It’ll be very difficult. What do we want to get accomplished? We want to play well in the league. Everybody wants to do that. That’s the single most important thing. But also there’s these long-standing rivalries and sometimes you can’t balance them. You have to do what’s best for you to be successful. – Utah AD Chris Hill

SALT LAKE CITY — Although time will tell, Friday’s game between Utah and Utah State at Rice-Eccles Stadium could be the last one for a while in the nation’s 14th most-played rivalry.

No future meetings have been announced in a series that has been played 111 times and dates back to 1892. Historically speaking, the Utes and Aggies have met the exact same number of times as Ohio State-Michigan and Mississippi-Mississippi State.

The “Battle of the Brothers,” though, is a non-conference affair and faces an uncertain future.

Utah athletics director Chris Hill acknowledged such as he explained the challenges of having nine Pac-12 games each year and two in-state rivals in BYU and Utah State.

“I haven’t figured out what the answer is to not make our schedule so difficult and at the same time balance it,” Hill said. “I think traditions are really, really important. I also think the University of Utah has to put itself in the best position it can to be successful.”

Playing the Aggies and Cougars each year doesn’t really fit into Utah’s “A-B-C” scheduling model. Hill considers both to be “A” games because of the variables involved. He questions the benefits of having his program play two such emotional contests before Pac-12 play.

“It’ll be very difficult,” said Hill, who wants to put the coach and team in position for conference success. “What do we want to get accomplished? We want to play well in the league. Everybody wants to do that. That’s the single most important thing.

“But also there’s these long-standing rivalries and sometimes you can’t balance them,” he added. “You have to do what’s best for you to be successful.”

Hill, though, understands that it’s important for Utah to take a good look at things.

“It gets somewhat complicated because we’re the only school in the country that has nine league games and two longstanding in-state rivals,” Hill said.

After a two-year hiatus, Utah plans to play BYU for up to seven consecutive years. Although Hill and former USU athletic director Scott Barnes talked about the future of Utah-USU games, no agreement was ever reached. Hill also anticipates having discussions with new Aggies athletic director John Hartwell.

“With Utah State it’s just hard. People’s expectation of what we should take on is ‘We want all the good with the old and all the good with the new’ and sometimes you can’t do that,” Hill said.

There are several variables in play. Besides its future plans with BYU, Utah would eventually like to have seven home games each year for the revenue and benefits to the team.

In addition, Hill noted that Logan is a very tough place to play — especially when mixing in the rivalry.

“The flip side of that is Utah State is a very, very, very difficult game any place,” Hill said. “It’s an emotional game.”

Balancing it all out isn’t easy. Hill said that whenever the Aggies are on the schedule it’s one of Utah’s most difficult non-conference games.

“Utah State’s an ‘A’ when they play us. There’s no question,” he continued. “They’re an ‘A’ game because they’re good. They’re good, and it’s a rivalry, and they have a lot to gain from beating us.”

As for future meetings between Utah and USU, Hill didn’t rule anything out — even if the Utes’ non-conference slate is filled through the 2019 season. That would be the longest interruption of the series since 1892-1900.

Hill indicated that some future opponents on Utah’s schedule could end up pursuing revenue games elsewhere and not necessarily complete home-and-home agreements. Besides BYU, the Utes have deals with San Jose State and Northern Illinois. A home-and-home agreement with Fresno State expires this season and a contract with Baylor for 2023 and 2024 is in place.

“It’s a pretty flexible world out there — a lot different than it was 15-20 years ago (when) you schedule eight years out and that was it,” Hill said.

The 112th meeting between Utah and Utah State pits two teams coming off of narrow season-opening wins. The Utes topped Michigan 24-17 and the Aggies edged Southern Utah 12-9.

*****

Battle of the brothers

Utah State (1-0) at Utah (1-0)

Rice-Eccles Stadium

Friday, 7 p.m.

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