The college football world is about to get a taste of something it rarely sees: No. 3 Utah hosting No. 9 BYU on ABC at 10 a.m. Saturday, the first top-10 clash in the century-old rivalry’s history. Seriously, get ready, because what was once a regional secret, a grudge match simmering in the Beehive State, is now must-see TV nationally. Millions are expected to tune in, and frankly, it feels like this moment has been building for years.
The “Beck to Harline” Game Was Just a Preview, Regionally
Think back. Twenty years ago this month, one of the most memorable games in this rivalry went down. BYU fans will remember it, no doubt. The Cougars, led by quarterback John Beck, got out to an early 14-0 lead. Then, they fell behind 31-27 late in the fourth quarter at Rice-Eccles Stadium. But with no time left on the clock, Beck launched a touchdown pass to Jonny Harline, sealing a wild 33-31 win. Bronco Mendenhall’s Cougars absolutely erupted onto the field, while the pro-Utah crowd sat in stunned silence. It was just called “Beck to Harline.” And get this, BYU didn’t even attempt an extra point, making that 33-31 final score somehow perfect, especially since Utah had previously beaten BYU twice in the 1990s by 34-31. Those games even spawned TV commercials with coaches LaVell Edwards and Ron McBride, adding to the whole legend. But for all that drama? That 2006 classic wasn’t even national TV! It was broadcast regionally on CSTV and The Mtn. , and we don’t even know the ratings because The Mtn. didn’t subscribe to Nielsen tracking. Wild, right?
The Rivalry Goes National
So, how did we get from regional cable to ABC and a top-10 showdown? The rivalry started grabbing more national eyeballs when Utah jumped to the Pac-12 in 2011. Then, BYU went independent and inked a deal to get its home games on ESPN. That’s when things started to shift. But honestly, Saturday’s matchup might be unmatched in terms of pure national attention. Yeah, there are six other ranked vs. ranked games this Saturday, but something about No. 3 Utah hosting No. 9 BYU on a national network just feels like a game-changer for this rivalry. As Greg Wrubell, the “Voice of the Cougars” on the BYU Sports Radio Network, puts it, the national appeal really kicks in when either or both teams are ranked or even in the College Football Playoff conversation. He’s called every rivalry game since ’92, and he knows this thing is different now. BYU-Utah has always been compelling locally, but with both teams now “nationally relevant power-conference members,” as Wrubell says, the stakes are through the roof.
We’ve seen BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier juking over Utah defensive tackle Pupu Sepulona and cornerback Elijah Davis for a rushing touchdown before. We’ve seen John Beck scrambling as Eric Weddle closes in. This rivalry always delivers. But this Saturday? This is the one everyone is gonna be talking about. Get your popcorn ready.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply