Mitch Mathews needs no introduction to BYU-Utah State in-state rivalry


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PROVO — Mitch Mathews hails from Beaverton, Oregon, and has parents aren't from the area. But almost every one of his aunts and uncles lives in the Cache Valley, so there's a lot of blue when the group organizes for family pictures.

The only problem, from his perspective? Most of it is Aggie blue.

Most of those same aunts, uncles and cousins will be at BYU's regular-season finale Saturday at the newly named Maverik Stadium for the 85th all-time meeting between the Cougars (8-3) and Utah State (6-5).

"I have a lot of family that lives there," Mathews said. "Luckily, they'll be wearing blue at least. But who knows what (the shirt) will say?"

Saturday's game, which is scheduled to kick off at 1:30 p.m. MST on CBS Sports Network and KSL NewsRadio, will also be special for Mathews, a senior who caught his first touchdown pass at what was then Romney Stadium in Logan three years ago.

"They are a fun team to play," said Mathews, who caught five passes for 112 yards and three touchdowns in his last trip to Logan. "They've always been a rival, but it's more of a new rival. BYU-Utah has always been the big rivalry, but (Utah State) has stepped up its recruiting and they win a lot more games now.

"Utah State is a really good team, and rivalry games are always close. They're going to be good, and we're ready to play."

Mitchell Juergens came to BYU as a Houston, Texas recruit who didn't know much about the battle for the Old Wagon Wheel — he had always heard of BYU and Utah's "Holy War" as the main rivalry in the Beehive State.

BYU wide receiver Mitch Mathews (10) can't come up with the pass against Fresno in Provo, Nov. 21, 2015. (Photo: Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News)
BYU wide receiver Mitch Mathews (10) can't come up with the pass against Fresno in Provo, Nov. 21, 2015. (Photo: Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News)

But he was quickly introduced to the Scotsman, the thistle and the sagebrush in Cache Valley, and he could hardly think of a better place to spend the final regular-season game of 2015.

"I think it's awesome," Juergens said. "Sometimes the season can be hard and long. You get tired. But knowing the last game is one of those rivalries provides a lot of motivation for the guys on the team. Nobody wants to lose in their home state."

BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall has extra emphasis on winning in-state games, especially for recruiting and regional perceptions. And though the Cougars don't talk about the Aggies any differently in their preparations, Mathews said it's easy to see in-state opponents get extra attention from the coaching staff.

"You can tell by the way they carry themselves during the week that the game is more serious," Mathews said. "Coach Mendenhall said (Monday) morning that he wants this team to be nameless and faceless, which means you don't care who you are playing; you just go to play football. But at the same time, you can tell by how they carry themselves and how intense they are in practice that it is a big-time, in-state game.

"You can tell there is a little more seriousness that comes out in the coaches and players this week."

Regardless of the national perception, Mathews said the Cougars are preparing for a strong rival in Logan. Part of that strength is from Chuckie Keeton, the redshirt senior quarterback who appears set to play his final game in Logan on Saturday afternoon.

"I think he helped build that program. I have a lot of respect for him; he's thrown his heart and soul into that program with bodies flying at him," Mendenhall said of Keeton, who retook the top quarterback spot when Kent Myers was injured a week ago against Nevada. "He's seen some of the hard things, and some of the great things, and he's been at the epicenter of all that. I think he's a really good player and a good leader, and he ought to be given a ton of credit for what has happened at Utah State."

Even though he didn't grow up with the rivalry, Juergens knows how much this regularly scheduled game means for both sides. BYU has a 46-35-3 all-time record in the series, but the Aggies are 18-16-2 in Logan and coming off last year's 35-20 win in Provo.

"It's going to be a dogfight from the beginning," Juergens said. "We just need to be prepared, fundamentally sound, and we'll be ready to go.

"They are the funnest games. It could be a cold one, so we're anticipating a fun, cold, exciting game to finish."

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