BYU Football: The case for and against continuing rivalry games
By Adam Gibby
The Case for Cutting Ties
As mentioned before, things are starting to get really complicated. Realistically can we REALLY expect BYU and Utah to play every year? Sure, an agreement could be made to do so, and if that happens great, but what if it doesn’t? Even with the most flexible schedule in the nation, Utah still found a way not to schedule BYU four times from 2014-2024. Now with less flexibility does that become six times in a ten year period?
As far as the other rivalries go, they are already almost dead already. The Cougars and Aggies have already cancelled future games until further notice and similar news has come out about Boise State.
Again, unless a serious agreement is made with Utah about scheduling every single year, one has to ask, is the rivalry worth it, or is it time to make a new rival?
As or right now there are no clear potential rivals, but naturally one could come up. And if that happens, maybe it is time to go all in on it. That would mean scheduling the same team every year on the last week and cutting, yes cutting the ties with the Utes.
That has been the problem with Utah. They claim they have other rivalries, but despite not playing every year, they still play often enough to keep anyone from really believing that BYU isn’t still rival No. 1. Honestly, had Utah dropped BYU, I really think that the Utes could have a really good rivalry going with USC or Oregon.
That isn’t to say they can never play again, but if BYU really wants to build a rivalry with another team, they need consistency and to drop all other past rivalries. Who knows, maybe for three straight years a spot in the Big 12 Championship game will come down to BYU and TCU. From there a rivalry can be born.