By Dave Whitley
whiteley@newsroom.byu.edu
Turkey, cranberry sauce and the Dallas Cowboys.
For some, that's the traditional Thanksgiving agenda.
And usually, the day after Thanksgiving is reserved for shopping - but not this year.
While people are out scarfing down the deals, Cougar fans can stay at home with leftover turkey sandwiches and enjoy the annual BYU versus Utah football game.
No, not two days after, but the day after - Friday.
Due to scheduling complications with national television, the rivalry, which customarily happens the Saturday before Thanksgiving, has been moved to 4 pm, Friday, Nov. 24.
The Mountain West Conference has a television contract with ABC that allows the network to choose the games it wishes to broadcast.
If ABC declines the option to carry the game, then ESPN, or one of its regional services, can televise the game. If they pass, SportsWest is allowed to broadcast the game on KSL.
So how will this affect the attendance of the game?
'Because it will be LaVell Edwards' last game, the game could be at 6 am on Thanksgiving Day and I think it would still sell out,' said Jeff Reynolds, BYU director of football media relations.
Besides being the blue-and-red rivalry, the final game of Coach Edwards' regular season game brings pressure to Quarterback U.
Because the game is played in Salt Lake City this year, BYU was given almost 1,500 tickets to sell and they sold out easily.
The University of Utah sells the rest of their tickets beginning Sept. 9. The U does not expect any problems in selling their tickets.
'The Utah-BYU game always sells out,' said Dave Copier, director of athletic ticket sales.
'The rivalry will sell it,' Copier said. 'It doesn't need to be Edwards' game.'
Copier said that the recent announcement of retirement will not cause an increase in ticket prices.
Though many BYU students will leave Provo for the holidays, the national coverage of the game will give them a chance to follow the Cougs.
'I'll be watching,' said Brett Brown, a senior majoring in zoology from Madera, Calif.
'I think a lot of the alumni will be watching too, since it is Edwards' last game,' Brown said. 'But I think a lot of the newer students lack the loyalty to (Edwards).'
But in traveling to Salt Lake, history is on the Cougars' side.
Since 1980, the Cougars have lost just two game to the Utes when playing at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
'I'm glad we're playing up there,' Brown said. 'In my time here, we've lost every home game and won all our games up there.'
When November gets here, you can bet the eyes of Utah BYU fans everywhere will be watching Edwards' last stand on the land of the Utes.