Rivalry Week 2003

Only one team in this week's rivalry game has a record it can be proud of. But between 1991-99, the Utes and Cougars began a stretch in which both teams entered rivalry week with non-losing records. During those years, only the 1997 Utes, with a record of 5-5, did not face the Cougars with a winning mark. Utah still won that game, 20-14, to finish with a winning record. In 1996, when the two teams faced off for the WAC's Mountain Division title, Utah (8-2) and BYU (11-1) had 19 wins between the two schools. In 2000 and 2002, both teams entered rivalry week with losing records.

1999: Utah 20, BYU 17: On Saturday, the Utes will play BYU for an outright conference championship. Five seasons ago, the 8-2 Cougars were facing the same scenario with a home game against Utah. A win would have meant an outright championship in the first season of MWC play. But the 7-3 Utes also had some motivation. A win in Provo by Utah would create a three-way tie for the MWC title. Utah upset BYU, winning for the fourth straight time in Provo and earning a share of the conference championship. Utah's defense dominated in the first half, and two Cletus Truhe field goals gave the Utes a 6-3 halftime lead. The teams both hit big plays in the third quarter. BYU took a 10-3 lead on a 77-yard pass from Kevin Feterik to Margin Hooks, but Utah countered with a 70-yard touchdown pass from T.D. Croshaw to Cliff Russell. Utah built a 20-10 lead in the fourth quarter when Croshaw threw a 4-yard touchdown to Donny Utu. BYU rallied with a late touchdown pass to Ben Horton with more than a minute to play, but after the Cougars forced a punt, Andre Dyson sealed the win by intercepting Feterik at the Utah 42-yard line.

"Rivalries and pageantry are why I'm involved in college athletics."

— Utah coach Urban Meyer

Numbers to watch

0 — Number of touchdowns scored by the Cougars last season in a 13-6 loss to Utah. The Utes are the last team to hold BYU without a touchdown.

7 — The number of wins Utah sophomore quarterback Alex Smith has as a starter. Smith took over for the injured Brett Elliott after the Texas A&M loss, and Utah has only lost once since then, at home to New Mexico.

355 — The number of yards Smith has rushed for this season. He has five rushing touchdowns.

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