BYU vs Utah State: 5 Things You Didn't Know About the Battle for the Old Wagon Wheel

Stakes are sky high for both BYU and Utah State when the two teams renew their rivalry on Friday. Both the Cougars (1-3) and the Aggies (2-2) are looking to bounce back from disappointing starts. This should make the annual Battle for the Old Wagon Wheel feel even more intense than usual.

BYU has had the upper hand in this rivalry series for a long time. The Cougars hold a 48-35-3 series lead and have won 31 of 36 games over USU dating back to 1974. Utah State has made it closer in recent seasons, however, with upset victories in 2010 and 2014.

The Battle for the Old Wagon Wheel is rich with dramatic finishes, memorable performances and fun history. Here's a few things you probably didn't know about one of the Beehive state's oldest football rivalries.

1. This is BYU's only trophy game

Out of all the rivalries BYU has established in nearly 100 years of football, only one features a traveling trophy. The Cougars and Utah State battle for possession of the Old Wagon Wheel. It is a replica wagon wheel similar to ones used on wagons that transported Mormon pioneers across the plains to Utah in the 19th Century.

The traveling trophy was first introduced in 1948. USU won possession of it the first year after claiming a 20-7 victory over BYU. Before the Cougars turned the tables in the mid 70s, the Aggies won 18 of the first 27 trophy games.

Utah State has an additional trophy game with Wyoming. The Aggies and the Cowboys battle annually for a rifle owned by Jim Bridger, a 19th Century fur trapper. That traveling trophy was introduced shortly after the two schools renewed their rivalry when USU joined the Mountain West Conference.

2. Utah State was BYU's first opponent

BYU marks 1922 as the official start of its football program. (The Cougars played a few games before the turn of the century when the school was still known as Brigham Young Academy). The first game of that season was against Utah State, then known as Utah Agricultural College.

Like most games in those early years, things did not go well for BYU. Utah State throttled the Cougars 42-3 in Provo. The Aggies won or tied the first seven games in the rivalry series before BYU finally broke through in 1929. That year, the Cougars edged Utah State 7-6 in Logan to ignite a four-game winning streak against the Aggies over the next four seasons.

3. Utah State is the only regular season opponent BYU played as a no. 1 ranked team

Shortly after beating Utah 24-14 in 1984, BYU climbed atop both major polls for the first time in school history. The Cougars headed into their regular season finale with Utah State as the nation's top-ranked team.

BYU made quick work of the Aggies, winning 38-13 to close out an undefeated regular season. The Cougars churned out 523 total yards on offense and forced USU to punt 13 times. Robbie Bosco threw for 338 yards and a touchdown to lead BYU.

4. BYU set multiple records in a loss to Utah State

Odds didn't appear to favor Utah State when BYU made the trek up to Logan on Halloween weekend in 1993. The Aggies were just 2-5 overall after enduring a five-game losing streak that included defeats to Utah, Baylor and Nevada by a combined 10 points. BYU had won 10 straight in the series up to that point, by an average margin of 29.2 points.

Utah State snapped the streak in memorable fashion, edging the Cougars in a 58-56 shootout. Aggies QB Anthony Calvillo threw for 472 yards and five touchdowns. BYU QB John Walsh was equally impressive in the game. Walsh threw for 619 yards and five touchdowns, although he did toss a pair of interceptions in the loss.

Walsh set a school-record for most passing yards in a single game which still stands. The Cougars also set an NCAA record at the time for most points scored by a losing team in a game.

5. BYU twice had 100-yard kickoff returns for touchdowns against Utah State

Only four BYU players in the modern era have returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown. Two of them pulled off that feat against Utah State.

Eric Mortensen did it first. He took it end zone to end zone against the Aggies in 1988. Mortensen's return came during the second quarter and put the Cougars on the board after USU took a 3-0 lead. BYU seized momentum and pulled away for a 38-3 win.

Tyler Anderson joined Mortensen in the 100-yard return club five years later. Anderson took it to the house against Utah State in 1993. His touchdown pulled BYU to within six after USU took a 27-14 lead early in the third quarter on a 40-yard pass Calvillo to Cotie McMahon. The Aggies eventually hung on to win 58-56.

