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Know the Foe: Utah Utes

Soon, the Cougars and Utes will matchup for the first time since 2021.

Known as the Holy War, it is historically one of the best rivalries in all of college football. The Utes lead the series all-time 59-32-4.

Photo by Rick Egan Salt Lake Tribune

Saturday night's game will played in Salt Lake City at Rice Eccles Stadium, which holds upwards of 51,000.

The last two games of the rivalry were both played in Provo so this will be the Cougars first trip up north since 2018.

Photo by Rick Bowmer AP Photo

Just in the past ten years, the Utes have dominated the rivalry, 5-1.

Both coaches have noted the crossover between the two staffs in their respective press conferences this week. It's a long list, but it's headlined by the fact that head coach Kyle Whittingham, his two brothers, and their father, actually played at BYU.

Their father, Fred, went on to coach at BYU from 1973-1981 and at Utah from 1992-1994 and 1998-2000.

On the other side of the rivalry, head coach Kalani Sitake played at BYU in the late '90s, finishing his playing career in 2000, but then went on to coach under Whittingham at Utah from 2005-2014.

Photo by Scott Sommerdorf Salt Lake Tribune

Sitake and Whittingham have remained great friends through the years despite the rivalry.

"He's a great mentor, great friend, and great competitor. He is a football guy. He's tough and holds his guys accountable. I'm honored to be his friend," Sitake said.

Photo by Scott G Winterton Deseret News

In terms of on the field, the Utes' offense has struggled since the loss of quarterback Cam Rising to injury. They were forced to turn to true freshman Isaac Wilson, the younger brother of former BYU quarterback Zach Wilson, who graduated high school less than a year ago.

Photo by Chris Gardner Getty Images

Two weeks ago against Houston, they gave Brandon Rose a shot at quarterback halfway through the game. He finished with a 46% completion rate, 45 yards and one interception.

It remains to be seen who will get the start on Saturday night, but the Utes are in desperate need of a spark on offense especially after the resignation of offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig following the Houston game.

Ludwig's replacement is quarterbacks coach Mike Bajakian, who came to Utah this March from Northwestern. Bajakian has also spent time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a quarterbacks coach.

Photo by AP Photo

Utah's defense has remained stout, currently ranked 15th in the country. The Utes are led by linebacker Lander Barton and safety Tao Johnson. The Cougars will also have their hands full with defensive end Van Fillinger, who leads the team in sacks with five on the year.

The matchup to watch will certainly be BYU's offense vs. Utah's defense.

For most of the players on both teams, this will mark their first rivalry game. It will be interesting to see how they handle the emotion, passion and weight of the game.

It is not, however, Micah Bernard's first go-around with the Holy War. He was the Utes leading rusher in the 2021 game. The Utes were unable to convert on fourth down with two minutes remaining and the Cougars went on to win.

Photo by Shafkat Anowar Deseret News

This season, Bernard has essentially carried the offense on his back with all of the issues at quarterback. He has run for over 750 yards this season.

Oklahoma State's Ollie Gordon II gave the Cougars problems several weeks ago, so let's see if Jay Hill's defense can contain the dangerous runner, Bernard.

In the last decade, the average margin of victory in the Holy War is eight points. BYU is currently favored to win by three. BYU looks to continue its undefeated season while Utah is fighting for bowl eligibility with a 4-4 record.

Saturday night's game will kickoff at 8:15 p.m. and can be watched on ESPN.