SALT LAKE CITY — Utah and Utah State met Thursday night for the 111th time. The Rivarly between the Aggies and Utes is the 12th most played in the country.

Yet for many years it didn't feel like a rivalry, and most of their games have been forgettable. Can you think of a great moment or unforgettable play in this series before 2012? Maybe Utah State's wins in 1996 and 1997? While stunning upsets by the Aggies, they don't resonate as memorable college football moments in state history.

The series took a break in 2010 and 2011 and no one seemed to care. That changed last season.

Utah State's thrilling overtime win over the Utes in Logan, coupled with their historic resurgence, breathed life into this old rivalry. That was evident Thursday night in the season opener for both teams.

There was a lot at stake for both teams. It was competitive and emotional, as it should be. The outcome was in doubt into the final minute of the game. Both teams fought and battled like this was a must-win game.

For Utah, this may have been a must-win game. They are facing a daunting schedule in their third year in the Pac-12 — a schedule that features five teams ranked in the Top 25.

A loss at home to the Aggies would have been devastating to their hopes of reaching their goals. Kyle Whittingham's decision to gamble with an onside kick in the third quarter down 23-17 showed just how badly the Utes needed to win.

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Their play wasn't perfect. In fact, Whittingham called the Utes "an average football team right now, at best" in a post game interview on Fox Sports 1.

With that said, the Utes have to be thrilled with the performance of Travis Wilson. He was 17-of-28 for 302 yards, two touchdowns, and most importantly, no turnovers. The Utes had six plays of 20-yards or more, which was something that has been missing the past two or three years in the offense. He showed poise throughout the game, especially on their final clock killing drive that left the Aggies without any time for a comeback.

Consistency at the quarterback position has eluded the program since 2008. If Wilson can stay healthy they may have found what they've been looking for.

Moral victories are no longer acceptable at Utah State. They are hurting today because, unlike Aggie teams of the past, they expected to go into Rice-Eccles Stadium and come away with a win.

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Midway through the third quarter they were well on their way with momentum and a nine-point lead. Chuckie Keeton looked the part of a Heisman Trophy candidate exposing every flaw in the Utah defense. His performance was so good he was trending nationally on Twitter.

They were 20 minutes away from back-to-back victories over big brother. Then Chuckie started cramping up and the Aggie offense that gained 301 first half yards ran out of gas.

"I'm proud of our kids," said an emotional Matt Wells after the game. "They've got a lot of fight to 'em. They're going to win a lot of games. Proud of their effort."

The truth for Utah State is while a win over their rivals would have been huge, the result won't define their season. They begin preparation for a much more important game next Saturday. A win at Air Force in their Mountain West Conference debut will have much more impact on their season and their quest to win a MWC title. We saw enough from the Aggies Thursday night that winning a conference championship isn't a pipe dream. They are contenders in that league with Boise State, Fresno State and others.

The 111th meeting between the Utes and Aggies entertained us. It featured memorable plays and performances by players we are sure to hear from throughout the season. It left us wondering when the next meeting between these two rivals will take place again and wishing it took place every season.

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