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Utah-V-BYU to end?

7StraightIsGreat

7StraightIsGreat

Well-Known Member
This was discussed a little bit the other day in another thread but in light of a new Chris Hill interview this morning I thought it warranted a new thread.

This morning on 1320 Chris Hill was interviewed and while he tried to avoid discussing BYU directly, he said some things about future scheduling that has to make me wonder if the rivalry is in jeopardy of ending (at least for a couple of years). Hill discussed that Utah's future scheduling model would ideally consist of 7 home games per season. That alone makes it a bit tougher to continue playing BYU as I suspect the Cougars will never agree 2-for1's with Utah. Hill went on to say that their 3 yearly non-conference games would ideally consist of 2 patsies (my words, not his) and an intersectional game between Utah and another BCS school. He even mentioned that sometimes the conference will get involved in order to try and broker some of these intersectional games.

I still believe that BYU's eventual landing spot will be be the Big 12. Once that happens, I think it's a no brainer for all involved for Utah-BYU to be a yearly intersectional for the Pac/Big12. However, if it takes BYU a few years to land in the Big 12 or they end up never making it there, it really seems as if there's a real possibility the game could go away.
 
I have heard rumblings of this including a radio interview with coach Whitt in which I came away feeling like this rivalry would really die. Utah can not afford to schedule more than 1 out of conference tough game a year. If BYU is that team then they will be unable to play other quality opponents that are not in the Pac 12. In other words would you rather schedule Texas, alabama, Michigan, Notre Dame or others of the like or do you want to continue playing BYU every year? Personally it will be a sad day when this rivalry ends due to a screwed up college football landscape. It's a real shame.
 
gregbroncs said:
I have heard rumblings of this including a radio interview with coach Whitt in which I came away feeling like this rivalry would really die. Utah can not afford to schedule more than 1 out of conference tough game a year. If BYU is that team then they will be unable to play other quality opponents that are not in the Pac 12. In other words would you rather schedule Texas, alabama, Michigan, Notre Dame or others of the like or do you want to continue playing BYU every year? Personally it will be a sad day when this rivalry ends due to a screwed up college football landscape. It's a real shame.
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They would never schedule Alabama, they would get rocked every time.
 
gregbroncs said:
...... In other words would you rather schedule Texas, alabama, Michigan, Notre Dame or others of the like or do you want to continue playing BYU every year?
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I would rather schedule the big team. I used to be a fan whose ideals were steeped in the importance of history and what that means for a program. While I don't think you can throw that entirely out the window, I've changed my line of thinking in the last few years. "History" is nothing more than another word for habit. Utah and BYU fans are simply used to playing each other and when it boils down to it, that's really the biggest reason people want to keep it going. With the changes brought by the Pac 12 and independence, there's no better time for both schools to do what makes most sense for them.

Like I said, I don't think you can throw history completely out the window. The best possible scenario for Utah is that BYU scores a Big 12 invite and then the rivalry game can be an intersectional game between 2 BCS schools. However, until that happens I don't see the logic in Utah passing on the chance to play a yearly contest against a Big 10/Big 12/Big East/ or ACC opponent. Regardless of BYU's quality, Utah is going to get no national credit when the beat them, and be scrutinized unfarily for losing to a non-BCS school when BYU wins.
 
jazzman12 said:
I would rather schedule the big team. I used to be a fan whose ideals were steeped in the importance of history and what that means for a program. While I don't think you can throw that entirely out the window, I've changed my line of thinking in the last few years. "History" is nothing more than another word for habit. Utah and BYU fans are simply used to playing each other and when it boils down to it, that's really the biggest reason people want to keep it going. With the changes brought by the Pac 12 and independence, there's no better time for both schools to do what makes most sense for them.

