FAST FACTS
The last time a Utah team with a winning record faced a Cougar team with a losing record was in 1973, LaVell Edwards' second year as head coach at BYU. The Utes, in the final year under head coach Bill Meek (1968-73), were 7-3 and coming off a 31-28 win over Utah State in Salt Lake City. BYU was 3-6 with wins over Oregon State, New Mexico and Weber State. Played Nov. 24 in Salt Lake, the Cougars won, 46-22.
FLASHBACK
1993: Utah 34, BYU 31: Having lost 13 of the previous 14 games in this rivalry, Utah began a run of unprecedented success against BYU in the LaVell Edwards era. And the Utes did it on the foot of an inconsistent kicker. Led by QB Mike McCoy's 434 passing yards, the Utes produced 629 yards of total offense against the Cougar defense and found themselves with a chance to win in Provo for the first time since 1971. With the score tied 31-31, Chris Yergensen, who the previous year had missed a chip shot late in a three-point Copper Bowl loss to Washington State, came on to try a 55-yard field goal. Despite missing from 35 and 37 yards earlier that day, Yergensen's kick was good. It started a three-game win streak over the Cougars; Utah is 6-4 against BYU since 1993.
QUOTABLE
"It's huge. We haven't won a conference championship in 46 years. I think it's that much sweeter that we have to do it down there at BYU."
— Utah quarterback Alex Smith
NUMBERS TO WATCH
58 — The number of points by which Utah has outscored its opponents in the fourth quarter this year (106-48).
5 — The number of times Utah has had six conference wins in its 94 years of conference affiliation.
4 — The number of consecutive games BYU has lost at home, the most since 1968. BYU is 1-4 this season at LaVell Edwards Stadium.