[justaute]

"Utah" taking a chill pill is akin to BYU playing clean ball -- ain't happening.

Utah -- not personal, because I don't know you, but it's funny. :)



:blink:

This discussion is about the 2015 Vegas Bowl, Magnum v.s Huntley, and Jake Heaps' NFL prospects??? You need to take a chill pill, bro. Any opinion that is not all sunshine and glory should not be offensive to you.

Yes, BYU's D has some talent (gasp!), and their linebackers are solid (the nerve!), and their d-line is pretty good when you back them up to the goalline (FOR ALL THAT IS HOLY!). Deal with it. Or you can revert to making lists that include Jackson Barton as the best linebacker on the planet. Whatevs.

I STILL HATE THE COUGARS!

:jig:

[U-Ute]

"Utah" taking a chill pill is akin to BYU playing clean ball -- ain't happening.

Utah -- not personal, because I don't know you, but it's funny. :)

The man has to let his freak flag fly!

Let loose brother!

[Utah]

:blink:

This discussion is about the 2015 Vegas Bowl, Magnum v.s Huntley, and Jake Heaps' NFL prospects??? You need to take a chill pill, bro. Any opinion that is not all sunshine and glory should not be offensive to you.

Yes, BYU's D has some talent (gasp!), and their linebackers are solid (the nerve!), and their d-line is pretty good when you back them up to the goalline (FOR ALL THAT IS HOLY!). Deal with it. Or you can revert to making lists that include Jackson Barton as the best linebacker on the planet. Whatevs.

I STILL HATE THE COUGARS!

:jig:

Lol. Barton? That's the best you have?

[Utah]

p.s. LSU, Whitt, everyone on earth said LSU showed nothing and only ran 4 plays the second half.

But you keep you-ing.

[Utebiquitous]

Utah,
I didn't watch the LSU game - interesting to read they took care of Takitaki with a tight end on running plays. I like your thinking on attacking the edges. I was also just ruminating with a colleague over how the Y deals with Carrington. They have to cover him with a corner and safety, don't they? Even in a zone scheme, I'd imagine they'll go to man-to-man wherever he goes. That should open some things up.

My key remains how our offensive line plays. Nothing earth-shattering about that.

Is it only Tuesday?

[SeattleUte]

It's not hard to see Vegas's reasoning, even though this BYU coaching staff is inferior. BYU was consistently competitive against stiff competition last year. BYU came within one play of beating Utah last year. LSU is SEC, and the game was down there--so throw that one out. The game is at BYU. It's a rivalry that's been historically close, and anything can happen in a rivalry. Where the teams are competitive in a charged rivalry, intangibles matter a lot. And BYU is the angriest team, by far. No way Utah rises to BYU's level of rage.

[hostile]

I just hope tooblue is able to catch the game on TV up in Canada.

[tooblue]

I just hope tooblue is able to catch the game on TV up in Canada.

:blink: of course I will: BYU is nationally relevant and a big TV draw.

[LA Ute]

it's not hard to see vegas's reasoning, even though this byu coaching staff is inferior. Byu was consistently competitive against stiff competition last year. Byu came within one play of beating utah last year. Lsu is sec, and the game was down there--so throw that one out. The game is at byu. It's a rivalry that's been historically close, and anything can happen in a rivalry. Where the teams are competitive in a charged rivalry, intangibles matter a lot. And byu is the angriest more desperate team, by far. No way utah rises to byu's level of rage desperation.

fify.

[Applejack]

:blink: of course I will: BYU is nationally relevant and a big TV draw.

Byu is relevant in Canada? I learn something weird about Canada every day.

[hostile]

Byu is relevant in Canada? I learn something weird about Canada every day.
What about poutine? Do you know about that?

[Diehard Ute]

:blink: of course I will: BYU is nationally relevant and a big TV draw.

Sounds just like a Donald Trump tweet.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[NorthwestUteFan]

Byu is relevant in Canada? I learn something weird about Canada every day.Of course byu is relevant in Canada. Byu being an educational institution (such as it is) allows the church to move tithing dollars out of Canada without paying the taxes they otherwise would. (Tax-free and tax-matching funds collected in Canada are intended to remain in Canada, or are subject to export taxes.)

[sancho]

Wilner on the Holy War:

http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/09/06/holy-war-week-utahs-greatest-wins-and-most-painful-losses-with-kyle-whittingham-video/

[tooblue]

Sounds just like a Donald Trump tweet.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It’s a ‘no brainer’ for ESPN to air the BYU-Utah game

http://www.sltrib.com/sports/2017/09/05/pierce-its-a-no-brainer-for-espn-to-air-the-byu-utah-game/

[tooblue]

Of course byu is relevant in Canada. Byu being an educational institution (such as it is) allows the church to move tithing dollars out of Canada without paying the taxes they otherwise would. (Tax-free and tax-matching funds collected in Canada are intended to remain in Canada, or are subject to export taxes.)

DirectTV lets me watch anything ... oh, wait, not the PAC12 network ... let me amend my statement: DirecTV let's me watch all relevant college football games.

[chrisrenrut]

DirectTV lets me watch anything ... oh, wait, not the PAC12 network ... let me amend my statement: DirecTV let's me watch all relevant college football games.

So the Cal, UCLA, and Washington games this week aren't relevant?

[U-Ute]

Wilner on the Holy War:

http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/09/06/holy-war-week-utahs-greatest-wins-and-most-painful-losses-with-kyle-whittingham-video/


Because the Holy War is played in September and because Utah is a newcomer to the conference and because Brigham Young is not in the conference — and never will be (just being honest, BYU) — the rivalry understandably exists on the periphery for mainstream Pac-12 fans.

t9ctG5MZhyyU8

[tooblue]

So the Cal, UCLA, and Washington games this week aren't relevant?

Well, if they are not on the PAC12 network (the home of the Utes), then they must be.

[sancho]

Oh snap

I get the impression that Wilner fields a lot of questions from earnest, ignorant BYU fans.

[tooblue]

That's OK—PAC12 fans are used to being on the periphery.

[sancho]

I get the impression that Wilner fields a lot of questions from earnest, ignorant BYU fans.

Like tooblue. I bet I could find 100 messages to Wilner in his sent mail box, most of them with subject "Pac-13?"

[SeattleUte]

I'm very surprised Wilner is such a student of the Holy War.

[SoCalPat]

tooblue's entire schtick is TV draw and "relevance". He knows BYU is gonna get rolled.

[U-Ute]

I'm very surprised Wilner is such a student of the Holy War.

Except he's not.

BYU wasn't at 9 in a row in '93 since Utah won in '88. Their 9 in a row was '79-'87.

[tooblue]

tooblue's entire schtick is TV draw and "relevance". He knows BYU is gonna get rolled.

Hostile brought it up—the fact y'all's insecurity runs so deep you can't let it go is the reason it keeps rolling on. And just to be clear, BYU played an FCS opponent in their first game and it was nationally broadcast on a channel that is available on all platforms. Utah played an FCS opponent on a channel more than half the sports fans in the US can't get. Just say'n.

[LA Ute]

Hostile brought it up—the fact y'all's insecurity runs so deep you can't let it go is the reason it keeps rolling on. And just to be clear, BYU played an FCS opponent in their first game and it was nationally broadcast on a channel that is available on all platforms. Utah played an FCS opponent on a channel more than half the sports fans in the US can't get. Just say'n.

It's really cruel and classless of you to keep poking at our insecurity.

[Scorcho]

Hostile brought it up—the fact y'all's insecurity runs so deep you can't let it go is the reason it keeps rolling on. And just to be clear, BYU played an FCS opponent in their first game and it was nationally broadcast on a channel that is available on all platforms. Utah played an FCS opponent on a channel more than half the sports fans in the US can't get. Just say'n.

does anyone speak this dialect of Canadian? I'm unclear about what he's trying to say.

:deadhorse2:

[Solon]

Hostile brought it up—the fact y'all's insecurity runs so deep you can't let it go is the reason it keeps rolling on. And just to be clear, BYU played an FCS opponent in their first game and it was nationally broadcast on a channel that is available on all platforms. Utah played an FCS opponent on a channel more than half the sports fans in the US can't get. Just say'n.

According to historian Larry Gerlach, Mormons have historically expressed "a constant need for validation and assurance" (http://library.la84.org/SportsLibrary/Olympika/Olympika_2002/olympika1101b.pdf).

You can do better than this, tooblue! It's BYU-Utah week, not "our TV contract is better than yours" week!
Put some effort into some smack-talk and come back when you're ready.

[sancho]

You can do better than this, tooblue!

None of us, including tooblue, really believe this.

[U-Ute]

Hostile brought it up—the fact y'all's insecurity runs so deep you can't let it go is the reason it keeps rolling on. And just to be clear, BYU played an FCS opponent in their first game and it was nationally broadcast on a channel that is available on all platforms. Utah played an FCS opponent on a channel more than half the sports fans in the US can't get. Just say'n.

I guess we'll have to take solace that we'll only be relevant in November.

[tooblue]

I guess we'll have to take solace that we'll only be relevant in November.

Like last year ... or maybe the year before that, when the conference sent the Utes to Vegas, to play BYU?

[tooblue]

According to historian Larry Gerlach, Mormons have historically expressed "a constant need for validation and assurance" (http://library.la84.org/SportsLibrary/Olympika/Olympika_2002/olympika1101b.pdf).

You can do better than this, tooblue! It's BYU-Utah week, not "our TV contract is better than yours" week!
Put some effort into some smack-talk and come back when you're ready.

Is it ironic, or maybe just interesting that it was easier for me to watch Hostile's son's high school football game last week than it was to watch Utah's game? After all we keep hearing about separation, or gaps existing between the two schools. But, really, what kind of gap is there?

[Scorcho]

Is it ironic, or maybe just interesting that it was easier for me to watch Hostile's son's high school football game last week than it was to watch Utah's game? After all we keep hearing about separation, or gaps existing between the two schools. But, really, what kind of gap is there?

other than money, head to head wins and recruits, nothing

http://www.utahby5.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2240&stc=1

[tooblue]

other than money, head to head wins and recruits, nothing

http://www.utahby5.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2240&stc=1

Won't it be hard parting with those ribbons—hard fought as they were for the Utes to earn year last season, the season before that, and every season upcoming for the new Washington State!

[MiltonBennion]

A handy map for those going to the game on Saturday.

905480539775238144

[tooblue]

Won't it be hard parting with those ribbons—hard fought as they were for the Utes to earn year last season, the season before that, and every season upcoming for the new Washington State!

