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The BYU-Utah rivalry took on added importance after the Big 12 meeting

By JOHN COON Associated Press

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah’s move from the Pac-12 to the Big 12 brought a reunion with BYU after 13 years apart. It also reinvigorated one of the nation’s fiercest rivalries, one that spans many sports.

The Big 12 quickly designated the Holy War as one of four protected football rivalries in the league. BYU and Utah are guaranteed to meet annually as long as both schools remain members of the Big 12 — starting Saturday, when the No. 1 Cougars 9 visit the Utes at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Protecting this rivalry extends beyond football to sports like basketball and volleyball, where the Utes and Cougars meet twice during the regular season.

Players and coaches on both sides of the rivalry are excited that these games once again carry more weight than just bragging rights.

“It’s a fun game to be a part of and I’m glad it’s back and I want our guys to enjoy every second of it,” BYU coach Kalani Sitake said.

Religion fuels a certain animosity that prevails between Utah and BYU. A church versus state component characterizes the rivalry, as BYU is owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Utah is a public university.

Success within each program is a more important factor. Both Utah and BYU have a history of winning conference championships at the other school’s expense in their previous history as conference foes. Blowout wins over the Cougars highlighted both BCS blowout runs for the Utes. BYU’s climb to a No. 1 and an eventual national football championship in 1984 came after defeating Utah in Salt Lake City.

During his junior season at Utah in 2001, Chris Burgess helped the Utes win a share of the Mountain West Conference men’s basketball title. But BYU also claimed a share of the title after securing its first regular-season win over Utah in six years.

“You try not to make the game bigger than it is, but it was just tough,” said Burgess, who also coached at Utah and is now in his second stint as an assistant coach at BYU. “You know everybody on that side and you’re close to the guys on that side and you want to win.”

For the players and coaches who grew up in Utah, having these games included in the conference championships again feels like a time when the rivalry has returned to its roots.

“That rivalry from the moment I came into this world was just ingrained in me,” Utah women’s basketball senior guard Kennady McQueen said. “I would just say it’s a huge part of the state of Utah. There is extra juice for each team. Everything is a little extra for that game.”

One unique aspect of the Utah-BYU rivalry is how interconnected the coaches are across multiple sports. It helped create an atmosphere of mutual respect.

Kyle Whittingham was an all-WAC linebacker for BYU under LaVell Edwards before going to coach at Utah. Many of Whittingham’s former assistants are now at BYU. Sitake, offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick and defensive coordinator Jay Hill coached under Whittingham at Utah earlier in their careers. Hill also played under Whittingham.

Sitake considers Whittingham a mentor and close friend and credits his time in Utah with helping him become the head coach at BYU.

“I have a lot of love for that program and a lot of love for the people there,” Sitake said.

Burgess echoed Sitake’s sentiments, saying his coaching stints as an assistant at BYU and Utah gave him a chance to create lasting friendships at both schools and see the rivalry through different eyes.

“Being on both sides has only intensified my love and respect for this rivalry,” Burgess said. “I can really appreciate what it means to both of our fan bases.”

Conference realignment threw a wrench in the Utah-BYU rivalry after the Utes left the Mountain West Conference to join the Pac-12 in 2011.

Utah dropped BYU from its football schedule twice in the past decade to make way for home-and-home series with Michigan and Florida. And the game moved from its normal late November slot in September to the insistence of the Pac-12.

Even when they were separated by conference boundaries, the importance of gaining the upper hand never diminished for either school.

“Going through the program, seeing how everybody took the game and how serious it really is here with the fans and everybody,” Utah running back Micah Bernard said, “you get immersed in it and I was immersed in it. .”

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The Associated Press contributed to this article