The Holy War arrives this weekend in college football. And this one has the potential to be one of the best matchups of this historic rivalry.
BYU vs. Utah. Church vs. State. Mormons vs. Gentiles. Brother vs. Brother.
These schools are separated by an hour's drive, in the most densely populated area of Utah, the Wasatch Front. While Utah is the key university in the state system, Brigham Young University (BYU) is a private institution.
Depending on which school you ask, the rivalry began in 1896 (according to the Utes), or 1922 (per the Cougars).
The matchup has not been annual in recent years, owing to different conferences (Pac-12 for Utah from 2011-2023 and Independent status for BYU from 2011-2022). However, with the recent moves of both teams to the Big 12 Conference, it is once again an annual matchup. And the rivalry back-and-forth talk has never been greater - just check out some of the quotes over the years.
With both teams ranked in the AP Top 25 this week, it is the first ranked matchup since 2009. With that in mind, let's look at the top five games all time in the BYU vs. Utah Holy War rivalry:
Honorable Mentions:
1978 - Utah 23, BYU 22 - Utah's first win since 1971
1994 - Utah 34, BYU 31 (Part II) - Utah's second straight win and first consecutive wins in 23 years
2001 - BYU 24, Utah 21 - The first win for BYU after Lavell Edwards' retirement
2006 - BYU 33, Utah 31 - BYU's first win after four straight Utah victories
The Top Five Games in the Holy War Rivalry
#5 - 1984 - BYU 24, Utah 14
While BYU was the better team that season (11-0 to Utah's 6-4-1), the 1984 matchup, played in Salt Lake City, was anything but easy for the Cougars.
Utah forced three interceptions from Cougars QB Robbie Bosco through three quarters, rolled up 240 yards rushing on a stout Cougar defense, and recovered a fumble early in the fourth. The score was 17-14 for BYU, and the Utes had a legitimate chance of upsetting the third-ranked Cougars.
BYU would put together a 12-play, five-minute drive and push its lead to 10 points with just over seven minutes remaining. From there, they snuffed out any Utah opportunities and walked out of Rice Stadium with a victory, another win closer to their first and only national championship.
#4 - 1993 - Utah 34, BYU 31
The 1993 matchup came during an era of BYU dominance. Having won 10 games or more eight times from 1979 to 1990, the Cougars were nationally relevant compared to their 'little brother' up north.
The Utes had gone 60-62-3 during the same timeframe, with only five seasons at .500 or better and no bowl appearances, and hadn't beaten the Cougars in Provo since 1971.
Utah came out strong, outscoring BYU in the first quarter, with future NFL running back Jamal Anderson putting the Utes up 14-3 early on.
The second and third quarters were a 14-3 combined effort, with BYU tying the score going into the fourth.
And then both teams started scoring nearly at will, including an 84-yard TD pass for Utah that gave the Utes a 23-17 margin. BYU answered with a Kalin Hall rushing TD to take their first lead, 24-23. Then Jamal Anderson answered with a TD run of his own, and a two-point conversion to take the lead back for the Utes, 31-24. BYU answered with a 1-yard TD run by quarterback John Walsh to tie the game, 31-31.
All of that led up to the final minute, when Utah's Chris Yergensen kicked a 55-yard field goal to win the game, and Utah fans celebrated on the field. This started a 5-2 run for the Utes over the next seven years and shifted the rivalry back in their favor.
#3 - 2005 - Utah 41, BYU 34 (overtime)
BYU came into this Holy War matchup with a 6-4 mark, under first-year coach Bronco Mendenhall, who was shifting the culture after the failed Gary Crowton era (26-24).
Utah was 5-5 under first-year head coach Kyle Whittingham, who was the Utes' longtime defensive coordinator (and a former BYU player). They had lost a lot of talent from the 13-0 team in 2004, but had beaten BYU three times in a row, and looked to make it four straight.
Utah went up early in this one, dominating the Cougars and taking a 24-3 lead at the half.
BYU came out strong in the third, getting multiple scores from star running back Curtis Brown, along with another TD from Todd Watkins, to close the gap to 31-24 with one quarter to go.
The Utes added a field goal to extend their lead to 34-24, but BYU answered to draw within three points, and then the Cougars got a 37-yard Jared McLaughlin field goal to send the Holy War to its first overtime matchup in 87 meetings.
The Utes would prevail in the extra time, giving Utah a 41-34 victory over the Cougars in Provo and extending their streak to four straight wins in the Holy War.
#2 - 2009 - #19 BYU 26, #21 Utah 23 (overtime)
This was the first time a ranked matchup in the Holy War occurred, and it didn't disappoint.
The Cougars led 20-6 at the end of the third quarter, with the Utes mounting a furious comeback to tie the game late on a Joe Phillips 40-yard field goal to send the game to overtime.
Phillips got another one in the extra period, giving the Utes a 23-20 lead, but Andrew George (who is still open) caught a 25 yard TD pass from Cougars QB Max Hall to give the visitors the win.
Hall would later utter his famous 'I hate Utah' rant in the postgame: "I don't like Utah. In fact, I hate them. I hate everything about them. I hate their program, their fans. I hate everything," Hall said. "It felt really good to send those guys home."
When asked later, he said his comments were directed toward Utes fans who had physically assaulted, verbally harassed, and poured beer on his family at the 2008 matchup in Salt Lake City. Still, after no evidence was found of such an interaction, the vitriol between the fanbases continued to rise.
#1 - 2015 - #20 Utah 35, BYU 28
During a timeframe where the rivalry was on hiatus, the Bowl gods stepped in and gave us another BYU vs. Utah matchup - in the Las Vegas Bowl. Within driving distance for both schools, the fans flooded to Sin City to watch the two schools go at it for the 96th time and first in over two years.
The first quarter was a turnover fest, as Utah capitalized on BYU miscues early - two fumbles and three interceptions, to take a commanding 35-0 lead.
BYU calmed down in the 2nd quarter and held onto the ball, stuffing the Utes' offense on several drives, but only getting one score - a touchdown with 36 seconds remaining until the half to make the score 35-7, Utes.
The third quarter was more of the same, with BYU getting a TD at the 10 minute mark to trail by three touchdowns.
In the fourth quarter, the Cougars got two more scores - one early on, and another late, to bring the game to a 35-28 conclusion in favor of Utah, which neither team was overly happy with.
The Utes fans were upset their team nearly gagged a 35-point lead, and Cougar fans wondered why they could not complete the comeback when they had the Utes right where they wanted them.
As Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said in the postgame: "We ended up with the win, which is all that matters...It's the only thing that matters."
Well, that's the list. What do you think are the best games in the rivalry? Don't forget to watch this one on Saturday at 6:00 pm MDT, it should be a great game!