Utah and UCLA aren’t done with each other just yet

UCLA is leaving the Pac-12 for the Big Ten next season, but the Red Rocks’ and Bruins’ rivalry is not going to end

Published: Feb 3, 2023, 11:01 p.m. MST

Utah’s Grace McCallum is congratulated by vault coach Jimmy Pratt as No. 4 Utah takes on No. 5 UCLA in Salt Lake City on Feb. 3, 2023. — Utah’s Grace McCallum is congratulated by vault coach Jimmy Pratt as No. 4 Utah takes on No. 5 UCLA at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 3, 2023. Laura Seitz, Deseret News

Trent Wood is a sports writer for the Deseret News.

Utah and UCLA has become one of, if not the greatest rivalries in women’s college gymnastics over the years.

Especially after the Utes joined the Pac-12 Conference.

Since 2012, Utah and UCLA have combined to win 10 of 11 available conference titles and the odds are good that one of the two teams will win the Pac-12 this season as well (Cal has a legitimate argument too).

During their time as conference rivals, the Red Rocks and Bruins have become must-see TV, as evidenced by Friday night’s meet being broadcast on ESPN2.

With UCLA leaving the Pac-12 next season for the Big Ten, Friday night’s clash between Utah and UCLA was the final regular season conference meet between the schools.

Utah showed its national title-winning potential against UCLA

Conference championships still await, as do potential matchups during the postseason, but Utah and UCLA meets were in danger of being killed off due to conference realignment.

Were being the key word.

Following Utah’s victory over UCLA — in which the Red Rocks scored a season-high 198.200 — Utah head coach Tom Farden made it clear that Utah will continue to schedule UCLA in the future.

“We are set,” Farden said, matter-of-factly. “Absolutely. For us, this rivalry is one of the greatest rivalries in college gymnastics.”

Utah's Makenna Smith competes on the beam as No. 4 Utah takes on No. 5 UCLA at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 3, 2023. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News

Utah's Maile O'Keefe competes on the beam as No. 4 Utah takes on No. 5 UCLA at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 3, 2023. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News

Utah's Crystal Isa performs on the bars as No. 4 Utah takes on No. 5 UCLA at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 3, 2023. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News

Utah's Jaedyn Rucker competes on the vault as No. 4 Utah takes on No. 5 UCLA at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 3, 2023. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News

Utah's Jillian Hoffman reacts after competing on the vault as No. 4 Utah takes on No. 5 UCLA at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 3, 2023. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News

Utah's Abby Brenner performs her floor routine as No. 4 Utah takes on No. 5 UCLA at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 3, 2023. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News

Utah’s Crystal Isa competes on the beam as No. 4 Utah takes on No. 5 UCLA at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 3, 2023. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News

Utah's Maile O'Keefe celebrates after competing on the beam as No. 4 Utah takes on No. 5 UCLA at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 3, 2023. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News

Utah's Jaylene Gilstrap performs her floor routine as No. 4 Utah takes on No. 5 UCLA at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 3, 2023. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News

Utah’s Jaedyn Rucker performs her floor routine as No. 4 Utah takes on No. 5 UCLA at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 3, 2023. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News

Utah's Kara Eaker competes on the beam as No. 4 Utah takes on No. 5 UCLA at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 3, 2023. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News

Utah’s dance team performs as No. 4 Utah takes on No. 5 UCLA at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 3, 2023. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News

Utah's Abby Paulson competes on the beam as No. 4 Utah takes on No. 5 UCLA at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 3, 2023. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News

Utah's Makenna Smith finishes her beam routine as No. 4 Utah takes on No. 5 UCLA at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 3, 2023. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News

Utah's Amelie Morgan competes on the beam as No. 4 Utah takes on No. 5 UCLA at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 3, 2023. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News

Utah’s gymnastics coach Tom Farden gets the crowd excited as No. 4 Utah takes on No. 5 UCLA at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 3, 2023. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News

Utah's Maile O'Keefe performs her floor routine as No. 4 Utah takes on No. 5 UCLA at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 3, 2023. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News

Utah's Grace McCallum is congratulated by vault coach Jimmy Pratt as No. 4 Utah takes on No. 5 UCLA at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 3, 2023. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News

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Farden, who is in charge of Utah’s scheduling, went on to assure that UCLA is on board with continued meetings between the programs. The Red Rocks and Bruins will continue to compete head-to-head against each other going forward.

Which is in line with how Farden approaches scheduling.

Utah has had no shortage of high profile opponents in recent years, this year hosting LSU and then traveling to Oklahoma. UCLA will fall under the same umbrella going forward, with other high profile opponents being probable too.

“It appears sometimes that I’m trying to eat an elephant with a chopstick,” Farden said. “We opened with LSU this year and wait until you see who we open with next year.”

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