DICKSON: There have been many memories, and they get discussed just about every year. There’s the Utah male cheerleader beating up on the BYU fan that jumped out of the stands to take down a Utes flag, there’s Lenny Gomes talking about the Utah players someday “pumping his gas,” there’s Max Hall stating his hatred for the Utes. There’s even last year’s Will Ferrin field goal in the final minute to win the thing. I remember running into Kyle Whittingham’s mother, Nancy, outside of LaVell Edwards Stadium when she used to dress in full Ute Indian regalia. I remember feeling a bit nervous waiting on the sideline at Rice-Eccles Stadium for the end of either the 2004 or 2008 game (I can’t remember) – the Ute student section near the BYU bench was starting to get pretty intense – and saying to BYU defensive back Kayle Buchanan, “You’ve got my back if something goes down over here, right?”

The journalist in me can never forget standing on the sideline at RES when John Beck hit Jonny Harline on the final play of the 2006 game, the “Answered Prayer.” I remember watching the play go down and thinking, “Really? THAT’s what I get to write about? THAT play?” I suppose as a journalist that’s what I want to most out of the rivalry game is something cool to write about. These games have been so close, I’ll probably have that chance.

GURNEY: I attended the BYU vs Utah game in 2006, and was made to sit in what I thought were terrible seats, until the very end. Yes, I was in the end zone, on row three, which happened to be almost directly behind Jonny Harline when he made that touchdown catch that will be tattooed in the memories of Cougar fans forever. But what I remember most is how nervous Utah fans were when their team drove the field for the go-ahead score with little time remaining. They had a great deal of respect for John Beck and the BYU offense, and for good reason. Sitting where I was granted me an awesome perspective of the entire play, and how it unfolded, and I’ll be indebted to both Tom Cella and Dan Sorensen, who were then the two publishers of Utezone.com, forever. I was writing for Total Blue Sports at the time and they were both good enough to invite me out to an experience I won’t soon forget.

Okay, here’s another one. I attended the 2000 game at Rice-Eccles, and while the Ute fans surrounding me during the 2006 game were great, those same fans weren’t around me in 2000. I was constantly yelled at and even had objects thrown at me throughout the game. Yes, I attended as a fan, and it was amazing to watch how that game unfolded. I couldn’t have been happier for LaVell Edwards in what was the last game he ever coached.

2 What is your least favorite thing about the BYU-Utah football rivalry?

GURNEY: I’m sort of weird in that I love the banter, even though a lot of it is juvenile, profane and relatively uninformed. I think it’s the best rivalry in all of college football and I wouldn’t change any of it. Sure, maybe the toxicity has gone too far, but generally the sheer animosity enhances the contest. It’s what college football is all about. It brings out strong passions, both good and bad and I fear that aspect leaving the game, and felt that a lot of it did during Utah’s dominance during BYU’s independence era. I guess my least favorite thing is that the game is being played this coming Saturday and not during the final week of the season. I hate that aspect.

DICKSON: I really don’t mind all of the back-and-forth between BYU and Utah fans, as long as it doesn’t cross the line of good taste. Unfortunately, neither side really seems to respect where that line is and with social media the line seems to keep moving. There’s nothing you can do to change the mind of the other guy, anyway. Right now, BYU is on the good side since the Cougars have won the past two meetings (2021 and 2024) and the Utes last win came in 2019. After Saturday, somebody is going to have bragging rights for another year and it starts all over again.

3 What do you make of Kyle Whittingham not answering questions from the media about the Cougars this week, instead focusing on his own team?

DICKSON: Whittingham knows exactly what he’s doing. He’s sending a message to his players that the BYU football program is beneath his notice. Understand that Whittingham is nearing the end of his coaching career and he certainly doesn’t want to go out having lost to the “Team Down South.” Sure, he wants his players to focus on their preparation and not be distracted by the noise, but to not entertain or answer questions about BYU during rivalry week seems a bit petulant. Maybe he’s just tired of reliving the whole thing every season. He’s been a coach in some capacity at Utah since 1994. You can hardly blame him for being grumpy about the rivalry.

GURNEY: I think it’s petty and even a bit petulant, but it isn’t about me, at all, or about anyone outside of Utah’s program. Kyle Whittingham is who he is and all he cares about is winning the game, as he should. He’s learned to coach to his strengths, and one of those strengths is internalizing a certain degree of animosity that he transfers to the players he coaches. And hey, who I am to argue with the success he’s forged in doing as much?

But still, I think it’s generally a bad look, and particularly when contrasted with BYU Coach Kalani Sitake, who seems to go overboard with his praise for Utah, which always leaves some BYU fans upset. Should BYU win again this season, maybe Whittingham will change his approach? I doubt it.

4 If BYU wins on Saturday, how did they do it? What about if Utah wins?

GURNEY: The one big advantage I see for BYU is its very experienced and successful defensive coaching staff going up against Jason Beck and a Utah offense that really hasn’t faced adversity yet this season. I mean, Texas Tech served up a lot of it and Utah didn’t respond well to any of it, at all. I think Beck is a good coach, but the fact is that he’s new to coaching this rivalry game and new to formulating a gameplan versus a BYU staff that has proven very successful.

Utah wins if it’s offensive line production proves as dominant as it has at times this season. Utah arguably fields the country’s best offensive line, and if BYU’s front can’t withstand it, and Devon Dampier is able to make chunk plays consistently, BYU is going to be in trouble. Turnovers is always a big thing, and Bear Bachmeier’s new tendency to turn the ball over during wins against West Virginia and Arizona is troubling. Bachmeier needs to prove composed and mistake-free. It’s a tall task, but I think he’s up for it.

DICKSON: If BYU wins it will be because the defense forced the Utes to throw more than they want to in this game. If the Utes win, it’s because they were able to run the ball effectively against the Cougar defense. Maybe there are other important factors, but I see this game as a battle between a very highly regarded offensive line for Utah and a defensive line for BYU that has been pretty good against the run. If the Cougars can force the Utes into a lot of 2nd or 3rd and longs, that bodes well for winning this game. If Utah is ripping of 6, 8, 10, 12-yard gains running the ball on first down, that could spell trouble for BYU. I think this will be a game where scoring points is going to be difficult for both sides.

5 What do you expect to see when the BYU men’s basketball team opens the season at Nebraska on Saturday with an exhibition game?

DICKSON: What’s interesting is that the two coaches (Kevin Young and Fred Hoiberg) have already discussed what sets they’ll be running and what they want to look at during this game. This exhibition game idea is new to college basketball, though I remember seeing the Cougars play Athletes in Action and other barnstorming sort of teams over the years. To open with another power conference team in this manner is a new deal and I think both sides are kind of feeling out the process. The game doesn’t count in the standings but they are keeping score, so some assumptions can be made with the result. We all know pro football and pro basketball exhibition games don’t mean much, but we’re still not sure what we’ll think about college basketball exhibitions until they get played.

GURNEY: I expect to be wowed by AJ Dybantsa. I’ve said it before, but I’ll reassert here my belief that even some of the biggest BYU fans may still be taking for granted just how talented this kid is. He brings an extraordinary upside and ability to the team that no prior player can come close to matching. Sure, there’s probably going to be some growing pains, but I expect Dybantsa to put a lot of his unique talents on full display versus the Cornhuskers.