first recorded sporting event between the U and BYU, then known as Brigham Young Academy, was a baseball game ending in a scoreless tie and a bench-clearing brawl. That auspicious start in 1895 set the spark of what would become a heated rivalry. For more than a century, the two neighboring schools had epic matchups in everything from football to swimming and soccer to softball.

Temperatures between the two cooled slightly after 2011 when the U entered the Pac-12 and BYU went independent. Now, they’re set for their first conference match-up since that change—BYU entered the Big 12 conference in 2023 and the U will join this summer. As they enter a new era, both schools are looking to reset the rivalry and change its tenor.

“We love a bit of friendly competition at the U,” says U President Taylor Randall HBA’90. “It can help elevate the play of our athletes, and our fans love it. But ultimately, we have incredibly talented students representing schools and the larger community that all of Utah can be proud of.”

The ties between schools are intricate, adds U Athletics Director Mark Harlan. “There is a long and storied history of competition between the two schools, and so much familiarity from program to program among our coaches, staff, and student-athletes,” says Harlan. “That adds a great deal of meaning to those rivalry competitions in all sports, and our fans certainly have a heightened anticipation for those matchups as well.”

Mirroring the U’s dedication to sportsmanship, BYU Athletic Director Tom Holmoe says that BYU appreciates the mutual effort required to sustain the respectful nature of the competition. “This is one of the best rivalries in the country. Having played, coached, and been the AD for 26 years of BYU-Utah games in multiple sports, I can uniquely say that we’ve had something super special here—for players, coaches, and fans—for an entire century,” says Holmoe. “Let’s do all we can to preserve and respect this competitive rivalry, and part of respecting the rivalry is respecting each other.”

Risk and Legacy

In many ways, you can’t celebrate one team without acknowledging the impact of the other. Let’s look at football, for example. Depending on how you count the series—some don’t include the games played before an annual matchup began in 1922—Utah currently leads 62-34-4, but that doesn’t quite tell the whole story. Take the only time BYU was ranked No. 1 in the nation—it came after beating Utah in 1984, en route to the national championship. On the other hand, Utah busted the BCS twice—clinching invites to the 2004 Fiesta Bowl and the 2008 Sugar Bowl—by defeating BYU.

In 2015, Utah signed wide receiver and kick return extraordinaire Britain Covey BS’21, a diehard BYU fan, who is now one of the NFL’s star punt returners. In 2018, BYU signed Zach Wilson, a Utah fan from Sandy, Utah, who went on to become the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft. And now Wilson’s younger brother, Isaac, a four-star recruit, is on Utah’s roster. Even legendary BYU coach LaVell Edwards MS’60 went to grad school at the U.

The ties don’t stop at football. Consider the leadership of both schools during the 2000s: while Cecil O. Samuelson, a U grad [BS’66 MS’70 MD’70] and Crimson Club founding member, was serving as BYU’s president, Utah’s president was Michael K. Young, a descendant of Brigham Young and a BYU grad [BA, 1973].

That’s just how these two teams tangle.

What Makes a Good Rivalry?

Before the football series took a hiatus in 2021, NFL.com rated the BYU/U matchup as the No. 6 best college football rivalry in the country, noting it is known to “split generations of families.” Familiarity can sometimes breed contempt, noted Bomani Jones in an ESPN article about what makes a good rivalry. “These rivalries are huge because of the recruiting ramifications—particularly when both schools are dependent upon the state’s talent. Plus, fans get bragging rights over millions of people, something that’s extra-special fun,” he wrote.

So, what inspires rivalry? In many cases, it’s a matchup of state schools—think Oregon vs. Oregon State. Others are state school versus nearby private institution—North Carolina vs. Duke, say. And in some cases, religion even comes into play.

But falling into the trap of polarization can be damaging, U Impact Scholar Eboo Patel noted at a recent fireside hosted by the U Latter-day Saint Student Association. The founder and president of Interfaith America said this potentially dangerous situation occurs when people hate others more than they love themselves. “You cannot have a civic life in a diverse democracy if people with diverse identities can’t have conversations,” he remarked.

When tensions are high, take a step back and reflect on the bigger picture, adds Randall. “We’re rivals on the field, but allies in education and partners in building a stronger, more united community,” he notes. “This next chapter in our rivalry is more than a game—it’s a chance to show that competition can coexist with camaraderie and respect. Let’s lead by example.”