Wait, let me amend that. Washington State has been to the Rose Bowl ... Utah, the new Arizona!

[Scorcho]

Won't it be hard parting with those ribbons—hard fought as they were for the Utes to earn year last season, the season before that, and every season upcoming for the new Washington State!

Washington St is currently ranked #20, is that a bad thing? I don't get it

[U-Ute]

Like last year ... or maybe the year before that, when the conference sent the Utes to Vegas, to play BYU?

You're thinking of December. I'm thinking of November. You know, the month where conference championships are decided. Yes, we faltered down the stretch, but we had an opportunity.

[Scorcho]

You're thinking of December. I'm thinking of November. You know, the month where conference championships are decided. Yes, we faltered down the stretch, but we had an opportunity.

BYU's late season Gauntlet:

San Jose St
Fresno St
UNLV
UMASS
Hawaii

Clearly ESPN helped arrange that must see TV.

[sancho]

BYU's late season Gauntlet:

San Jose St
Fresno St
UNLV
UMASS
Hawaii

Clearly ESPN helped arrange that must see TV.

Funny thing is, that is their best Nov since independence day by far. At least those are FBS teams.

[U-Ute]

The r/CFB thread on the Utah/BYU Holy War got locked due to bad behavior after only 5 hours and 170 comments.

https://www.reddit.com/r/CFB/comments/6yfsjz/this_weekend_utah_faces_off_against_byu_in_one_of/?st=j79fk4xl&sh=356cfe96

2241

[mpfunk]

I really don't think that Tyler Detmer is a good offensive coordinator. He is going to make Scalley's job easy on Saturday.

[Dwight Schr-Ute]

The r/CFB thread on the Utah/BYU Holy War got locked due to bad behavior after only 5 hours and 170 comments.

https://www.reddit.com/r/CFB/comments/6yfsjz/this_weekend_utah_faces_off_against_byu_in_one_of/?st=j79fk4xl&sh=356cfe96

2241

Freaking Urban Meyer introducing hate into this thing.

[SoCalPat]

Hostile brought it up—the fact y'all's insecurity runs so deep you can't let it go is the reason it keeps rolling on. And just to be clear, BYU played an FCS opponent in their first game and it was nationally broadcast on a channel that is available on all platforms. Utah played an FCS opponent on a channel more than half the sports fans in the US can't get. Just say'n.

It's a 13th game you guys got because you're playing at Hawaii -- something available to all FCS teams. Most teams playing 13 games get 7 at home, not the 6 BYU has, and most teams play that extra game in November, not a week before anyone else at the start of the season. But you gotta get people to come to LES when you can, right?

[NorthwestUteFan]

I would love to watch the Cougs play byu. It is possible they would put up 90 points.

I bet byu would crack the 30 point mark against them too...

[Utah]

:blink: of course I will: BYU is nationally relevant and a big TV draw.

And yet can't even sell out their biggest game of the year.

[Scratch]

And yet can't even sell out their biggest game of the year.

It's not even close. I was looking to buy some tickets for me and my friends, and they had several sideline sections with 8 seats together that were available. And they weren't at the top, either.

[tooblue]

And yet can't even sell out their biggest game of the year.

Not sure you are aware, but the campuses are roughly 50 miles apart, rendering your observation a bigger indictment against Ute fans, who we know (I have first hand experience) just don't travel well. I mean, you'd think they'd be chomping at the bit to snap up tickets to see the new Arizona play? But we all know Utah fans aren't really football fans—it's just kinda fashionable to be a Ute fan these days, so long as the game is in SLC, making it easy to fill up a stadium that is half the size of LES.

[Utah]

Not sure you are aware, but the campuses are roughly 50 miles apart, rendering your observation a bigger indictment against Ute fans, who we know (I have first hand experience) just don't travel well. I mean, you'd think they'd be chomping at the bit to snap up tickets to see the new Arizona play? But we all know Utah fans aren't really football fans—it's just kinda fashionable to be a Ute fan these days, so long as the game is in SLC, making it easy to fill up a stadium that is half the size of LES.

Bwahahahahahaha.

Priceless. Just...priceless.

You not selling out LES is an indictment of Utah fans?

Fantastic.

[tooblue]

Bwahahahahahaha.

Priceless. Just...priceless.

You not selling out LES is an indictment of Utah fans?

Fantastic.

So you are not going to the game then ... classic ... Bwahahahahahaha

[Applejack]

Not sure you are aware, but the campuses are roughly 50 miles apart, rendering your observation a bigger indictment against Ute fans, who we know (I have first hand experience) just don't travel well. I mean, you'd think they'd be chomping at the bit to snap up tickets to see the new Arizona play? But we all know Utah fans aren't really football fans—it's just kinda fashionable to be a Ute fan these days, so long as the game is in SLC, making it easy to fill up a stadium that is half the size of LES.

Never let it be said again that Toolblue is a one-note troll. He can argue that BYU can't sellout it's own stadium because of U fans AS WELL as complain that a BYU fan in Canada doesn't have good cable tv options.

[Brian]

Not sure you are aware, but the campuses are roughly 50 miles apart, rendering your observation a bigger indictment against Ute fans, who we know (I have first hand experience) just don't travel well. I mean, you'd think they'd be chomping at the bit to snap up tickets to see the new Arizona play? But we all know Utah fans aren't really football fans—it's just kinda fashionable to be a Ute fan these days, so long as the game is in SLC, making it easy to fill up a stadium that is half the size of LES.

Well done sir. Well done.

Jujitsu stadium smack.

:clap::clap::clap::clap:

[concerned]

Hope this bodes well for Saturday: I have been struck the last day or two about how demoralized Y fans are. I listened to Jordan Pendleton on 1280 on the way home last night, and he sounded almost hopeless. He didn't say outright that the y would lose, but he sure seemed resigned to it. Didnt sound excited for the game at all. Recognized the difference in the atheletes.

Seems like most Y fans I know have no confidence. It is starting to remind me of 2003, when the Y couldn't do anything on offense. Hope that is true and we are not overconfident.

Also, they are building up this game as make or break for the program--so many comments like "if we cant win this year, we will slide into irrelevance," there is a "dark cloud hanging over the program," Kalani "has to show he can do it this year," etc. That is a heavy burden to bear; hope it sinks them.

[Scorcho]

Not sure you are aware, but the campuses are roughly 50 miles apart, rendering your observation a bigger indictment against Ute fans, who we know (I have first hand experience) just don't travel well. I mean, you'd think they'd be chomping at the bit to snap up tickets to see the new Arizona play? But we all know Utah fans aren't really football fans—it's just kinda fashionable to be a Ute fan these days, so long as the game is in SLC, making it easy to fill up a stadium that is half the size of LES.

in fairness, many Utah county residents are still making the trek back from that God forsaken great and spacious building in the Big Easy

http://www.utahby5.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2242&stc=1

[LA Ute]

I was trying to think this morning of the most painful rivalry game memory I have. I have to go back to 1980. BYU, under Jim McMahon, routed Utah 56-6. I can't really say that one was painful as much as it was depressing. I remember that it was raining softly, but I stayed until the bitter end just to see if LaVell Edwards would leave McMahon in for the entire game. As I recall, he did. It was one of BYU's least-endearing tendencies in that era: leaving their stars in for the entire game in order to pad statistics.

https://collections.lib.utah.edu/details?id=770057&q=description_t%3A%28football+game+statistics%29+A ND+seasons_t%3A%281980%29&facet_setname_s=uu_ath_2

In 1983 I was living in LA and we lost 55-7. Steve Young was the quarterback but at least they took him out of the fourth quarter to let Robbie Bosco play. I remember when they were ahead by 40 points and they were still throwing long passes on first down. The BYU offensive coordinator then was a guy named Doug Scovil. Apparently he was the one who loved to run up the score, but I've never really let Lavelle off the hook for that. He was the head coach, after all.

https://collections.lib.utah.edu/details?id=769968&q=description_t%3A%28football+game+statistics%29+A ND+seasons_t%3A%281983%29&facet_setname_s=uu_ath_2

Anyway, those of you who weren't around during that era probably will never appreciate how those of us who did live through it feel now,as we watch Utah's modern-day success. In the PAC-12!

[Applejack]

I was trying to think this morning of the most painful rivalry game memory I have. I have to go back to 1980. BYU, under Jim McMahon, routed Utah 56-6. I can't really say that one was painful as much as it was depressing. I remember that it was raining softly, but I stayed until the bitter end just to see if LaVell Edwards would leave McMahon in for the entire game. As I recall, he did. It was one of BYU's least-endearing tendencies in that era: leaving their stars in for the entire game in order to pad statistics.

https://collections.lib.utah.edu/details?id=770057&q=description_t%3A%28football+game+statistics%29+A ND+seasons_t%3A%281980%29&facet_setname_s=uu_ath_2

In 1983 I was living in LA and we lost 55-7. Steve Young was the quarterback but at least they took him out of the fourth quarter to let Robbie Bosco play. I remember when they were ahead by 40 points and they were still throwing long passes on first down. The BYU offensive coordinator then was a guy named Doug Scovil. Apparently he was the one who loved to run up the score, but I've never really let Lavelle off the hook for that. He was the head coach, after all.

https://collections.lib.utah.edu/details?id=769968&q=description_t%3A%28football+game+statistics%29+A ND+seasons_t%3A%281983%29&facet_setname_s=uu_ath_2

Anyway, those of you who weren't around during that era probably will never appreciate how those of us who did live through it feel now,as we watch Utah's modern-day success. In the PAC-12!

Those losses in the 80s weren't painful, as much as they were soul-crushing. The few times the sun peaked thru the clouds were glorious though (1988).

But 2001 - when we had Staley and Doman on the ropes (and we sucked that year), only to beaten by a Staley run up the sidelines in the fourth quarter is one that I shan't soon forget.

[UtahsMrSports]

My first memory of this rivalry is in 1994. My great uncle played on the football team in the late 50s with Lee Grosscup. My Dad walked on to the JV basketball team when that was a thing. But as a kid in Texas, he never really pushed the Utes on us. It was close to impossible to follow the team back then. Many saturdays in the fall, we would go to the local LDS meetinghouse and watch BYU play whoever over the satellite and then wed play a pick up game at halftime. All the other kids at church were BYU fans so my Dad was content to let me go that way. If I wasn't at the church, I was at home watching the Texas Longhorns. I deeply regret many things Ive said in this paragraph.

