Tomorrow, we have the most important game of the entire year, THE HOLY WAR. For you Utahns, you know what I am talking about. Those of you who aren’t from Utah, this is the equivalent of the Super Bowl for us. University of Utah and Brigham Young University are only about 45 miles apart, making these two college team fan bases one of the closest ones.
I am a little biased… well, I am. I grew up a Utes fan, my family has had season tickets as long as I can remember, and every fall we would take the train down to the game while the Utah Utes theme song “Utah Man Am I” played and everyone sang. There was always the one most important game, though, the one versus BYU.
It got me thinking why is this rivalry so big? How did it start? Then I also started wondering how this rivalry has affected Utah’s culture. Well, with how it started, the two universities say two different things. The Utes say the rivalry started in 1896, but BYU says it didn’t start till 1922. As a Utes fan, I love to say the all-time series record is currently 62 wins for Utah to 37 wins for BYU, and 4 ties.
With the schools so close in proximity, I believe this rivalry has become a huge part of Utah’s culture. Some fans take work off, there is a huge party to go to, and everyone is talking about it. My favorite part was watching my dad brag at church the day after the game. He would wear a Utes tie and cufflinks that he loved to show off after a Utes win. My boss at work is a BYU fan, and we both play pranks on each other before the game; this year I geared out his car in Utes decorations. I think the most important part about it is connecting with your neighbors and family.
The 2026 Holy War is about to happen on November 7. It is set to be a crazy game, as this is the first time that not one, but BOTH teams are ranked in the top 10 of the College Football Playoff rankings. Utah comes in undefeated with a perfect record so far, 8-0 and ranked #3 in the country. BYU is rated #9 in the country with a record of 7-1, having one loss.
This is a very important game for Utes fans this year, they have lost the past 3 games played against BYU after a long streak of them losing to the Utes for 9 games. Utah fans want a comeback and want to prove themselves. Especially being undefeated this far in the season, it would be an amazing win for Utes fans, including me. The most important part is the way it brings us together. GO UTES!
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