Who cares more (now)?

[Color Me Badd Fan]

Once the inevitable consecutive 8-5/7-6 seasons occur (my prediction is 2011 and 2012) then the game will be important again to Utah.

[Uncle Ted]

Utah, of course. BYU has 10 ESPN games this year (so far). Utah only has one ESPN appearance and that is with BYU. The BYU/Utah game is one of the few chances the Utes get to shine in front of a national audience. Therefore, this game will mean a lot to them. For BYU it is just another ESPN appearance.

BTW, too bad Utah won't get to shine.

[TripletDaddy]

It certainly captures the nature of the arrangement.

Correct. BYU walking all over ESPN! :rockon1:

[LA Ute]

I think BYU has done a terrific job of selling the idea that independence and the ESPN deal is equal to Utah's Pac-12 status.

[Green Monstah]

So then what does it say about the Utes if they can't beat BYU?

There's unquestionably more pressure on Utah. Nobody really cares if BYU fails to knock off Utah because it won't really affect the BCS stuff that much; but if Utah can't hold its own in the Pac-10, or even worse - if they can't even hold their own among the left-behinds, everyone will take note. There will be lots of headlines and none of them will be pretty.

But they've "arrived," and I doubt they'll ever be asked to leave the Pac-12, so where's the pressure? From the fan base? I suppose.

They can lose to BYU in Sept., and still win the P-12 and compete in a BCS Bowl Game. BYU, on the other hand, has to win 100% of its games in order to get to a BCS bowl, so the pressure is on in September against a BCS school.

Anecdotal, I realize, but I care more now. It's no longer a game about the rivalry or pride in my alma mater, but it's about proving that we belong in a BCS conference every bit as much as the "Johnny come lately" Utes. That's not meant to discount what the Utes have accomplished the last seven years.

I think you're looking at it as "who has more to lose" and I'm focusing on "who has more to gain".

[Green Monstah]

Exactly. The two most important teams in college football this year are BYU and Utah. For BYU how is independence going to work? And how is Utah going to do in the BCS? Like that article out of Tuscon says, how well Utah does will validate lots of arguments for Boise State and the others left behind.

Did you type that with a straight face?

[Hsaru]

Over/Under how many times Ute fans use the "they only won because it was their super bowl" excuse when/if BYU beats Utah this year. Conveniently forgetting BYU also plays Texas, TCU, Oregon St, UCF(ranked 20th to end last year), and Ole Miss.

[Flattop]

So then what does it say about the Utes if they can't beat BYU?

There's unquestionably more pressure on Utah. Nobody really cares if BYU fails to knock off Utah because it won't really affect the BCS stuff that much; but if Utah can't hold its own in the Pac-10, or even worse - if they can't even hold their own among the left-behinds, everyone will take note. There will be lots of headlines and none of them will be pretty.

A great argument for no longer scheduling the game.

[NorthwestUteFan]

Correct. BYU walking all over ESPN! :rockon1:

It looks a bit more like deep-throating than walking all over ESPN. Don't forget the :condom: to avoid catching anything from Boise.

[YOhio]

It looks a bit more like deep-throating than walking all over ESPN. Don't forget the :condom:

Subtlety doesn't seem to be your strong suit.

[NorthwestUteFan]

Subtlety doesn't seem to be your strong suit.

Sometimes my inner child escapes his cage.

[LA Ute]

Over/Under how many times Ute fans use the "they only won because it was their super bowl" excuse when/if BYU beats Utah this year.

I promise never to say that. It is a ridiculous statement, coming from either side.

[YOhio]

I promise never to say that. It is a ridiculous statement, coming from either side.

What a kiss up.

[NorthwestUteFan]

I promise never to say that. It is a ridiculous statement, coming from either side.

IF (and it is a BIG IF) either team somehow becomes inexplicably bad for years on end then this statement MAY carry a small amount of merit. But even then it will still sound completely ridiculous.

It is just as ridiculous as the statement (from the glory days of yore), "Well, at least we will beat Utah this year".

The truth is, both teams will be, at a MINIMUM, pretty damn good year in and year out. Sometimes each will be stellar, sometimes they will be not so good, but over all they will be pretty damn good. Relative success on the football field is a priority for each school's administration and alumni bases. Hopefully the admins won't deprioritize football (a la Colorado in the 90s, for example).

[LA Ute]

What a kiss up.

You do know that you are hurting my feelings, don't you? These constant personal attacks are going to trigger my PTSD one of these days and then you will be sorry.