Anyway, one day my Dad says 'Today, we aren't going to the church, and we aren't watching the longhorns, we are going to watch a real team!'. The Utes were on national tv playing colorado state. We went nuts as harold lusk took that ball back for a touchdown, my dad jumping up and down yelling 'GO! GO! GO!' I was instantly converted and was soon trash talking the other kids at church about how the Utes would win.

I don't know what its like to have BYU consistently dominate (except the Boylen years, but I try to forget those ever happened). I hope I never do. GO UTES!

[LA Ute]

Those losses in the 80s weren't painful, as much as they were soul-crushing. The few times the sun peaked thru the clouds were glorious though (1988).

But 2001 - when we had Staley and Doman on the ropes (and we sucked that year), only to beaten by a Staley run up the sidelines in the fourth quarter is one that I shan't soon forget.

"Soul-crushing" is the right term. I also remember 2001. That was indeed painful. Argh.

[Scorcho]

my one and only trek to Cougar Town was when Utah lost 70-7, but at one point we had a 7-0 lead thanks to a Brian Rowley TD. That was a glorious 5 minutes.

[sancho]

2001 was the last time I had to watch the game with BYU fans. It was hard to find all the right channels in NC in 2001. No fun at all.

I hate all the losses. Lavell's last game and the missed fumble. Kaneshiro. The Harline game. The Hall game. The 4th down conversions in three of those four losses.

[concerned]

"Soul-crushing" is the right term. I also remember 2001. That was indeed painful. Argh.

2001, 2006, and 2007 were by far the worst, because none of them should have happened--esp. 4th and 18. In the 70s and 80s, we expected to lose 70-0 (except 88, which was glorious).

I attended one game at the Y with my dad when i was a kid, and we one. I went to 54-10, and dont plan to go back because we cant top that. it was so hard to contain my glee for 4 hours.

[sancho]

(except 88, which was glorious).

'88 belongs on that Wilner list. It was such an important win for our collective mental health.

[Mormon Red Death]

Hope this bodes well for Saturday: I have been struck the last day or two about how demoralized Y fans are. I listened to Jordan Pendleton on 1280 on the way home last night, and he sounded almost hopeless. He didn't say outright that the y would lose, but he sure seemed resigned to it. Didnt sound excited for the game at all. Recognized the difference in the atheletes.

Seems like most Y fans I know have no confidence. It is starting to remind me of 2003, when the Y couldn't do anything on offense. Hope that is true and we are not overconfident.

Also, they are building up this game as make or break for the program--so many comments like "if we cant win this year, we will slide into irrelevance," there is a "dark cloud hanging over the program," Kalani "has to show he can do it this year," etc. That is a heavy burden to bear; hope it sinks them.

it reminds of 2005 too where most Utes felt we didnt have a chance with BJ being hurt. This is their biggest game. They will be throwing everything at us. BTW... Could Mangum be hurt? He could not throw the ball last Saturday.

[Brian]

I remember the 80's well, and it was a painful decade. And yes, it is nice to see the tables turned. "You young kids just don't get it! And get off my lawn."

I was a youngster for the 1978 game when Gomez led a comeback to win it 23-22. Sitting on the east side, about the 30 yard line I remember the incredible energy in the stadium during that game, especially when the final TD for the win was thrown in the NEZ. The noise was incredible. I remember seeing him throwing the ball. It was amazing.
That is really my first memory, as it was something memorable. We went to rivalry games before and after 78, but I was too young, and a loss was expected, so nothing memorable.

Ditto for the 1988 game with Scott Mitchell torched them. I was in the student section, and it was sublime.

[concerned]

it reminds of 2005 too where most Utes felt we didnt have a chance with BJ being hurt. This is their biggest game. They will be throwing everything at us. BTW... Could Mangum be hurt? He could not throw the ball last Saturday.

very good point. I felt that way in 2005, didn't want to watch, and was shocked when Ratliff won it.

There is speculation among the cougs that Mangum is either hurt or has lost his zip on the ball--that he is not throwing it the way he did two years ago.

[UtahsMrSports]

very good point. I felt that way in 2005, didn't want to watch, and was shocked when Ratliff won it.

There is speculation among the cougs that Mangum is either hurt or has lost his zip on the ball--that he is not throwing it the way he did two years ago.

Kind of reminds me of Jordan Wynn when he got arm fatigue or whatever it was. All through fall camp "We gave Jordan the day off to rest because he has been throwing so much, but no worries!" yeah..........

[U-Ute]

Not sure you are aware, but the campuses are roughly 50 miles apart, rendering your observation a bigger indictment against Ute fans, who we know (I have first hand experience) just don't travel well. I mean, you'd think they'd be chomping at the bit to snap up tickets to see the new Arizona play? But we all know Utah fans aren't really football fans—it's just kinda fashionable to be a Ute fan these days, so long as the game is in SLC, making it easy to fill up a stadium that is half the size of LES.


Wut? :blink:

[Dwight Schr-Ute]

Not sure why this wasn't working. Posted again below.

[Dwight Schr-Ute]

I guess they're playing this in the stadium before kickoff this year.

https://youtu.be/1iVvfsq70fM

[Dwight Schr-Ute]

905820969368821760

[Dwight Schr-Ute]

905820969368821760

An interesting contrast.

905609153434890240

[Two Utes]

I remember the 80's well, and it was a painful decade. And yes, it is nice to see the tables turned. "You young kids just don't get it! And get off my lawn."

I was a youngster for the 1978 game when Gomez led a comeback to win it 23-22. Sitting on the east side, about the 30 yard line I remember the incredible energy in the stadium during that game, especially when the final TD for the win was thrown in the NEZ. The noise was incredible. I remember seeing him throwing the ball. It was amazing.
That is really my first memory, as it was something memorable. We went to rivalry games before and after 78, but I was too young, and a loss was expected, so nothing memorable.

Ditto for the 1988 game with Scott Mitchell torched them. I was in the student section, and it was sublime.

I was playing football in the south end when Gomez threw the TD pass. I still remember the crowd erupting.

[Two Utes]

it reminds of 2005 too where most Utes felt we didnt have a chance with BJ being hurt. This is their biggest game. They will be throwing everything at us. BTW... Could Mangum be hurt? He could not throw the ball last Saturday.


My favorite game. I decided to go down to Provo with a friend knowing we were double digit underdogs. I had been in that stadium for Detmer's final drubbing of us when BYU could have scored 150 points and I could have played DB almost as well as our guys ( I think that was Fassel's last game) and it was no fun at all, but I took the risk.

Ratliff came out of nowhere to play the freaking game of his life. Winning that game in OT with a backup QB and being a double digit underdog was the greatest. Better than 88 (although this was my second favorite), better than the Billy Priddis game, better than the Fiesta coronation.

Nowadays, I have no interest in going down to that game for an 8:15 start. It's not that big of a game. I'm looking much more forward to the October 7 game with Stanford. Should be terrific.

[mUUser]

Utah's vid by a country mile. The flip tackle, Whitt fist pump and fans descending on the 50 like red ants to a grasshopper. Even I'm ready to go take it.

[UTEopia]

I will soon be turning 61 and began going to Utah football games when I was 6 or 7. I remember getting in trouble one day in 3rd or 4th grade and my punishment was not being allowed to watch the Liberty Bowl game. I snuck downstairs and watched it anyways. I started attending the U in 1975 left on an LDS mission in 77 when Utah was in the midst of the worst 4 years in Utah football history (1-10, 1-10, 3-8, 3-8). My parents sent me the newspaper clippings of the 78 Utah victory and I was hopeful that things had changed. The Utes did not win again for 10 more years and I was at most of those games. The funny thing is, I can remember thinking before almost everyone of those games that the Utes had a chance to win. Most of those years the game was over by the end of the first quarter. The 1988 game was magic. All of the angst of the prior 10 losses evaporated as the Utes put it to BYU. We sat on the east side on about the north 15 yard line behind some guys that were probably 4 or 5 years removed from fraternity life. They were entertaining to sit behind and were always having a good time. The best memory of the 1988 game is looking on the field at the end of the game and seeing one of those guys sitting on the goalpost as it was marched from the south to the north endzone.

Some of my favorite wins, in addition to 1988, are the 34-31 wins, the 2005 Ratliff win and the 54-10 win. I was on the Ute sideline for the 54-10 win and there was a total ass right behind the bench who could not shut up. He even cheered when Wynn came off for a few plays with an injury. He left at the end of the 3rd quarter. Nothing better than watching the home fans leave when they know the game is lost.

[Applejack]

I disagree with one sentiment often shared here: I LOVE going to Provo for games! I had a streak of attending 10 straight BYU/Utah games in Provo (well, minus one when I was on my mission), beginning with the greatest game of all time:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLsgjLnPVy8

[SeattleUte]

I was trying to think this morning of the most painful rivalry game memory I have. I have to go back to 1980. BYU, under Jim McMahon, routed Utah 56-6. I can't really say that one was painful as much as it was depressing. I remember that it was raining softly, but I stayed until the bitter end just to see if LaVell Edwards would leave McMahon in for the entire game. As I recall, he did. It was one of BYU's least-endearing tendencies in that era: leaving their stars in for the entire game in order to pad statistics.

https://collections.lib.utah.edu/details?id=770057&q=description_t%3A%28football+game+statistics%29+A ND+seasons_t%3A%281980%29&facet_setname_s=uu_ath_2

In 1983 I was living in LA and we lost 55-7. Steve Young was the quarterback but at least they took him out of the fourth quarter to let Robbie Bosco play. I remember when they were ahead by 40 points and they were still throwing long passes on first down. The BYU offensive coordinator then was a guy named Doug Scovil. Apparently he was the one who loved to run up the score, but I've never really let Lavelle off the hook for that. He was the head coach, after all.

https://collections.lib.utah.edu/details?id=769968&q=description_t%3A%28football+game+statistics%29+A ND+seasons_t%3A%281983%29&facet_setname_s=uu_ath_2

Anyway, those of you who weren't around during that era probably will never appreciate how those of us who did live through it feel now,as we watch Utah's modern-day success. In the PAC-12!

What a dork.

[LA Ute]

What a dork.

That's Mr. Dork to you, buddy.

[sancho]

I disagree with one sentiment often shared here: I LOVE going to Provo for games! I had a streak of attending 10 straight BYU/Utah games in Provo (well, minus one when I was on my mission), beginning with the greatest game of all time:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLsgjLnPVy8

I'm undefeated in Provo. 1993 (kick) and 1999 (cheerleader). 1993 I was in a luxury box with BYU rich people. A leader in my ward brought me there after failing to find any BYU fans in the young men's group who could go. 1999 I had a great view of the endzone fight.

