BYU/Utah: Better Late Than Never

[The Big Game] OK. So The Game is history. Utah 48; BYU 24. Just feels good to rub it in.

Anyway, I discovered this parody video by my stepson, Joey Wilson, just today. Since Utah has busted the BCS again, for the second time since 2004-05, it still works even two days late.

(Holly Mullen)

Utes-Cougs: metaphor for Utah life

Seems everyone's gettin' in on Saturday's holy war.

First, we have Salt Lake Chamber's Lane Beattie and Provo/Orem Chamber's Steve Densley agreeing to fly the flag of the winning team for a full business day and in a prominent place if "their" team loses.

Then we have the Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker and Provo City Mayor Lewis K. Billings agreeing to a"fitness challenge," whereby the mayor of the losing team will bike approximately 50 miles to the winning team’s mayor's city hall to deliver a donation for Utah Food Bank.

Even though BYU and Utah have waged this war since 1896, the stakes have never been higher than they are for Nov. 22's game, starting at 4 p.m. at Rice-Eccles Stadium. The unbeaten eighth-ranked Utah team will learn if a BCS bowl is in their future and 16th-ranked BYU will learn if they have a chance to share the Mountain West title.

And someone will have to fly a flag they despise or pedal 50 miles.

What's your wager? (Jerre Wroble)

Brian the Quarterback

[Hardscrabble Utes] What a week. Barack Obama runs away with the presidential election on Tuesday, and the University of Utah Utes pull off a 13-10 squeaker against Texas Christian University last night at Rice-Eccles stadium.

It was a final two minutes of terror, watching the blue-collar built Utes pull this one from the brink. Unless you've been sleeping inside a haystack for the past several weeks, you know the TCU Horned Frogs have the second-best defensive squad in the country--and for much of the game their offensive strategy was nothing to sneeze at, either.

But the Utes have this energy down deep that has a way of bursting forth in the final minutes of play (remember two TDs in the last couple of minutes against powerhouse Oregon State). They did it again last night, with wonder-quarterback Brian Johnson nailing a pass straight to receiver Freddie Brown in the final 50 seconds of the game for the Utes' only touchdown and the win. This is a hardscrabble team, with simply no capacity for losing. Seriously. These guys are a lunch bucket-carrying group. They work for a living--like a whole squad of Joe the Plumbers, except with helmets and padding. In fact, had John McCain had Brian the QB on his side, he just might have pulled out a win. Johnson is just that good, just that calm in a storm and just that persistent on the drive downfield.

Ute fans are now this close to another BCS busting season. The team's #10 national ranking is sure to climb after this weekend and there's pure joy at the thought of beating the team down south.

Happy Days are here again. Anyone else out there want to crow and strut about this incredible team? Lemme hear it. (Holly Mullen)

Good Reason to Watch Ute Football

[Suiting Up] Members of the University of Utah football team modeled new uniforms today, provided by Under Armour Inc. in a five-year contract with the Utes.

Sounds like the new attire won't be hard on the eyes.

"They're tighter and lighter, so I can run faster," said safety Robert Johnson, who took a few turns on the runway for local sports reporters today.

No promise though, that the sleek "technologically advanced" uniforms (as Under Armour describes them) will help the Utes win their season opener against big, bad Michigan on Aug. 30.

(Holly Mullen)