Tyler Huntley hasn’t forgotten his introduction to the Utah-BYU rivalry. As an 18-year-old true freshman, Utah’s now-starting quarterback looked on from the sidelines last September as Rice-Eccles Stadium morphed into sheer delirium.
“It was loud,” Huntley said. “We caught a pick-6 first play of the game and [the fans] ain’t stop yelling after that. It was crazy.”
Now flip the script.
A year later, Utah takes the 40-minute bus ride south to Provo, where the Cougars are desperate to snap a six-game losing streak against their regional foes. And for Huntley and Utah’s new-look offense, the ear-piercing audible levels inside LaVell Edwards Stadium will not be in their favor.
The week that captivates the state unlike any other is here. Let the smack talk, subtle jabs and arguments over game-day predictions begin.
“It’s always in the back of our head,” senior defensive tackle Filipo Mokofisi said.
For the Utes, they’re out for a seventh-straight win. The streak they’re currently on is already the longest winning streak in the rivalry since BYU won nine straight from 1979 to 1987. The last time Utah topped BYU seven straight times was 1951 to 1957.
“We going to go down south,” Huntley said when asked about his first rivalry start, “we going to handle our business. That’s what we’re going to do.”
Chase Hansen understands Utah-BYU week better than most. The Utah junior strong safety is the son of a former BYU football player. His uncle and cousin also played for the Cougars. So after Utah’s 37-16 season-opening win over North Dakota, Hansen didn’t take the bait. Asked to look ahead, the former Lone Peak High star just smiled.
“It’s going to be fun,” he said. “They’re a good team.”
Hansen will once again line up against some former high school teammates Saturday evening in Provo. But he doesn’t plan on chatting up the likes of BYU wideout Talon Shumway and defensive back Micah Hannemann, who is suspended for the first half of the rivalry game after being ejected for targeting in the Cougars’ 27-0 loss to LSU Saturday.
“There’s no reason to,” Hansen said. “We’ve got a lot of respect for the Cougs, but I think we both know that it’s an intense rivalry and for whatever reason, the fans gets more intense. The atmosphere should be fun. We’ve got a lot of preparing and a lot work to do.”
Utah coach Kyle Whittingham echoed Hansen. The Utes were subpar in their ball security, struggled in pass protection (three sacks vs. North Dakota), and didn’t make enough impactful defensive plays for Whittingham’s liking. Every facet of the game is under the microscope come rivalry week, especially considering the recent history of these games.
The outlier of Utah’s 54-10 win in Provo in 2011 aside, the other five games during the Utes’ win streak have been decided by an average margin of victory of just over three points. New Utah wideout Darren Carrington II (10 receptions, 127 yards, one touchdown in his debut) is no stranger to emotional rivalries.
The former Oregon Duck spent the last three seasons participating in the annual “Civil War” against Oregon State. But Carrington has already been informed that Utah-BYU is on the same level.
“I’ve heard a lot about it,” he said. “I’ve heard it’s an intense rivalry and we’re definitely coming in there ready.”