[U-Ute]

An interesting contrast.



Not even close.

[U-Ute]

I disagree with one sentiment often shared here: I LOVE going to Provo for games! I had a streak of attending 10 straight BYU/Utah games in Provo (well, minus one when I was on my mission), beginning with the greatest game of all time:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLsgjLnPVy8

I remember this game like it was 24 years ago.

[concerned]

Agree or disagree?


Spencer Checketts‏Verified account @1280Spence (https://twitter.com/1280Spence) 7m7 minutes ago (https://twitter.com/1280Spence/status/905881526176329728)More

Text from VERY influential BYU alum: "Everything changed when Kyle (Whittingham) chose Utah over us. Everything."

[Scorcho]

Agree or disagree?


Spencer Checketts‏Verified account @1280Spence (https://twitter.com/1280Spence) 7m7 minutes ago (https://twitter.com/1280Spence/status/905881526176329728)More

Text from VERY influential BYU alum: "Everything changed when PAC-12 chose Utah over us. Everything."


fixed it

[Brian]

Was listening to the RPO podcast that 1280 puts out.
He said that reports out of practice this week is frustration re: Tanner's accuracy.

[Brian]

I was playing football in the south end when Gomez threw the TD pass. I still remember the crowd erupting.

I had forgotten that... Yes, I always wanted to go down and play during halftime.

How things have changed.

[UTEopia]

Agree or disagree?


Spencer Checketts‏Verified account @1280Spence (https://twitter.com/1280Spence) 7m7 minutes ago (https://twitter.com/1280Spence/status/905881526176329728)More

Text from VERY influential BYU alum: "Everything changed when Kyle (Whittingham) chose Utah over us. Everything."


It did not seem that significant at the time, but in hindsight it was a significant game changer. It gave Utah a solid coach who wanted to stay at Utah and build something. The PAC 12 certainly put Utah over the top. I would say that hiring/firing Mac and catching lightning in a bottle with Urban were also critical events.

[LA Ute]

It did not seem that significant at the time, but in hindsight it was a significant game changer. It gave Utah a solid coach who wanted to stay at Utah and build something. The PAC 12 certainly put Utah over the top. I would say that hiring/firing Mac and catching lightning in a bottle with Urban were also critical events.

I think we should give Mac a lot of credit. He wasn't the right guy for the long haul but he was perfect for his moment. The U. ought to do something to honor him.

[Utebiquitous]

I've enjoyed reading so many memories of wins and losses today. I don't have anything new to say. I'll add voice and memory to 1978 and 1988. In '78 my grandfather had to take an adult instead of his favorite buddy for the game, me (at least that's what he told me). I listened on the radio at home. When Gomez threw the game-winner I ran outside with a metal spoon and big pot. I ran up and down the street yelling Utes win as I pounded the pot. Ten years later, I was sitting in the first few rows of the student section cheering for Scott Mitchell and crew. I've never felt more elation in a win than that day. One play particularly stands out. Someone hit Covey so hard it looked like he went threw him (was it Filipo's Dad?).

Let me finish with a question for the board. For those of us that witnessed the many blowouts of the 70s and 80s at the hands of BYU, I wonder why we aren't stacking a few more of them up in the 2000s? Yes 54-10 happened, but there have been a number of years when I think we should simply lay it on them and we haven't. This year is another such year. I mean no disrespect. I think the talent level is significantly weighted our direction. Our offensive inconsistency seems to be an obvious reason but what other reasons are there? These last few seasons I've expected blowout wins but the narrow, nail-biting wins continue. A lot of credit goes to BYU players and coaches. I hate saying that.

[Dwight Schr-Ute]

I think we should give Mac a lot of credit. He wasn't the right guy for the long haul but he was perfect for his moment. The U. ought to do something to honor him.

Jon Wilner just did a 20 minute podcast with Coach Mac. Listening now, so I can't vouch for it's quality. So far, good memories shared.

http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/09/07/holy-war-podcast-ex-utah-coach-ron-mcbride-on-byus-jealousy-missing-lavell-dearly-the-defining-moment-in-93-and-much-more/

[Solon]

Utah's vid by a country mile. The flip tackle, Whitt fist pump and fans descending on the 50 like red ants to a grasshopper. Even I'm ready to go take it.

We are so damn lucky to have Whit as a coach.

[Rocker Ute]

Agree or disagree?


Spencer Checketts‏Verified account @1280Spence (https://twitter.com/1280Spence) 7m7 minutes ago (https://twitter.com/1280Spence/status/905881526176329728)More

Text from VERY influential BYU alum: "Everything changed when Kyle (Whittingham) chose Utah over us. Everything."



Hindsight on Whittingham's decision I'm actually surprised it was as hard of a decision as it was. Put another way, you are given two choices: coach a team that is a cinderella and media darling and that you've been part of building, or go clean up the dumpster fire that Gary Crowton had created. It actually helps me respect Bronco Mendenhall more, dude inherited a mess.

[Utah]

Agree or disagree?


Spencer Checketts‏Verified account @1280Spence (https://twitter.com/1280Spence) 7m7 minutes ago (https://twitter.com/1280Spence/status/905881526176329728)More

Text from VERY influential BYU alum: "Everything changed when Kyle (Whittingham) chose Utah over us. Everything."


I'd disagree.

I'd say everything changed for BYU when they went Independent. They went from top 25 recruiting classes, 10 win seasons, easy path to BCS bowls to...nothing. No rivalries. No conference titles. No ranked seasons. No big bowls.

Their pride killed them.

Had they stayed in the MWC and won 10+ per year, won a BCS Bowl and battled with TCU, they'd be in the Big 12 instead of WV.

[Rocker Ute]

He's still a massive weirdo though.

[Dwight Schr-Ute]

"What's my favorite BYU win as a head coach? Gosh, there's been so many as a head coach, I don't know that I can say..." Whit bringing the fire!

905911938789416960

[concerned]

I'd disagree.

I'd say everything changed for BYU when they went Independent. They went from top 25 recruiting classes, 10 win seasons, easy path to BCS bowls to...nothing. No rivalries. No conference titles. No ranked seasons. No big bowls.

Their pride killed them.

Had they stayed in the MWC and won 10+ per year, won a BCS Bowl and battled with TCU, they'd be in the Big 12 instead of WV.

Evan as an independent, they balked at joining the Big 12, because they weren't sure the Big 12 would not disintegrate, and did not want to bolt the WCC so quickly. They were afraid that if the Big 12 did disintegrate, the WCC would never take them back and they would be in a world of hurt. When they balked, TCU got the golden ticket.

[sancho]

Evan as an independent, they balked at joining the Big 12, because they weren't sure the Big 12 would not disintegrate, and did not want to bolt the WCC so quickly. They were afraid that if the Big 12 did disintegrate, the WCC would never take them back and they would be in a world of hurt. When they balked, TCU got the golden ticket.

Also, they were never invited.

[FountainOfUte]

Anyway, those of you who weren't around during that era probably will never appreciate how those of us who did live through it feel now,as we watch Utah's modern-day success. In the PAC-12!

This is so true. My Utah/BYU awareness happened around '82. I was about 7, and I didn't really know much more than that I was a Ute fan and in my suburban Salt Lake elementary school there were fans of this other blue team that claimed that Utah sucked. That was the beginning. From there I endured year after year of the taunting and the losing. The 1988 win was a nice little reprieve, but it came crashing down with the next year's beat down.

I could make this story longer, but just to say that by the time '93 happened, it was nothing short of a miracle. I head out on a mission and come back to a three-game winning streak which I basically thought was straight up fiction happening before my eyes. But at that point, the BYU emperor had been exposed. It took many more years and Ute wins for BYU to remotely acknowledge that Utah might maybe, possibly be their competitive equal (let alone, superior) but at least on the Ute side of the fence, we didn't fear them anymore. The mystique had been broken with that three-game streak.

Still, based on my growing up, I think, selfishly, there will always be a demon that won't be exercised until we win nine straight.

[SoCalPat]

Also, they were never invited.

Possibly in large part due to the hard-line demands they were making, especially with regard to Tier 3 rights. BYU underestimated the league's ability to survive without it.

[Utah]

Possibly in large part due to the hard-line demands they were making, especially with regard to Tier 3 rights. BYU underestimated the league's ability to survive without it.

Heh heh.

BYU overestimates their relevancy?

Heh heh.

[sancho]

Possibly in large part due to the hard-line demands they were making, especially with regard to Tier 3 rights. BYU underestimated the league's ability to survive without it.

This is all uncomfirmed rumor, right? I don't think they ever actually got close enough to make ridiculous demands.

[Utah]

This is all uncomfirmed rumor, right? I don't think they ever actually got close enough to make ridiculous demands.

I honestly believe they thought the Big 12 would implode, Texas and Oklahoma would go independent, and BYU would be the leader is sports as other colleges cut the dead weight and went indy as well, and BYU would be left with the big time independents, such as Michigan, Ohio State, Penn St, USC, Texas, Oklahoma and so on.

For all the inspiration they claim, they sure do have a hard time making a good decision.

[NorthwestUteFan]

Let me finish with a question for the board. For those of us that witnessed the many blowouts of the 70s and 80s at the hands of BYU, I wonder why we aren't stacking a few more of them up in the 2000s? Yes 54-10 happened, but there have been a number of years when I think we should simply lay it on them and we haven't. This year is another such year. I mean no disrespect. I think the talent level is significantly weighted our direction. Our offensive inconsistency seems to be an obvious reason but what other reasons are there? These last few seasons I've expected blowout wins but the narrow, nail-biting wins continue. A lot of credit goes to BYU players and coaches. I hate saying that.

The talent level is absolutely tilted in Utah's favor now. But the balance of power is not a mirror image of the old days when Lavell could name the score annually. Utah had a few great players surrounded by mediocrity, while byu had tremendous talent across the board and deep into the bench, with a terrific coaching staff to keep them in line.

Oh, and post-game opioids. Those helped too.

[LA Ute]

I never tire of watching this.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ogDT9_NrRE

[Sullyute]

I'd disagree.

I'd say everything changed for BYU when they went Independent. They went from top 25 recruiting classes, 10 win seasons, easy path to BCS bowls to...nothing. No rivalries. No conference titles. No ranked seasons. No big bowls.

Their pride killed them.

Had they stayed in the MWC and won 10+ per year, won a BCS Bowl and battled with TCU, they'd be in the Big 12 instead of WV.