Three Thoughts on Utah's win over Arizona

For the third straight season, Utah won its Pac-12 opener after claiming a 30-24 victory over Arizona on Friday night. Utah followed a standard blueprint for the program to get there. Defense and special teams ruled the day.

The Utes forced five turnovers – highlighted by a 14 yard interception return by Javelin Guidry. Matt Gay shined in the kicking game again, making all three of his field goal attempts to move to 14-of-14 on the season. Utah also blocked a pair of field goal attempts from Josh Pollack. 

Here are three observations from Utah's fourth victory of the season:

1. Losing Tyler Huntley could spell disaster for the offense

Seeing Utah's offense operate without Tyler Huntley ended up being an eye opener. It showed that Huntley winning the starting quarterback job in fall camp was no fluke.

Huntley went out with an apparent shoulder injury following a 7-yard sack midway through Utah's third scoring drive. Up to that point, Arizona had no answer for the sophomore. He totaled 98 yards and a touchdown on 8-of-9 passing through 1 ½ quarters. When the offensive line gave Huntley time, his mobility and decision making made Utah's offense vibrant and dynamic.

Once Troy Williams took over, the offense struggled to move the chains. Williams was decidedly less accurate with through the air, totaling 131 yards while completing 9-of-18 passes. The senior can hit the deep ball, but he lacks patience with reading defenses and goes for the lower percentage home run balls more often than he should.

Utah needs good news on Huntley's injury. A prolonged absence for the sophomore could force the Utes to grind out more Pac-12 wins through defense and special teams play.

2. The future is bright in the secondary

Teams are going to have a tough time beating Utah through the air this season. The Utes have a ton of young playmakers in the secondary who are only going to get better as the season progresses.

Outside of a few third down conversions, Brandon Dawkins could not get on track in the passing game. Dawkins totaled 248 yards and a touchdown on 24-of-42 passing. He also tossed three interceptions.

Guidry, Chase Hansen and Corrion Ballard each snared an interception from Dawkins. Casey Hughes turned in perhaps the best performance of the group. Hughes forced a pair of fumbles and also tipped the pass that Hansen ultimately brought down.

Only two seniors, Boobie Hobbs and Kenric Young, are in the two-deep at cornerback, safety and nickelback in Utah's 4-2-5 defense. Freshman like Jaylon Johnson and Guidry and sophomore Julian Blackmon play major roles in the secondary rotation.

The unit possesses tons of speed and is filled with ball hawks. It sets up for a strong 2017 for the pass defense and an even more promising 2018 season.

3. Utah needs to cut down on penalties fast

A disturbing trend has emerged for Utah. Through four games, the Utes are one of the nation's most penalized teams. Utah ranks near or at the bottom among FBS teams in total penalties (37), penalty yards (365) and penalties per game (9.3).

Against Arizona, the Utes totaled nine penalties for 83 yards. Many of them proved costly on the scoreboard. Utah got called for a false start after driving to the Arizona 3 early in the second quarter, forcing the Utes to settle for a field goal on their third scoring drive. A targeting penalty on Marquise Blair moved the Wildcats into the red zone and helped set up their second touchdown of the game in the third quarter.

Utah can't afford to be so sloppy and aggressive against better Pac-12 teams. It could lead to an unexpected loss.

Can Beau Hoge Rescue BYU's Offense?

Dreams of putting a powerful offense on the field have turned to nightmares for BYU after only four games. All of the numbers paint an ugly picture for the Cougars.

Facing LSU, Utah and Wisconsin over three consecutive weeks has taken its toll. The Cougars scored just 19 points in those three games and were held without a touchdown against both the Tigers and the Badgers.

Right now, BYU ranks near or at the bottom among 130 FBS teams in multiple offensive categories: 

• 116th in chunk plays of 10+ yards (27)
• 119th in passing offense (144.9 ypg) 
• 124th in rushing offense (77.5 ypg)
• 127th in scoring offense (9.8 points per game)
• 128th in total offense (221.8 yards per game)
• 130th in first downs per game (10.8).

