Salty's BYU (and Scat) Bitch Thread

[7StraightIsGreat]

Yes we need the families of the Hatfields and McCoys to heal.
We need neighbor to stop fighting with neighbor.
We need co-workers to stop hating eachother.
We need Bronco and Whit to hang out all summer and bond.

... wait a second... BYU and Utah should play eachother every year until the end of time and you know it.

Maybe a kindly mod can delete all but the first 4 posts and we can start over from that point?

You're going to think I'm off my rocker but as my excitement for Utah's first Pac 12 season grows, I'm starting to realize that Utah probably ought to consider ending the series with BYU. Now, before I'm flamed, I'm not saying I think they should DEFINITELY end it. I've just started to get a few thoughts as to why it's really not beneficial for them:

-As the season draws near and I keep going over and over Utah's schedule in anticipation, the 2 games that I am overwhelmingly anticipating are @USC and home vs Arizona State. Those games are so much bigger than a non-conference game against BYU. Don't get me wrong, from a passion standpoint BYU is obviously bigger, but on how each game actually shapes Utah's season, USC and ASU are lightyears more important.

-While I do believe that Utah and BYU have pretty comparable football programs in terms of quality, I'm not sure playing BYU helps Utah in any way. With only 3 non conference games to work with, it's sort of tough for Utah to schedule 2 patsies and one big non-conference game (that seems to be the scheduling formula favored by most Pac 12 schools).

- While a yearly match-up with BYU is always going to be huge in-state, it's really not going to amount to much on the national level. It's also a lose-lose for Utah. BYU is certainly not seen as a patsie nationally, but their also not seen as what would constitute a "big" out of conference game for a Pac 12 school. Therefore, if Utah beats BYU, they've done little if anything to move the needle on a national scale and if they lose to BYU, they get the lable of losing to a non-BCS school.

- In the end, relationships can only continue if it's beneficial for both parties. This isn't a shot at BYU, but as an independent, the Utah game is still a pretty big deal. This year BYU could finish 10-1 or 7-5 and yet they'd still be headed to the Armed Forces Bowl. Because of that, my guess is that a win over Utah would help put a positive spin on any type of season BYU has.

- The only future motivation Utah has in keeping the series going is history (which is very important) and the backlash they would face from alumni and fans if they ended the series. It's those 2 reasons that keep the series alive IMO, but from a logical standpoint it makes a ton of sense for Utah to move on.

 

[bigb]

While I agree with most of your points jazzman, I disagree with the thoughts on ending the rivalry. I still firmly believe BYU will end up in the Big 12 (I don't think it's going anywhere). Then it's a BCS matchup annually.

 

[7StraightIsGreat]

While I agree with most of your points jazzman, I disagree with the thoughts on ending the rivalry. I still firmly believe BYU will end up in the Big 12 (I don't think it's going anywhere). Then it's a BCS matchup annually.

I agree with you there, and if/when BYU is a Big 12 member it's going to be a win-win for both schools. A yearly in-state Pac 12-V-Big 12 showdown will only take this rivalry to new heights (if thats even possible).

In the meantime I think it would almost suit Utah better to schedule two non-conference games against the likes of Weber State and Utah State and try to line up a 3rd game against a school from another BCS conference.

 

[bigb]

In the meantime I think it would almost suit Utah better to schedule two non-conference games against the likes of Weber State and Utah State and try to line up a 3rd game against a school from another BCS conference.

Can't really argue with that logic. Except that I don't want to see the game go away. It's already bad enough that it got moved to week 3. Doing away with it altogether would make me want to log out of life.