I actually agree with Utah on this.

[LA Ute]

I actually agree with Utah on this.

So do I. It was a pride move all the way. And we all know what goeth before a fall.

[tooblue]

So do I. It was a pride move all the way. And we all know what goeth before a fall.

"Roles have been reversed: It’s now Ute supporters who have the superiority complex as once-haughty Cougar backers recede into shadows"

http://www.sltrib.com/sports/utah-utes/2017/09/07/monson-im-laughing-at-utes-fans-who-are-obsessed-with-byu/

[LA Ute]

"Roles have been reversed: It’s now Ute supporters who have the superiority complex as once-haughty Cougar backers recede into shadows"

http://www.sltrib.com/sports/utah-utes/2017/09/07/monson-im-laughing-at-utes-fans-who-are-obsessed-with-byu/

Nah. I'm a mere observer of the Human Condition. Don't you need to say something about TV?

[SeattleUte]

Ha ha. BYU never smelled the Big 12. What is concerned smoking. They'd have gone dragging their tongues to the Big 12, had they gotten an offer. BYU's paradox is that it craves secular approval as much as it clings to its atavistic distinctness.

All university communities are the same, whether in Palo Alto, Austin, or Lawrence. BYU was unacceptable to the Big 12 for the same reasons as the PAC never considered it. BYU is homophobic and anti-fundamental university values. Remember my prior post, when I noted that Utah's DI budget is 2 percent of the total university wide budget. The Big 12 is embarrased about Baylor. They don't want to double that. I've been saying this same thing forever.

During the last round of Big 12 flirtation with expansion, I repeated the foregoing to Cougar Stadium until my old friends hated me. But I was just telling the truth. I was just being honest. When Big 12 administrators told the Commissioner that BYU was out of the question, the talk of expansion ended.

[SeattleUte]

It did not seem that significant at the time, but in hindsight it was a significant game changer. It gave Utah a solid coach who wanted to stay at Utah and build something. The PAC 12 certainly put Utah over the top. I would say that hiring/firing Mac and catching lightning in a bottle with Urban were also critical events.

True, but don't leave out University of Utah research scientists' monumental discovery of the BRCA1 gene, which helped ensure we could demonstrate research chops worthy of the Pac 12.

[LA Ute]

Just for fun, all the Ute takeaways from BYU in the 2011 game.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0M09sopqzAY&sns=em

[Utah]

BYU's paradox is that it craves secular approval as much as it clings to its atavistic distinctness.

How true is that? Stunning take.

[concerned]

Ha ha. BYU never smelled the Big 12. What is concerned smoking.


Coming from the guy who doesn't know Shyne from shinola. The first round, the Y not only smelled but tasted membership. If they hadnt balked at the crucial time, and become too big of a pain in the butt, they could have locked it up. I never said they were invited; invitations never come until the deal is done, as we all know.

[concerned]

How true is that? Stunning take.

It is a banality

[Scorcho]

Nah. I'm a mere observer of the Human Condition. Don't you need to say something about TV?

I'll say something about TV. On Saturday Night, Pullman vs. Boise is on ESPN's mother ship while the East Bench of SLC vs. the rest of the World (and a star near Kolob) is relegated to the Deuce. I wish we were the new Wazzu or played an opponent like Boise with a national audience?

:stirthepot:

[NorthwestUteFan]

It is a banalityThis is a fitting expression, as the implementation of the Honor Code represents on some low level a modern example of the banality of evil. And it is enforced through a similarly unexceptionable bureaucratic stupidity.

[SoCalPat]

I've enjoyed reading so many memories of wins and losses today. I don't have anything new to say. I'll add voice and memory to 1978 and 1988. In '78 my grandfather had to take an adult instead of his favorite buddy for the game, me (at least that's what he told me). I listened on the radio at home. When Gomez threw the game-winner I ran outside with a metal spoon and big pot. I ran up and down the street yelling Utes win as I pounded the pot. Ten years later, I was sitting in the first few rows of the student section cheering for Scott Mitchell and crew. I've never felt more elation in a win than that day. One play particularly stands out. Someone hit Covey so hard it looked like he went threw him (was it Filipo's Dad?).

Let me finish with a question for the board. For those of us that witnessed the many blowouts of the 70s and 80s at the hands of BYU, I wonder why we aren't stacking a few more of them up in the 2000s? Yes 54-10 happened, but there have been a number of years when I think we should simply lay it on them and we haven't. This year is another such year. I mean no disrespect. I think the talent level is significantly weighted our direction. Our offensive inconsistency seems to be an obvious reason but what other reasons are there? These last few seasons I've expected blowout wins but the narrow, nail-biting wins continue. A lot of credit goes to BYU players and coaches. I hate saying that.

It's why 2015, IMO, ended on a sour note. The second half should've been a victory lap. Instead, we needed to grind out a couple of first downs late to prevent BYU from getting the ball back with a chance to tie. Against any other team, such a result would've been a little more palatable. But we had a chance to really put the screws to BYU and we failed.

[concerned]

It's why 2015, IMO, ended on a sour note. The second half should've been a victory lap. Instead, we needed to grind out a couple of first downs late to prevent BYU from getting the ball back with a chance to tie. Against any other team, such a result would've been a little more palatable. But we had a chance to really put the screws to BYU and we failed.

In fairness, we were so hobbled by the second half in that game, we were lucky to get a few first downs. No Covey for most of the game, Scott on one good leg, no Booker (IIRC?), and wasn't Travis hobbling too (IIRC?). Travis and Joe Williams runs were almost the entire offense (again, IIRC).

[sancho]

The first round, the Y not only smelled but tasted membership. If they hadnt balked at the crucial time, and become too big of a pain in the butt, they could have locked it up. I never said they were invited; invitations never come until the deal is done, as we all know.

I know a lot of fans who believe this, but I've never seen anything close to evidence. I think it is rumor that took legs and became a full-blown legend.

[concerned]

I know a lot of fans who believe this, but I've never seen anything close to evidence. I think it is rumor that took legs and became a full-blown legend.

sorry, but there is evidence.

[sancho]

sorry, but there is evidence.

Sock it to me, then. I've never seen it.

[SoCalPat]

"Roles have been reversed: It’s now Ute supporters who have the superiority complex as once-haughty Cougar backers recede into shadows"

http://www.sltrib.com/sports/utah-utes/2017/09/07/monson-im-laughing-at-utes-fans-who-are-obsessed-with-byu/

Monson just took a 9-iron on a 150-yard par 3 and stuck it to within 3 feet. It's the most truthful column he's ever written. Those that disagree are probably the ones Monson's writing about, the 10 percent who lose their shit in spectacular fashion whenever they're not having wind blown up their skirt.

That said, I know those fans exist, and their true colors come up, not during rivalry week, but in April and May. They're pretty easy to identify, and I've largely stopped trying to reason with them.

[hostile]

tooblue:

can you help help this fellow cougar out?
http://www.cougarboard.com/board/message.html?id=18393584

[sancho]

Monson just took a 9-iron on a 150-yard par 3 and stuck it to within 3 feet. It's the most truthful column he's ever written. Those that disagree are probably the ones Monson's writing about, the 10 percent who lose their shit in spectacular fashion whenever they're not having wind blown up their skirt.

That said, I know those fans exist, and their true colors come up, not during rivalry week, but in April and May. They're pretty easy to identify, and I've largely stopped trying to reason with them.

Of course he's right, but it was hardly a tough shot. Good teams always have more fans, more bandwagon fans, more ignorant fans, and more superiority complex. The article has been true for 100 years and applies to 100 different rivalries.

The craziest individual fan behavior in years came from an Alabama fan who poisoned the trees of his rival. When Boston won the world series, Red Sox fans fit Monson's description to a tee.

That type of fan doesn't stick with a bad team for long.

[SoCalPat]

In fairness, we were so hobbled by the second half in that game, we were lucky to get a few first downs. No Covey for most of the game, Scott on one good leg, no Booker (IIRC?), and wasn't Travis hobbling too (IIRC?). Travis and Joe Williams runs were almost the entire offense (again, IIRC).

That doesn't excuse four straight 3-and-outs once we were up 35-0, or being stopped twice on fourth down, or failing to reach the red zone.

[UTEopia]

Monson just took a 9-iron on a 150-yard par 3 and stuck it to within 3 feet. It's the most truthful column he's ever written. Those that disagree are probably the ones Monson's writing about, the 10 percent who lose their shit in spectacular fashion whenever they're not having wind blown up their skirt.

That said, I know those fans exist, and their true colors come up, not during rivalry week, but in April and May. They're pretty easy to identify, and I've largely stopped trying to reason with them.

Maybe I am one of those fans as the rivalry games have lost a lot of their meaning. I am not opposed to playing BYU on a regular basis, but I would like to see the Utes really effort playing other quality schools in the OOC. If that belief makes me a fan with a superiority complex, I guess I am happy to have it.

[LA Ute]

How true is that? Stunning take.

He stole it from me and embellished it.

[SoCalPat]

Maybe I am one of those fans as the rivalry games have lost a lot of their meaning. I am not opposed to playing BYU on a regular basis, but I would like to see the Utes really effort playing other quality schools in the OOC. If that belief makes me a fan with a superiority complex, I guess I am happy to have it.

You're nowhere close to having one with that mindset. I would say a huge majority of Ute fans feel the same way -- there's value in playing BYU most years, we could easily do worse than to schedule BYU most years, but we need more than a single bone (Michigan) in the non-con over a 10-15 year period.

[LA Ute]

Maybe I am one of those fans as the rivalry games have lost a lot of their meaning. I am not opposed to playing BYU on a regular basis, but I would like to see the Utes really effort playing other quality schools in the OOC. If that belief makes me a fan with a superiority complex, I guess I am happy to have it.

The fact is, we're never going to be able to drop the annual BYU game as long as BYU can field a competitive team. The state legislature and others in state government won't allow it. A disgusting fact but the reality, I'm afraid. I'm one who likes the rivalry game but hates the pressure that the government exerts in order to protect a church school's athletic program.

[SeattleUte]

Sock it to me, then. I've never seen it.

He won't hit you with a feather. There is absolutely no evidence. This is a classic form of banal BYU fan urban legend. The Big 12 doesn't want BYU and never has. BYU needs to be happy living in its own skin (to use a banal but appropriate turn of phrase).

[LA Ute]

The current Utah fan euphoria can be pretty silly, but it is not even in the same galaxy as the level of braggadocio, self-adulation, and over-the-top nonsense that we endured in BYU's so-called glory years. For Monson to say the two sides have switched places is just ridiculous.

