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PROVO — We might only be in the fourth week of the season, but for BYU and Utah fans this week is designated as Rivalry Week as both teams prepare to square off Saturday night in Provo in a nationally televised contest.
For BYU, it is all about keeping the momentum rolling after its offense had its best showing of the season in a 40-21 win over the then No. 15 Texas Longhorns two weeks ago. Meanwhile, the Utes are coming off a tough 51-48 overtime loss to Oregon State in its third straight loss in Pac-12 opening games.
- Utah (2-1, 0-1 Pac-12) vs. Brigham Young (1-1)
- Date: Saturday, Sept. 21, 2013
- Time: 8:15 p.m. MDT
- Site: Lavell Edwards Stadium (63,470/Grass)
- TV: ESPN2
- BYU Radio: KSL Newsradio 102.7 FM/1160 AM
- Utah Radio: ESPN700, Sirius 112/XM 190
- Series Record: Utah leads 56-34-4
- Last Meeting: 2012 (Utah 24-21)
- Kickoff Weather: Mostly clear; temps in the low 70s
Utah leads the series with BYU 56- 34-4, although the Cougars don't recognize six games (split equally 3-3) when it was known as the Brigham Young Academy. With or without those six games, this is the second longest rivalry in Utah history. Utah has won eight of the last 11 contests, including the last three. The last time the Utes played in Provo (where they lead the series 18-17-1) was in 2011, when Utah's 54-10 win was its most lopsided victory over BYU in 89 years.
Here are ten things you need to know to impress your friends in the tailgate lot as we count you down to kickoff:
- Utah (2-1, 0-1 Pac-12) plays Brigham Young (1-1) in a Deseret Duel Rivalry Series game, Saturday, Sept. 21 in Provo, Utah. Kickoff is 8:15 p.m. MT in Lavell Edwards Stadium. The game will be televised on ESPN2.
- BYU tallied a school-record 550 rushing yards vs. Texas, a record that has stood since 1958. It was also a record for rushing yards allowed at Texas. BYU totaled 679 offensive yards. BYU quarterback Taysom Hill rushed for a career-high 259 yards, good for second-most yards in a game all-time at BYU. He also tied the record for longest BYU quarterback rushing touchdown with a 68-yard scoring run, tying his own record set in 2012 vs. Hawai'i.
- Kyle Whittingham is 5-3 against BYU as the head coach. In his 19 years on the Utah staff, he has participated in 12 wins and seven losses to the Cougars. In the 15 years prior to Whittingham's hiring in 1994 as the defensive line coach, the Utes were 2-13 vs. BYU.
- BYU K Justin Sorensen's four field goals against Texas are the most in one game for BYU since 2000
- Three of Utah's coaches played at BYU, including head coach Kyle Whittingham from 1978-81. As a senior, he was the Western Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year and a first-team all-WAC linebacker. Ute defensive coordinator Kalani Sitake played fullback for the Cougars in 1994 and from 1997-2000, and receivers coach Aaron Roderick was a BYU receiver from 1997-98. Cougar defensive line coach Steve Kaufusi was at Utah from 1994-2001 as a graduate assistant, defensive line coach and defensive ends coach. Former Ute defensive lineman Jason Kaufusi (2000-03) is a BYU defensive graduate assistant. Two sets of brothers will also play against each other Saturday: Utah DE Trevor Reilly and BYU DB Drew Reilly; and Utah reserve OL Kala Friel and his brother TE Kaneakua Friel.
- Under BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall, the Cougars have a 42-8 record while playing at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Mendenhall is 2-2 against the Utes in Provo.
- Utah QB Travis Wilson is the Utes leading rusher, with 24 carries for 244 yards and five TDs. His 10.2 yards per carry ranks second in the Pac-12 and he is seventh in the conference rushing yards per game at 81.3 (44th in the nation and fourth among quarterbacks). Wilson's 142 rushing yards against Oregon State was the second-most ever by a Utah quarterback and the most since Floyd Hodge rushed for 167 yards vs. Wyoming in 1979.
- BYU running back Jamaal Williams ranks No. 3 in the nation in rushing yards per game. The sophomore averages 163 yards per game. Williams set true freshman rushing records at BYU with 755 yards and 12 TDs in 2012.
- Utah WR Dres Anderson leads the Utes in receiving yards (263) and touchdown catches (3). In contrast, Anderson needs just 103 yards to match his team high 365 receiving yards in the entire 2012 season.
- BYU WR Cody Hoffman leads all active FBS receivers in career receiving touchdowns with 28. He also ranks third among active receivers in career receptions (205) and fourth in active career receiving yards (2,718). Also, Hoffman has caught at least one pass in 33 consecutive games played, dating back to Oct. 23, 2010 in a 25-20 win over Wyoming, which is third nationally among active receivers.
