After an extended hiatus, BYU men’s basketball and Utah State are officially bringing back one of Utah’s longtime college basketball rivalries.
The schools announced a new two-game series that will begin during the 2026-27 season.
The first matchup is scheduled for Dec. 9, 2026, at the Marriott Center in Provo. The second game will be played during the 2027-28 season at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City.
The rivalry between BYU Cougars and Utah State Aggies has been played for more than 100 years and is one of the most-played series in Utah college basketball history.
The two programs have faced each other 238 times overall. BYU leads the all-time series 146-92. BYU’s 146 wins over Utah State are also the most wins the Cougars have against any opponent in program history.
Recently, BYU has controlled the rivalry. The Cougars have won the last 10 meetings against the Aggies. The most recent game between the schools came on Dec. 8, 2021, when BYU defeated Utah State 82-71 at the Marriott Center.
The last Utah State victory in the rivalry came in 2011, in Logan.
Even though BYU has had recent success, the rivalry has gone through different stretches over the years. Utah State won nine straight games against BYU from 1981 to 1985. A few years later, BYU answered with a 15-game winning streak from 1986 to 1993.
The matchup has often been one of the bigger non-conference games for both schools because of the in-state connection and strong fan support on both sides. Games in Provo and Logan have regularly featured sold-out crowds and intense atmospheres.
The series returning now is also important because both programs are in strong positions nationally. BYU has continued to grow since joining the Big 12, while Utah State has remained one of the top programs in the Mountain West and is preparing to join the Pac-12 in the future.
The second game being played at the Delta Center should also create extra excitement because it gives both fan bases a chance to meet in a larger venue in Salt Lake City.
For BYU, the series adds another strong opponent to its nonconference schedule. For Utah State, it gives the Aggies another opportunity to end BYU’s current winning streak in the rivalry.
More importantly, the announcement brings back a rivalry that has been a major part of Utah college basketball history for decades.