[concerned]

He won't hit you with a feather. There is absolutely no evidence. This is a classic form of banal BYU fan urban legend. The Big 12 doesn't want BYU and never has. BYU needs to be happy living in its own skin (to use a banal but appropriate turn of phrase).

Boy you can be a blowhard when you want to. I don't care whether you guys believe it or not. I am about 100% sure that what I posted is correct. I didn't post it to debate you; you picked the fight.

[SeattleUte]

There has been no reformed Egyptian, there has been no Big 12 offer to BYU.

Whenever one discusses BYU, it's impossible to avoid banalities. Because that is what BYU is, banal.

[SoCalPat]

The current Utah fan euphoria can be pretty silly, but it is not even in the same galaxy as the level of braggadocio, self-adulation, and over-the-top nonsense that we endured in BYU's so-called glory years. For Monson to say the two sides have switched places is just ridiculous.

Brah, we didn't have the internet or Twitter back in 1984. I was deep in the rivalry when Utah was getting the worst of it. It sucks far more today to be a BYU fan than it did to be a Utah fan back then.

[sancho]

The fact is, we're never going to be able to drop the annual BYU game as long as BYU can field a competitive team. The state legislature and others in state government won't allow it. A disgusting fact but the reality, I'm afraid. I'm one who likes the rivalry game but hates the pressure that the government exerts in order to protect a church school's athletic program.

When BYU went Indy, we had two options for hurting them:

1. High risk, high reward: play them and beat them, demonstrating separation
2. Low risk, medium reward: not play them and watch them struggle to schedule a decent replacement

Route 1 has worked out for us so far.

I'm fine with leaving them off whenever we can get a Michigan caliber replacement. Otherwise, a war is not over until the opponent surrenders.

[Rocker Ute]

So a somewhat interesting outlook on the rivalry game with some actual numbers to back it up:

Since joining the PAC 12 there has been a faction of fans who have tried to pretend that the BYU game is no longer important to them. I've always thought it was BS, and it largely is. However, armed with traffic stats for UFN since 2005 I went and looked at when the traffic has peaked there from Aug 1 - Feb 1 of a respective season. Traffic in conjunction with the BYU football game is always high, and up until 2013 was definitively the highest peak day (other outliers of course were the Sugar Bowl and the PAC-12 invite which dwarfed all traffic).

But after 2013 (Our game with them was on Sep 21 and we didn't play them again until the bowl game Dec 15 2015) other big PAC-12 games have come to outpace ever so slightly (by about 2%) the BYU game as far as traffic to the site goes. It is notable because you could typically visually see when the BYU game was and the days leading up to it because there was a clear peak. That is no more.

No doubt, the BYU game is huge in the minds of the fans, but I would say it is no longer THE game of the year, which I'll be honest surprised me.

But the same, and going strictly by the numbers, fans who claim that this game doesn't matter any more are being delusional.

[sancho]

No doubt, the BYU game is huge in the minds of the fans, but I would say it is no longer THE game of the year, which I'll be honest surprised me.

But the same, and going strictly by the numbers, fans who claim that this game doesn't matter any more are being delusional.

I agree. I am not surprised because this reflects my own experience. My football daydreams used to involve beating BYU far more than any other school. Now, even during this week, I've spent some time looking ahead to Stanford and USC.

[Scorcho]

I hate rivalry jokes there usually pretty lame on either side, but there is one that I find funny:

what did the byu coed do when someone brought beer to the party? she put her shirt back on and went home

[Scorcho]

So a somewhat interesting outlook on the rivalry game with some actual numbers to back it up:

Since joining the PAC 12 there has been a faction of fans who have tried to pretend that the BYU game is no longer important to them. I've always thought it was BS, and it largely is. However, armed with traffic stats for UFN since 2005 I went and looked at when the traffic has peaked there from Aug 1 - Feb 1 of a respective season. Traffic in conjunction with the BYU football game is always high, and up until 2013 was definitively the highest peak day (other outliers of course were the Sugar Bowl and the PAC-12 invite which dwarfed all traffic).

But after 2013 (Our game with them was on Sep 21 and we didn't play them again until the bowl game Dec 15 2015) other big PAC-12 games have come to outpace ever so slightly (by about 2%) the BYU game as far as traffic to the site goes. It is notable because you could typically visually see when the BYU game was and the days leading up to it because there was a clear peak. That is no more.

No doubt, the BYU game is huge in the minds of the fans, but I would say it is no longer THE game of the year, which I'll be honest surprised me.

But the same, and going strictly by the numbers, fans who claim that this game doesn't matter any more are being delusional.

couldn't a good percentage of the increased traffic be Y fans? I know I have snuck a peek at Cougarboard a few times this week. Something I rarely do.

[LA Ute]

Brah, we didn't have the internet or Twitter back in 1984. I was deep in the rivalry when Utah was getting the worst of it. It sucks far more today to be a BYU fan than it did to be a Utah fan back then.

That hasn't been my experience at all, not even close, but we can agree to disagree. I still think there is no comparison.

[Rocker Ute]

couldn't a good percentage of the increased traffic be Y fans? I know I have snuck a peek at Cougarboard a few times this week. Something I rarely do.

That's a good point. I could look at returning users to get a better assessment although it has it flaws too. Many Utah fans (my father being an example of this) also only visit UFN on important games. Then he asks me why I am involved in that site. It is good to know you can continue to disappoint your parents well into adulthood.

[U-Ute]

There has been no reformed Egyptian, there has been no Big 12 offer to BYU.

Whenever one discusses BYU, it's impossible to avoid banalities. Because that is what BYU is, banal.

I believe you both are speaking truth in your own ways.

I believe there was interest on both sides and they both came to the negotiation table, but that there were specific terms they couldn't agree on, so there was no official legal offer. My guess is the biggest sticking points included sunday play and TV rights for BYUTv

[U-Ute]

Brah, we didn't have the internet or Twitter back in 1984. I was deep in the rivalry when Utah was getting the worst of it. It sucks far more today to be a BYU fan than it did to be a Utah fan back then.

Hey now. Maybe no Twitter, but rec.sports.college.football on Usenet had plenty of banter, and it was distributed via the Internet.

[Solon]

I agree. I am not surprised because this reflects my own experience. My football daydreams used to involve beating BYU far more than any other school. Now, even during this week, I've spent some time looking ahead to Stanford and USC.

I wonder if it would be different if the game were late in the season like it used to be. We really don't know what either of these teams is about quite yet. Plus, I too am looking ahead to Stanford. Don't get me wrong - I want to see a win on Saturday - but a loss wouldn't really phase me.

This is why I think it's a dangerous game for the utes. A win will mean more to the byu than it will to the U. The stakes are unequal.

[sancho]

I believe there was interest on both sides and they both came to the negotiation table, but that there were specific terms they couldn't agree on, so there was no official legal offer. My guess is the biggest sticking points included sunday play and TV rights for BYUTv

I don't think it ever got that far. There may have been some phone calls as the Big12 did their due diligence, but the Big12 was looking for teams that (1) had had recent success (like, top 10 finishes) and (2) were reasonable geographically. BYU never had a chance to shoot themselves in the foot as they were never under serious consideration. Maybe BYU started making preemptive demands to save face, but those demands are not what kept BYU out. The Big12 just wanted WVU and TCU more.

BYU was actually much closer last year when the Big12 was thinking expansion.

[U-Ute]

BYU was actually much closer last year when the Big12 was thinking expansion.

This is the time frame I'm thinking about.

[Ma'ake]

So a somewhat interesting outlook on the rivalry game with some actual numbers to back it up:

Since joining the PAC 12 there has been a faction of fans who have tried to pretend that the BYU game is no longer important to them. I've always thought it was BS, and it largely is. However, armed with traffic stats for UFN since 2005 I went and looked at when the traffic has peaked there from Aug 1 - Feb 1 of a respective season. Traffic in conjunction with the BYU football game is always high, and up until 2013 was definitively the highest peak day (other outliers of course were the Sugar Bowl and the PAC-12 invite which dwarfed all traffic).

But after 2013 (Our game with them was on Sep 21 and we didn't play them again until the bowl game Dec 15 2015) other big PAC-12 games have come to outpace ever so slightly (by about 2%) the BYU game as far as traffic to the site goes. It is notable because you could typically visually see when the BYU game was and the days leading up to it because there was a clear peak. That is no more.

No doubt, the BYU game is huge in the minds of the fans, but I would say it is no longer THE game of the year, which I'll be honest surprised me.

But the same, and going strictly by the numbers, fans who claim that this game doesn't matter any more are being delusional.

Outstanding post, bolstered by data.

There is some portion of Ute fans at the periphery - eg, "who's our RB this year?" If the answer isn't immediate, they're peripheral fans - for whom rooting for the Utes is a social statement, in the context of the state and dominant demographic, "us and them", etc.

At the same time, the PAC membership has impressively altered our identity, for the positive... completely irrespective of BYU.

My "goals" for tomorrow: 1) Win, 2) get the youngsters fully engaged on what an intense road atmosphere is like, 3) minimize the injuries, 4) minimize the friction, 5) turn the page.

[Utah]

I was a "I don't care about the rivalry game" guy.

I could have cared less if we ever played them again.

The break happened and I was glad.

But, when it was announced we were playing them in the Vegas Bowl I became excited. I realized that I missed the game.

I still think the obvious compromise is the 3 times in 5 years I've talked about before.

I'm ok with breaks to play better brands.

But I don't want it to go away completely. It's a fun game.

[Rocker Ute]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170908/25b02efd4c86d2b947a34f891d05c00b.jpg

Last year some friends decorated my office with BYU stuff (all in good fun). This year this was their attempt (they put a small amount of blue and white hole punches on a piece of paper and left it on my desk if you can't tell).


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[SoCalPat]

I was a "I don't care about the rivalry game" guy.

I could have cared less if we ever played them again.

The break happened and I was glad.

But, when it was announced we were playing them in the Vegas Bowl I became excited. I realized that I missed the game.

I still think the obvious compromise is the 3 times in 5 years I've talked about before.

I'm ok with breaks to play better brands.

But I don't want it to go away completely. It's a fun game.

The loyalty or skin of any fan who ultimately doesn't believe this should be questioned.