Like I said, I don't think you can throw history completely out the window. The best possible scenario for Utah is that BYU scores a Big 12 invite and then the rivalry game can be an intersectional game between 2 BCS schools. However, until that happens I don't see the logic in Utah passing on the chance to play a yearly contest against a Big 10/Big 12/Big East/ or ACC opponent. Regardless of BYU's quality, Utah is going to get no national credit when the beat them, and be scrutinized unfarily for losing to a non-BCS school when BYU wins.
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Even if BYU gets into the big 12 or another BCS conference why would Utah want to be stuck playing them every year as their only real opponent outside of the pac12. I would love for the rivalry to be kept but I don't see it happening. It is more likely that Utah schedules USU or Weber state instead of BYU so that they can pursue games with other good teams.
 
Scat said:
Utah fans looking for an excuse not to play BYU. Shocker.
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did you even read what was written? didn't think so.

Don't worry without Utah you can just schedule another WCC or WAC team. After 20 years how does it feel to basically be back in the WAC?
 
Scat said:
Utah fans looking for an excuse not to play BYU. Shocker.
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It's not an excuse. This rivalry is much more easier for BYU to continue playing. In fact, they reap almost all of the benefits if the rivalry continues (assuming BYU stays independent).

-As an independent, BYU basically has a wide open schedule in which Utah could be fit in. Utah on the other hand has 3 out of conference games. It gets even tougher when you factor in that Utah wants to start playing 7 home games. That leaves them with not very much to work with in terms of out of conference scheduling (especially if you try to include a yearly home-and-away game with BYU).

-BYU has no conference title to play for and let's be honest here: They're going to have a really tough time breaking into the BCS at all, let alone contend for it EVERY season. If BYU plays a weaker schedule, it's likely they could get passed over even if they are unbeaten. If they play a tougher schedule, it makes it more likely they lose a few games. With that in mind, beating Utah becomes a pretty big deal. BYU fan is going to be much more satisfied with a 10-and-2 season if one of those 10 wins comes against Utah.

-From Utah's point of view, playing BYU gives them little else but the chance to have in-state bragging rights. Utah could lose every year to BYU by an average of 100 points per game and it's not going to hurt their chances at Pac 12 titles and Rose Bowl births one bit.

-Where playing BYU does hurt Utah is on the national level, which could effect their rankings. That could be crucial if Utah is ever in the mix for a really good post season. Utah-BYU games are usually pretty close and I would expect that trend to continue. With that being said, if Utah squeaks out a close win or has a tough loss to BYU, Utah will get hammered nationally for not being able to beat a non-BCS school. If Utah wins, so what? Beating a non-BCS school isn't seen as anything special. Now while I admit that this line of thinking may not be exactly fair, it is what Utah is going to be subject to as they are now evaluated as a Pac 12 school by the voters.

-On BYU's side of it, playing Utah is great because it gives them a chance to play an in-state BCS school and when they do beat Utah, bragging rights of being a non-BCS schools beating one of the "big boys".

I'm sure BYU and it's fans would love to continue this series and would absolutely crucify Utah for being "afraid" should the Utes ever opt out. However, any objective person can see that the deck is stacked in BYU's favor on this one. There's just not very many benefits at all for Utah to continue the series as it is presently constituted.
 
jazzman12 said:
This was discussed a little bit the other day in another thread but in light of a new Chris Hill interview this morning I thought it warranted a new thread.

This morning on 1320 Chris Hill was interviewed and while he tried to avoid discussing BYU directly, he said some things about future scheduling that has to make me wonder if the rivalry is in jeopardy of ending (at least for a couple of years). Hill discussed that Utah's future scheduling model would ideally consist of 7 home games per season. That alone makes it a bit tougher to continue playing BYU as I suspect the Cougars will never agree 2-for1's with Utah. Hill went on to say that their 3 yearly non-conference games would ideally consist of 2 patsies (my words, not his) and an intersectional game between Utah and another BCS school. He even mentioned that sometimes the conference will get involved in order to try and broker some of these intersectional games.
Click to expand...
So Utah really is a big boy now. Taking the puss way out with the OOC schedules. If this is true.
 
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