Students weigh in on rivalry, BYU-U. predictions

SALT LAKE CITY—Ahead of Saturday's highly-anticipated, Top 10 matchup between bitter rivals No. 3 Utah and No. 9 BYU at Rice-Eccles Stadium, students on both campuses were already amped for the game and its massive College Football Playoff implications.

At Utah, student Mathias Turner was very aware of what was at stake, including bragging rights.

"Can't stand those guys, you know," Turner told KSL. "We've got to prove a point tomorrow — not in it about the win streak, but just, you know, the game in general. We've got to show them who's boss."

Meanwhile, it appeared no love was lost at BYU.

"I feel like Utah is just more toxic than Provo," said student Bridger Duncan. "We know what's going on—we're better in football. We're better at everything, if I'm being completely honest."

Despite expected hostilities, though, both teams' fans expressed a mutual respect for what BYU and Utah will bring to the field.

"We're both in the Top 10 — I can't remember any game that was a bigger matchup," said BYU student Harrison Reading.

Utah student Jed Smith offered a similar perspective.

"Right now, we're both in it," he said. "We're both contenders. We're both hungry, so I think that's great for the rivalry."

BYU students James Williams and Will Linton said they liked the dynamic between Cougars coach Kalani Sitake and Utes coach Morgan Scalley.

"I agree with the coaches both talking about making it less bitter," Linton said. "I think that's a great step forward that we probably need to take."

Both sides agreed that the rivalry game was a highlight of the season.

"I just love the rivalry aspect because this year and every year the football team is able to really say to the other, which one is better this year," BYU student Chase Winger said.

Utah student Ben Hansen said he had gone to Utes' football games for his entire life and he loved it.

"I think it's a defensive battle, but I think we get out ahead early and keep the lead the whole game," Hansen said.

Score predictions from most students were predictably supportive of their own teams, with many on both sides predicting a hard-fought battle with the winning score somewhere in the upper teens to mid-20s.

BYU students Grant Olsen and Bridger Duncan predicted Cougar victories to the tune of 21-14 and 27-21, respectively.

Smith, however, went to hyperbolic proportions in his score prediction for a Utes win.

"I'm hoping for a Cumberland College-Georgia Tech result — you know, 222-0 sounds about right to me, but I'm excited, really excited," Smith said, citing the infamous score from the Georgia Tech victory on Oct. 7, 1916. "222-0 — that's what we want to do."

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