I'll say it again: A large majority of Utah fans are perfectly OK with 6/10, with a potential bowl tie-in in the other 4 (maximum of one game), if we're playing average-and-above P5s in the 4 years we don't play BYU in the regular season. The question we gotta ask ourselves now, is playing Baylor worthy of taking a break from BYU? Not gonna lie here -- there are only two teams that would be more meh in the Big 12 (Iowa State, Kansas), and we've played both of them in the adult lives of at least half of our fanbase.

I'll also maintain that our non-con scheduling will be largely meh until the stadium expands. Don't use Michigan as something that can happen frequently -- that's a generational non-conference series. But my ideal/realistic H-H partner from each of the major conferences would be Iowa (Big 10), Kansas State or Oklahoma State (Big 12), Ole Miss (SEC) and North Carolina State (ACC).

[Applejack]

The loyalty or skin of any fan who ultimately doesn't believe this should be questioned.

I'll say it again: A large majority of Utah fans are perfectly OK with 6/10, with a potential bowl tie-in in the other 4 (maximum of one game), if we're playing average-and-above P5s in the 4 years we don't play BYU in the regular season. The question we gotta ask ourselves now, is playing Baylor worthy of taking a break from BYU? Not gonna lie here -- there are only two teams that would be more meh in the Big 12 (Iowa State, Kansas), and we've played both of them in the adult lives of at least half of our fanbase.

I'll also maintain that our non-con scheduling will be largely meh until the stadium expands. Don't use Michigan as something that can happen frequently -- that's a generational non-conference series. But my ideal/realistic H-H partner from each of the major conferences would be Iowa (Big 10), Kansas State or Oklahoma State (Big 12), Ole Miss (SEC) and North Carolina State (ACC).

Good post. We can have nice things: BYU AND another P5 opponent. I know there are people that will say "but what if we're not bowl eligible?", or "too hard", or "consider the children", but what good is a football team that doesn't play (and sometimes beat) the big boys?

[SoCalPat]

Good post. We can have nice things: BYU AND another P5 opponent. I know there are people that will say "but what if we're not bowl eligible?", or "too hard", or "consider the children", but what good is a football team that doesn't play (and sometimes beat) the big boys?

There are fans out there who wouldn't take a spot in the playoff in any season if it meant a losing season (or two) surrounding it. Those people (and you've cited them) don't deserve to be taken seriously.

[Utah]

McBride just said Pease mooned BYU fans as a player. Lol.

[Dwight Schr-Ute]

That's really interesting info, Rocker. I have a contrasting take for comparison. As I've mentioned here before, I'm one of essentially two admins for the UteNation Facebook page. I think the Facebook group represents a different kid be of fan than uf.n. At 7,600 members, we "benefit" from the ease and convenience of living in the FB world. In a given game week, we'll have maybe 25 different members actively engage in discussion about the game. This number tends to decrease through the season. During this week, we've added probably 150 new members and have see posts from people that have never posted before and likely won't again once the game is over. So probably a much different trend line than what you pick up at uf.n. I hate to give them more credit than they deserve, but the uf.n probably represents a more informed and committed fan. The FB member aligns more closely with the "I'm a Mormon in South Carolina so of course I have a BYU shirt" level of fan. These are the fans that Monson was talking about. They don't really follow the program too much but when we're playing BYU, they suddenly feel vested to state their uninformed opinions about the state of the two programs. My data is obviously much more qualitative, but I thought I contribute it anyway.


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[Dwight Schr-Ute]

In fairness, we were so hobbled by the second half in that game, we were lucky to get a few first downs. No Covey for most of the game, Scott on one good leg, no Booker (IIRC?), and wasn't Travis hobbling too (IIRC?). Travis and Joe Williams runs were almost the entire offense (again, IIRC).

Travis, Williams and Hackett runs were our only offense. I still take the blame for this. I'm sorry.


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[Applejack]

Travis, Williams and Hackett runs were our only offense. I still take the blame for this. I'm sorry.


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Good lord. We won over our rival, for the 5th straight time, on a neutral field, while leading wire to wire (nearly literally), and were never in a position to lose! You'd think that we lost the game by the way U fans talk about it.

Get over them almost-keeping-it respectable.

[Rocker Ute]

That's really interesting info, Rocker. I have a contrasting take for comparison. As I've mentioned here before, I'm one of essentially two admins for the UteNation Facebook page. I think the Facebook group represents a different kid be of fan than uf.n. At 7,600 members, we "benefit" from the ease and convenience of living in the FB world. In a given game week, we'll have maybe 25 different members actively engage in discussion about the game. This number tends to decrease through the season. During this week, we've added probably 150 new members and have see posts from people that have never posted before and likely won't again once the game is over. So probably a much different trend line than what you pick up at uf.n. I hate to give them more credit than they deserve, but the uf.n probably represents a more informed and committed fan. The FB member aligns more closely with the "I'm a Mormon in South Carolina so of course I have a BYU shirt" level of fan. These are the fans that Monson was talking about. They don't really follow the program too much but when we're playing BYU, they suddenly feel vested to state their uninformed opinions about the state of the two programs. My data is obviously much more qualitative, but I thought I contribute it anyway.


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Yeah, I don't know if I'd call us at UFN informed but perhaps more passionate than the average fan. ;)

I think our respective data correlates actually, because there is definitely an uptick in traffic for BYU games. What I am seeing though is that there is now also an uptick for traffic for the big games like USC, Oregon, Stanford etc. Another consideration that you may not be able to see in your numbers is lurkers like me on Utenation who read the posts as they come in my feed but don't post or typically go directly to your page. My traffic information I looked at is just anyone who went to the site, whether they posted or not.

[Senioritis]

I am one who cares much less about this rivalry than I used to. I just don't have the same hate. Where have you gone, Nate Cooper?

I am also all for never playing these bastards again, simply because I want them to be irrelevant, and the rivalry gives them relevance. "But if you want them to be irrelevant, just beat them!," the super enlightened among us say. Beating them isn't as effective as ignoring them. If we want them to be irrelevant, we should treat them as irrelevant. I want them to be irrelevant. They have so little to play for, really. Why give them anything?

That said, this one didn't seem like too big a deal during the summer, but it feels a little different now. They are desperate. They are staring into the abyss. All this Kalani-Detmer stuff reawoke the spirit of the Zoob. They were pretty hopeless near the end of Captain Bronconi's reign. The all-in throwback to the glory days gave them life, but, even after just two weeks, many of them are already rediscovering the BYU's true place in the pecking order. If Utah can lay it on them, like it seems like they should, this game could cement what most observers already think regarding the place of BYU in the universe. It would expose the resurrection of the glory days as a total marketing win with zero substance.

The BYU is never going away. They will beat Utah again sometime. But if Utah can give them the ass Kicking of a lifetime tomorrow, I really think it takes all of the false momentum away from them, and the reality begins to match the perception even for those in whom the spirit of the Zoob is strongest. It would last a long time.. It's time to sweep the leg.

Sadly, though, I don't think its gonna hapoen. I have rarely felt so confident of a Ute victory in this game. It feels wrong. That makes me think they are gonna lose. True Ute, over here.

[Dwight Schr-Ute]

Good lord. We won over our rival, for the 5th straight time, on a neutral field, while leading wire to wire (nearly literally), and were never in a position to lose! You'd think that we lost the game by the way U fans talk about it.

Get over them almost-keeping-it respectable.

I was just saying that we sat in our seats the moment Travis scampered for 25 yards to go up 35-0. I thought for sure that this was the perfect day to break my curse of poor offensive production while I was sitting in the stands. According to ESPN, we had 142 yards and 0 points from that point on.


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[U-Ute]

Sadly, though, I don't think its gonna hapoen. I have rarely felt so confident of a Ute victory in this game. It feels wrong. That makes me think they are gonna lose. True Ute, over here.

Only for those who lived through the McBride era. These new fans who suddenly became enlightened with the flash and bravado of the Urban Meyer days don't know what it's like to feel this way.

[hostile]

Only for those who lived through the McBride era. These new fans who suddenly became enlightened with the flash and bravado of the Urban Meyer days don't know what it's like to feel this way.
I have felt nervous about every game against BYU; probably always will.

[Solon]

I am one who cares much less about this rivalry than I used to. I just don't have the same hate. Where have you gone, Nate Cooper?

I am also all for never playing these bastards again, simply because I want them to be irrelevant, and the rivalry gives them relevance. "But if you want them to be irrelevant, just beat them!," the super enlightened among us say. Beating them isn't as effective as ignoring them. If we want them to be irrelevant, we should treat them as irrelevant. I want them to be irrelevant. They have so little to play for, really. Why give them anything?

That said, this one didn't seem like too big a deal during the summer, but it feels a little different now. They are desperate. They are staring into the abyss. All this Kalani-Detmer stuff reawoke the spirit of the Zoob. They were pretty hopeless near the end of Captain Bronconi's reign. The all-in throwback to the glory days gave them life, but, even after just two weeks, many of them are already rediscovering the BYU's true place in the pecking order. If Utah can lay it on them, like it seems like they should, this game could cement what most observers already think regarding the place of BYU in the universe. It would expose the resurrection of the glory days as a total marketing win with zero substance.

The BYU is never going away. They will beat Utah again sometime. But if Utah can give them the ass Kicking of a lifetime tomorrow, I really think it takes all of the false momentum away from them, and the reality begins to match the perception even for those in whom the spirit of the Zoob is strongest. It would last a long time.. It's time to sweep the leg.

Sadly, though, I don't think its gonna hapoen. I have rarely felt so confident of a Ute victory in this game. It feels wrong. That makes me think they are gonna lose. True Ute, over here.


I can't imagine a medieval hermit-monk living in the desert eating termites and rainwater for 83 years would be less happy with the return of Jesus than I am at the return of Senioritis.

[USS Utah]

On a cautious note, we are all fooling ourselves if we are not just a little nervous about what the oddsmakers in Vegas know or understand that we do not.

Vegas thought UNLV would beat Howard by 45 points.

[USS Utah]

The current Utah fan euphoria can be pretty silly, but it is not even in the same galaxy as the level of braggadocio, self-adulation, and over-the-top nonsense that we endured in BYU's so-called glory years. For Monson to say the two sides have switched places is just ridiculous.

For as long as I can remember, every year BYU fans would predict lopsided wins over Utah, perhaps a byproduct of the 70s and 80s when such wins were often delivered. But even when the rivalry became competitive and the lopsided BYU wins became fewer and farther in between, the predictions of lopsided wins continued, an annual staple of rivalry week. Heck, even now, there are a few diehards still making such predictions.

On the flip side, I have yet to hear or read a prediction this year from a Ute fan for a lopsided win.

