For what it's worth, I'm slowly changing my sentiment too regarding the "need" to play BYU every year. Sill, here are a few counters to your post...
By: FountainofUte, Tuesday 14 February 2012

For what it's worth, I'm slowly changing my sentiment too regarding the "need" to play BYU every year. Sill, here are a few counters to your post...

Posted By: FountainofUte
Date: 2012-02-14 10:45:10

Regarding exposure, honestly, that depends who we play. I'm not sure playing Indiana or Purdue gets significant exposure or helps us with recruiting more than playing BYU. We recruit Utah WAY more than the midwest. And for that matter, BYU is considered nationally a better win most years than against the likes of those teams. A win against Northwestern is one of those "more to lose than gain" wins, aside from the exposure to the Chicago market -- which I agree is legit exposure, though I'm not sure what good it does us.

Plus, the game with BYU is cheap. The "travel" is miniscule. I don't know how all the finances work, that is, if we have to compensate a B1G team that plays here, but I'm sure we still have to pay the cost to fly our team, band, etc. up to B1G country when we head out there, and that ain't cheap.

I also want us to play in the Rose Bowl. But we're talking about ONE GAME here. ONE GAME to give a nod to our history and to the community. Why sell ourselves out for the PAC? Where is the notion of Utah trying to remain Utah; and to me, in part, that means mixing it up with the Cougars on a regular basis in all sports.

As much as ESPN is trying to ruin college football, to me, college football is STILL about regional rivalries.

As for injuries, as I said in a response below: it's football; they happen. We lost Wynn against Washington. JWIV went down against Colorado. We knocked out Halladay(sp?) when we played Wazzu. It happens.

As for the Holy War being too amped up, last year was as blah a rivalry I can remember since the days that BYU beating us down was a foregone conclusion before kickoff. I think the rivalry has already cooled sufficiently. Now, I want to make sure it doesn't get snuffed out completely. That would be a loss to Utah -- both the school and the state.

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