BYU and Utah will once again divide the Beehive State into Red and Blue rivals this Saturday as Rice-Eccles Stadium will play host to the bitter contest.

The Holy War has never been hotter, as both teams have a lot riding on Saturday's contest.

The one-loss Cougars are looking to get a share of the Mountain West Conference title.

The 11-0 Utes are hearing BCS buzz with their No. 7 ranking (No. 8 in the AP poll).

As if these two schools needed more reason to hate each other.

"I don't have the adequate words to describe it," BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall said. "It is one of the greatest rivalries in college football, regardless of conference, regardless of area or region or time zone. This particular matchup has the quality of football, the emotions that go with it and the passion of fans that I think would rival any place in the country." ¬ 

Utah coach Kyle Whittingham put the responsibility for the rivalries intensity on the fans.

"It is far more vicious for the fans than the players and coaches," the former BYU player said. "I can tell you that for certain. The real hatred or animosity is generated by the fans."

The fans have been treated to some heart-stopping plays in the past three years. BYU has come out on top the last two years with some fourth-quarter heroics.

Mendenhall doesn't see that giving his Cougars an advantage on Saturday.

"Each year is different," Mendenhall said. "Games are won by the team that makes the plays when they are prepared to make them. Sometimes motivation can carry over from the year before, but I don't think psychologically there is an effect."

Both teams are strong offensively and all eyes will be on each team's signal caller.

The Utes' Brian Johnson has battled injuries in the past but has been healthy all year this go around. Johnson has completed 66 percent of his passes and has 20 touchdowns and over 2,000 yards through the air.

BYU's Max Hall has done his best to live up to high expectations this season. He has completed 71 percent of his passes for 3,424 yards and a MWC-record 34 touchdowns.

"Max is more of a pure thrower," Whittingham said. "Brian is willing to get out of the pocket and runs the option. It is almost apples and oranges in comparing the two."

Johnson and the Utes are coming off a 63-14 win over the 1-10 squad that is the San Diego State Aztecs.

BYU had a hard-fought, 38-24 victory over the 8-3 Air Force Falcons. The Cougars did not escape that contest without injury. Mendenhall was hopeful that Dennis Pitta, Ray Feinga and Shawn Doman will all be ready to play by game time.

• Goodbye Rocky: The Mountain West Conference was shocked by Rocky Long's announcement that he is stepping down as coach of the New Mexico Lobos.

As a former assistant to Long, Mendenhall had nothing but kind words for the man who spent 11 years at the head of the Lobo football program.

"Coach Long has shaped my philosophy more than any coach I've worked with or worked for," Mendenhall said. "I admire his courage and integrity to walk away, as he has done a phenomenal job and is ready for someone else to take over his program."

• Around the rest of the Mountain West: Colorado State and UNLV are both looking to become bowl eligible this weekend while TCU will try to stake a claim to the conference championship.

The Rams (5-6) will cross the border to play in Laramie in hopes reaching .500 and bowl eligibility.

Wyoming would like to spoil Colorado State's bowl dreams, but that will be tough for an inconsistent Cowboys squad.

"CSU isn't our problem," Wyoming coach Joe Glenn said. "We got to get our guys to play to their capacity."

The Rebels (5-6) will also be shopping for that sixth win on Saturday. But they will be taking on conference bottom-dwellar San Diego State.

UNLV ruined Wyoming's bowl plans, handing the Cowboys their seventh loss of the year, and the Rebels aren't planning on letting San Diego State do the same to them.

The Horned Frogs will welcome Air Force to Fort Worth, Texas, on Saturday.

TCU still has a shot at a share of the MWC championship. The Horned Frogs need a little help from BYU (the Cougars would need to beat Utah, forcing a three-way tie at the top), but they have to do their share, too. TCU can't let the Falcons fly under the radar.

"The (the Falcons) are 8-3 and haven't been out of any ball game this year," TCU coach Gary Patterson said.