As for the local media, they acknowledge, as Monson did, that Utah is the superior program, yet this seems to earn the Utes only equal coverage with the team that used to dominate media coverage.

I don't need the media to constantly say nice things about the Utes, I would just like to hear more about Utah -- a lot more -- than about the team down south.

[Ma'ake]

I was just saying that we sat in our seats the moment Travis scampered for 25 yards to go up 35-0. I thought for sure that this was the perfect day to break my curse of poor offensive production while I was sitting in the stands. According to ESPN, we had 142 yards and 0 points from that point on.


May that game become known as the beginning-of-the-end of Whitt's tight-fisted conservativism on offense. That was completely asinine, and Whitt was right to be pissed, and really it was on him.

Hopefully, Travis has a respectable career as a TE in the NFL, but even with Travis, I wonder how a strong hand on the offense - ala what we all hope Taylor represents - would have made the last 3 quarters of that game different. When the opposing defense doesn't want to lay down, AND they know you're trying to burn the clock, the LOS battle is pretty much lost.

I suspect Taylor would have put up another 21 points, but we would have thrown a Pick 6, too.

If we get the chance tomorrow, I hope we stand on their throats. There will be games where it's smart to go conservative with a sizable lead, but if we get that tomorrow, don't let up. I think BYU is much more likely to fold up this year if half of their fans are bailing out early.

[USS Utah]

So a somewhat interesting outlook on the rivalry game with some actual numbers to back it up:

Since joining the PAC 12 there has been a faction of fans who have tried to pretend that the BYU game is no longer important to them. I've always thought it was BS, and it largely is. However, armed with traffic stats for UFN since 2005 I went and looked at when the traffic has peaked there from Aug 1 - Feb 1 of a respective season. Traffic in conjunction with the BYU football game is always high, and up until 2013 was definitively the highest peak day (other outliers of course were the Sugar Bowl and the PAC-12 invite which dwarfed all traffic).

But after 2013 (Our game with them was on Sep 21 and we didn't play them again until the bowl game Dec 15 2015) other big PAC-12 games have come to outpace ever so slightly (by about 2%) the BYU game as far as traffic to the site goes. It is notable because you could typically visually see when the BYU game was and the days leading up to it because there was a clear peak. That is no more.

No doubt, the BYU game is huge in the minds of the fans, but I would say it is no longer THE game of the year, which I'll be honest surprised me.

But the same, and going strictly by the numbers, fans who claim that this game doesn't matter any more are being delusional.

The game still matters to me, but it doesn't matter as much as it used to. "Seasons change and so do I."

[sancho]

May that game become known as the beginning-of-the-end of Whitt's tight-fisted conservativism on offense. That was completely asinine, and Whitt was right to be pissed, and really it was on him.

Hopefully, Travis has a respectable career as a TE in the NFL, but even with Travis, I wonder how a strong hand on the offense - ala what we all hope Taylor represents - would have made the last 3 quarters of that game different. When the opposing defense doesn't want to lay down, AND they know you're trying to burn the clock, the LOS battle is pretty much lost.

I suspect Taylor would have put up another 21 points, but we would have thrown a Pick 6, too.

If we get the chance tomorrow, I hope we stand on their throats. There will be games where it's smart to go conservative with a sizable lead, but if we get that tomorrow, don't let up. I think BYU is much more likely to fold up this year if half of their fans are bailing out early.

I hope strategy always rules over emotion. The common denominator in all crazy comeback games is the offense still throwing when up 30+ points. If you ever get up 30+ points in a football game against a decent team, it's time to shut things down. The only way to lose that game is to turn the ball over and to slow the game down.

[LA Ute]

Sadly, though, I don't think its gonna happen. I have rarely felt so confident of a Ute victory in this game. It feels wrong. That makes me think they are gonna lose. True Ute, over here.

Ute fan PTSD kicks in. All of us who have been around for a long time recognize it and battle it at least one time every season.

[tooblue]

So, let me get this straight: anecdotal evidence points to the fact ute fans want to watch every other team play other than the Utes. Sounds about right—ya'll are PAC12 fans first, BYU haters second, football fans third and Utah fans fourth.

:rofl:

[LA Ute]

So, let me get this straight: anecdotal evidence points to the fact ute fans want to watch every other team play other than the Utes. Sounds about right—ya'll are PAC12 fans first, BYU haters second, football fans third and Utah fans fourth.

:rofl:

Look, if you don't start working the television angle back into your posts, I am going to stop reading them. Don't dilute your brand, brother.

[Applejack]

May that game become known as the beginning-of-the-end of Whitt's tight-fisted conservativism on offense. That was completely asinine, and Whitt was right to be pissed, and really it was on him.

Hopefully, Travis has a respectable career as a TE in the NFL, but even with Travis, I wonder how a strong hand on the offense - ala what we all hope Taylor represents - would have made the last 3 quarters of that game different. When the opposing defense doesn't want to lay down, AND they know you're trying to burn the clock, the LOS battle is pretty much lost.

I suspect Taylor would have put up another 21 points, but we would have thrown a Pick 6, too.

If we get the chance tomorrow, I hope we stand on their throats. There will be games where it's smart to go conservative with a sizable lead, but if we get that tomorrow, don't let up. I think BYU is much more likely to fold up this year if half of their fans are bailing out early.

What's on whitt? The fact that we beat our rival for the 5th straight time that day? I agree, whit deserves more credit for the amazing streak.

I couldn't care less if we pass for a zillion yards tomorrow. Just win. thanks

[Utah]

What worries me is that we will win by so much, it will break their will, they will crawl back to the MWC and start finding success again.

[Dwight Schr-Ute]

If we get the chance tomorrow, I hope we stand on their throats. There will be games where it's smart to go conservative with a sizable lead, but if we get that tomorrow, don't let up. I think BYU is much more likely to fold up this year if half of their fans are bailing out early.

This is where I am too. I don't want to just win tomorrow. I want to break their season.


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[sancho]

This is where I am too. I don't want to just win tomorrow. I want to break their season.


I would love a blowout win. So much less stressful. But we're only 2 pnt favorites, right?

[SoCalPat]

I would love a blowout win. So much less stressful. But we're only 2 pnt favorites, right?

Vegas is full of teams in Week 2 it hasn't caught up with yet. Look at Purdue. I don't think Vegas has caught up with BYU. They'll have no choice but to after this weekend.

[SoCalPat]

In 1990, in their first of four Super Bowl seasons, Buffalo played the L.A. Raiders, in Buffalo. Trailing 24-10 entering the fourth quarter, the Bills scored 28 straight points, including TDs off a blocked punt and INT return, to win 38-24.

They won with fluke plays was the Raider refrain after that game.

Flash forward 3 months to the AFC title game. Everyone expected a close game, based on what happened earlier in the year. But someone in the Bills organization, a trainer or scout, as legend has it (and it's documented somewhere in the Buffalo News), wasn't having any of it, telling longtime Bills beat writer Larry Felser, "We're gonna kick their ass."

Final score: Bills 51, Raiders 3. It was 41-3 at halftime.

Let me play the role of that Bills official for one day. We're gonna kick BYU's ass. Tyler Huntley ain't Jim Kelly, and Zach Moss ain't Thurman Thomas, but there is no way BYU's back of book low-rent receivers and backs are gonna gain enough yardage and points to win. You know Kyle wants nothing less than a shutout, and unlike last week, we'll play a clean game throughout. I would be shocked if BYU scores more than 10 points, and allowing more than 1 drive over 50 yards simply isn't acceptable.

This ain't the words of some deranged Ute fan, which would've been an apt description of me 10 years ago with regard to anything BYU. I thought BYU would win 9 games this year without breaking much of a sweat. They've handled Indy about as well as could be expected. Hell, I rooted for them against Michigan State last year and went to bed without knowing how they fared at least 4 times last year. The only time they occupy any significant portion of my attention is the week we play them. They're just another team to me. But I've seen enough in the first two games that the parallels to 2003 BYU are too striking to ignore. Their defense will keep us (and just about every team on their schedule) from dropping 40-plus on them. But their offense is Straight outta Stone Age.

This is gonna be a bloodbath. If BYU decides to get careless with the football, or if Huntley really is markedly better than Troy Williams, it could be 2011 all over again.

[SoCalPat]

So, let me get this straight: anecdotal evidence points to the fact ute fans want to watch every other team play other than the Utes. Sounds about right—ya'll are PAC12 fans first, BYU haters second, football fans third and Utah fans fourth.

:rofl:

Says the guy who hasn't said one word about BYU football or its chances on Saturday in this thread. Go take your tired act elsewhere. You're not even clever.

[Dwight Schr-Ute]

In 1990, in their first of four Super Bowl seasons, Buffalo played the L.A. Raiders, in Buffalo. Trailing 24-10 entering the fourth quarter, the Bills scored 28 straight points, including TDs off a blocked punt and INT return, to win 38-24.

They won with fluke plays was the Raider refrain after that game.

Flash forward 3 months to the AFC title game. Everyone expected a close game, based on what happened earlier in the year. But someone in the Bills organization, a trainer or scout, as legend has it (and it's documented somewhere in the Buffalo News), wasn't having any of it, telling longtime Bills beat writer Larry Felser, "We're gonna kick their ass."

Final score: Bills 51, Raiders 3. It was 41-3 at halftime.

Let me play the role of that Bills official for one day. We're gonna kick BYU's ass. Tyler Huntley ain't Jim Kelly, and Zach Moss ain't Thurman Thomas, but there is no way BYU's back of book low-rent receivers and backs are gonna gain enough yardage and points to win. You know Kyle wants nothing less than a shutout, and unlike last week, we'll play a clean game throughout. I would be shocked if BYU scores more than 10 points, and allowing more than 1 drive over 50 yards simply isn't acceptable.

This ain't the words of some deranged Ute fan, which would've been an apt description of me 10 years ago with regard to anything BYU. I thought BYU would win 9 games this year without breaking much of a sweat. They've handled Indy about as well as could be expected. Hell, I rooted for them against Michigan State last year and went to bed without knowing how they fared at least 4 times last year. The only time they occupy any significant portion of my attention is the week we play them. They're just another team to me. But I've seen enough in the first two games that the parallels to 2003 BYU are too striking to ignore. Their defense will keep us (and just about every team on their schedule) from dropping 40-plus on them. But their offense is Straight outta Stone Age.

This is gonna be a bloodbath. If BYU decides to get careless with the football, or if Huntley really is markedly better than Troy Williams, it could be 2011 all over again.

(I like this SoCalPat!)


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