Comments about ‘Brad Rock: The Rock Report: The rivalry on a scale from 1 to 10’

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Published: Thursday, Sept. 15 2011 7:11 p.m. MDT

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Salt Lake City, UT

Utah fans are downplaying the significance of the game because they know that all of their smack talk for the past year will be proven meaningless if they lose.

Chris B
Salt Lake City, UT

just another non-AQ practice

We're still on a good course to the Rose Bowl

byu's season is over since they lost. Time to start next year's "quest"

utah 31
byu 17

1-4 start.


Loss to Utah State


Who am I sir?
Cottonwood Heights, UT

Utah fans are downplaying the game because after this weekend we have a bye THEN we play 8 league games out of our remaining 9 (the other Big (L)east Pittsburgh) which are important. These games include home games against Arizona State, Washington, UCLA, Colorado, and Oregon State. Now that IS exciting and we will not downplay these games.

Las Vegas, NV

Talk passes time. At the end of the year, we will see what happens with the rivalry. Personally, I am pretty tired of it, and it is less interesting. BUT...

GO Cougars!!!!!!!

Classless Ute Fan
Magna, UT

The question that will be answered this weekend is, will the Utes remain at 6 wins over the last 10 years or will they improve to 7 of 10?

It is the rivalry game and it is important to win. However, it is not as important as the rest of our conference games. or the 10 remaining games on the schedule, I'd rank this game at 9th most important.

Utesville, CA

Megan from BYU said the Cougars "have something to prove, because they're independent."

Actually, BYU has something to prove because big-brother Utah is in AQ conference and BYU is still a independent mid-major.

It will be quite a game to watch.

Utah 17
BYU 14


"BYU will be going to the Armed Forces Bowl regardless."

Let's not get ahead of yourself, Brad. They still have 5, maybe 6 more games to win before we crown them Armed Forces Bowl participants.

Magna, UT

I don't like the rivalry game this early and to me it has every bit as much meaning regardless of the lack of conference affiliation and it should have been a top priority with DR. Hill.

I'm happy for Utah playing in a league much better than the Mountain West Conference, they absolutely deserve it and so does BYU. BYU's independence is the best they can get right now and maybe another invitation may come some day. Some ridicule BYU but only a hand full of programs in the country can do what BYU has done.

Utah fans should be unhappy the rivalry is not played at the end of year, no reason in the world why it should not be. It wouldn't interfere with U's chances at the Rose Bowl one bit.

Larry Scott has done a ton for the PAC12 but has left a total disaster in the wake of conference breakups and part of the disaster is the many rivalry breakups across the country. And for what? Money. Sad, sad day for ameteur athletics.

Ogden, UT

It is pretty sad that the rivalry has come to this. The build up, the hype, the's just not there anymore. Don't get me wrong, I still want to see BYU whoop the U all over the field (while deep down I hope it's a nail biter), but it just doesn't have the same feel to it, since there's nothing really on the line besides pride. Hopefully in the near future they can work it out so it's the last game of the year, that way either team can put a wrench in the other team's bowl plans.

IA Cougar
West Des Moines, IA

Congrats to Utah for being in the Pac 12...something BYU did not earn, apparently due to its religious affiliation. It certainly had nothing to do with its sports programs which have been dominant in the WAC and MWC. It is fun to see the Utah banter about how BYU has suddenly become less worthy of attention due to Utah being in the BCS money Utah worked hard for the invitation that fell in their lap last summer.

Facts are facts...the game should be close and the two teams are evenly matched. No one team is more "worthy" than the other. The majority of players are LDS at both schools. It's not a Holy War. It's a dadgum football game. Let's enjoy the game and skip the bad will.'s just a game!

Magna, UT

SoCAL, and or any others, let me let me ask you a few questions and I'd like your true answers.

When Utah was in the MWC did you despise the AQ leagues exclusionary attitudes?

Now that Utah is in a AQ league do you despise the non AQ leagues?

Are you more happy that Utah was invited to the PAC, or are you more happy that BYU was not and why?

Which is more important to U, the money or conference affiliation? (choose on only)

Would you rather BYU failed or succeeded at independence?

Do you love Utah or hate BUY more and why?

Mesa, AZ

It cracks me up that u think that being an AQ team is relevant.

there are at least 30 AQ teams that are not relevant, nor will they ever be relevant.

u have proved nothing yet. Not a thing. those two BCS wins that you re so high on happened four years ago, and the only thing you have done recently is lose to ND, TCU, BSU,USC, and struggled against Montana State.

u are all off talking about a rose bowl bid, but have only won one real game in the last what? 7 games?

Man I always hear that BYU fans are delusional, but take a look at what you are saying.

if the u was relevant they would be talked about in other ways besides... might have a chance because USC cannot play in the Rose bowl...

no one but u is walking around trumping your own horn saying that u are the front runner in your division. ASU is coming and u're not ready.

