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Until there is an announcement that BYU and Utah have agreed to a new series, or that they are ending the rivalry, everyone is left to speculate. We all know that the two schools do not have an agreement in place to play each other after this season's Week 3 matchup in Salt Lake City.
Every fan and media member has an opinion on whether or not the game should stay or go. There are good arguments to be made on both sides. For me, I wouldn't have a problem if it went away.
To me, it seems that the only real reason to continue playing the game is because it has always been played. That isn't good enough anymore. Both BYU and Utah are in different circumstances now. The game no longer means anything other than state bragging rights.
The Pac-12 schedule is difficult enough for its members. With nine conference games, teams can't afford to play tough non-conference opponents. I completely get why Utah would be leery of agreeing to play BYU moving forward. The Utes' responsibility is to win the Pac-12 and then see where that can take them.
For BYU, it's a little different. In terms of scheduling, it does help to have Utah as a yearly opponent. However, with the game being played in September, the Cougars could easily find another team to play. Getting teams on the schedule in September is not the problem; getting teams to agree to play in late October and November is the issue. If the game was were still played at the end of the season, it would absolutely be a bigger priority for BYU. The Cougars do not need Utah on their schedule.
There has been a lot of speculation about the series taking a few years off and seeing what the landscape looks like down the road. Come on; we all know what happens to couples when they take a break. THEY BREAK UP.
Another scenario that keeps popping up is playing it every other year. The rivalry was already significantly different last year, playing it in Week 3. Having it played every other year would make it worse. Don't even get me started on the idea that BYU might have to play back-to-back games at Rice-Eccles Stadium. It is ridiculous to even bring that up. The Cougars would never consider that, nor should they.
I haven't even touched on the fan behavior. I'm not trying to be a Pollyanna here; I completely understand not liking a rival. I know that during big games, emotions can get the best of us. For me though, I dread the atmosphere along with Wasatch Front the week before BYU and Utah play. I hate the back-and-forth between fans that always crosses the line.
Nastiness will always be a part of a rivalry game. While it's not the main reason for the series to go away, it is a factor.
Yes, there is a lot of history behind the rivalry game. Both teams have great memories of remarkable wins and gut-wrenching defeats. The problem the rivalry faces in 2012 is that it just doesn't mean as much to both teams anymore.