After Saturday u will be 1-2, and as irrelevant to the rest of the world as you claim BYU already is.

Voice of Reason
Layton, UT

Well it looks like (some) Utah fans are finally getting what they always wanted: a chance to feel superior, after all those decades of an inferiority complex on the gridiron. Oh how fast we fall go from fighting injustice to embracing it when we benefit from it, eh, BCS clubbers?

Never mind that the Pac-12 refused BYU out of hand because the Y actually stands for something morally. Yes, I know many at Utah do too - that was a slam at the far-left Berkeley types (not Utah) who "tolerantly" refuse to tolerate schools like BYU that more closely reflect America.

Regardless, I think overall most BYU and Utah fans are very civil and sportsmanlike and will remember that, while it is the BIG game, it's still just a game. I'll sure be watching Saturday evening wearing my blue "Quest" t-shirt.

Utesville, CA

1) When Utah was in the MWC did you despise the AQ leagues exclusionary attitudes?

Utah was a BCS-caliber team. Utah went to and won 2 BCS bowls

2) Now that Utah is in a AQ league do you despise the non AQ leagues?

Thou shalt love thy little brother(s)


I am happy Utah in AQ Pac-12 because it is a BCS-caliber team.
BYU is justifiabe in independent mid-major status.
Was very surprised that BYU decided quickly--as indicated by L.E. in a sporting news interview--to
leave MWC.

4) Which is more important to U, the money or conference affiliation? (choose on only)

Major conference affiliation is nice --but no one can deny the power of money in today's world of sports

5) Would you rather BYU failed/succeeded at independence?

It's irrelevant to me as BYU football is irrelevant

6) Do you love Utah or hate BUY more and why?

Utah is lovable. And BYU is not.

Mid-Major Cougars
San Diego, CA

Nothing wrong with being an independent mid-major.

Ragnar Danneskjold
Bountiful, UT


1. Yes
2. No, not at all
3. Utah to the Pac by far. I'm a little disappointed BYU wasn't able to come with.
4. Conference affiliation. As a fan, it isn't the tie to the Rose Bowl or money that I love, it is that I get to see better teams played on a weekly basis by my team.
5. Fail. Sorry, just being honest. Why are you acting like loving the Utes and hating the Cougars are mutually exclusive. It is the opposite.
6. Clearly love Utah more. But not liking BYU comes with the territory.

Re: Voice of Reason
Are you saying that BYU "more closely reflects America" than other universities? That is a new one. I disagree, but I know what you were implying. Isn't BYU supposed to be above the world, not a reflection of it? In the world, but not of it.

Papa Smurf UTE
Herriman, UT

They are right. This game is an early in the season, non conference game, that really does not mean a thing. To either team, especially now after they both lost last weekend. Byu already knows where they are going, as long as they reach 6 wins and become bowl eligible. They have 6 built in wins, and have already won one game, so that should be easy. Utah losing 1 game means no BCS title, and losing to the Y, which would be terrible, doesn't mean a thing. This is an early non conference game that is only being played for bragging rights most years. Hopefully the rivalry stays around and is just as vicious as it has been. I would love for Larry Scott to allow it to be played at the end of the season. It doesnt even have to be the last game. At least in November so we kind of know where both teams are, and if 1 team is undefeated, it would mean a lot more. Here's to a good clean game, that the UTES win 24-21 after Sorenson misses a 54 yard FG with time expiring tp tie the game. GO UTES!

Magna Ute Fan
Magna, UT


Utah was invited to the PAC!
The money I guess. What is really most important to me is not being on the outside looking in when the super conferences are formed. Not becoming truly irrelevant.
Would you rather BYU failed or succeeded at independence?
I don't want byu to fail. But I do hope to see Utah beat byu in recruiting local talent, which could cause byu to fail.
Do you love Utah or hate BUY more and why?
Love the Utes! Like the cougars. Dislike holier than thou, pickle juice drinking, radicle byu fans.

Mormon Ute
Kaysville, UT

C'mon Utes! This is our in State rival and one of the longest running rivalries in the country. Why should we let the conference affiliation (or lack thereof) or time of year or anything else tone down our enthusiasm. There are far more storied rivalries around the country that survive in full vigor regardless of anything else that is on the line. Florida/Florida State, South Carolina/Clemson, Notre Dame/USC. If we can't get up for our rival, we aren't really fans.


IA Cougar:
Playing the religion card is overused and a copout, unless you mean that BYU sacrifices things like scientific research that Pac schools are famous for in favor of religious and business studies and the like. Conference affiliation has two major components: sports programs (more specifically the cash-cow football) and academics. While BYU football has been good, it hasn't been great for nearly 20 years. And the academics does not fit the mold of the conference. Religious schools are not excluded from major conference affiliation. Texas CHRISTIAN University got into the Big East. I know many BYU folks do not openly accept TCU as a "religious" school on BYU's level, but it is very much a religious school.

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