What in the name of LaVell Edwards has happened to BYU?

Many elements have created this offensive ineptitude. The Cougars lack a powerful runner who can consistently make plays with their feet. Wide receivers often run incorrect routes and are prone to dropping passes. An undersized offensive line struggles to open running lanes for the backs or reduce pressure on the quarterback during passing plays.

Quarterback play has been erratic as well. Tanner Mangum lacked mobility and made poor reads in his first three games, leading to quick punts and turnovers. It put the defense in tough spots and kept BYU from generating any real offensive momentum over four quarters.

Is Beau Hoge a solution to any problems on offense?

Hoge didn't light the world on fire in his debut as a starting quarterback. He filled in for Mangum against Wisconsin and threw for 111 yards on 11-of-20 passing, Hoge also tossed a pair of costly interceptions that led to 10 points for the Badgers.

The redshirt sophomore made mistakes you would expect from a first-time starter. Still, Hoge also showed significant promise. He offered a higher dose of mobility than Mangum in the pocket and was able to put together some nice runs on BYU's first scoring drive. Hoge also made better reads with his receivers, at times, than Mangum did in losses to LSU and Utah.

Mangum is expected to be sidelined with an ankle injury for an indefinite period. This means Hoge will get a legitimate chance to show what he can do. Can he raise BYU's offense out of the ashes?

Hoge has the right tools to be a good fit for the pro-style offense Ty Detmer wants to run. He offers greater mobility as a quarterback, which should take some pressure of his receivers. Hoge also seems more patient in attacking shorter routes and taking what the defense gives up, rather than going for home run balls on every play.

BYU should get better on offense as the schedule softens. If Hoge can help the Cougars progress against weaker defenses, he could remain the starting quarterback going forward – regardless of when Mangum is back to full strength.

Three Thoughts on Utah's win over BYU

Nobody can deny Utah has gained the upper hand over BYU in the Holy War.

The Utes notched a 19-13 win over the Cougars on Saturday night to win their seventh straight game in the rivalry series. Utah last won seven straight over BYU when it ran off seven consecutive wins over BYU from 1951 to 1957. That was part of a 12-game unbeaten stretch extending back to 1946 which saw the Utes post an 11-0-1 record.

Even though final score indicates a close hard-fought game, Utah never trailed and led by as many as 16 points early in the third quarter. BYU struggled to move the ball with any consistency, punting on six drives and coughing up turnovers on three others. The Utes possessed a decided advantage in speed, athleticism and depth in every phase of the game and never let the Cougars generate a sustained rhythm.

What transpired reveals quite a bit about the paths both teams seem poised to travel as the season progresses. Here are three observations from Utah's 19-13 win over BYU:

1. Utah has an elite quarterback

There's no question Tyler Huntley is a star in the making. Huntley's skills are a perfect match for the offensive schemes of Utah Offensive Coordinator Troy Taylor. He is an elusive runner, an accurate passer and an effective decision maker.

Huntley gave a good BYU defense fits for four quarters. He threw for 300 yards on 27-of-36 passing, becoming the first Utah quarterback with a 300-yard game since Travis Wilson passed for 311 yards in a 38-34 win over Colorado in 2014. He also rushed for 89 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries. His mobility and accuracy kept the Cougars scrambling to keep up with him.

Darren Carrington has become the sophomore's favorite target. Carrington had ninth career 100-yard receiving game – and second straight at Utah – after totaling 129 yards on seven catches. Through two games with the Utes, the Oregon transfer has caught a total of 17 passes for 256 yards.

2. BYU needs to make major changes on offense

Unless BYU does something different on offense soon, the Cougars will face an uphill climb just to post a winning record this season. Elite defenses at LSU and Utah have exposed some serious deficiencies in what the Cougars are doing on offense.

It starts with ineffective quarterback play. Tanner Mangum has struggled with accuracy and decision making in all three of BYU's games up to this point. Mangum threw for 170 yards and a touchdown on 21-of-39 passing while also tossing three interceptions. Utah scored 10 points off of Mangum's interceptions, making them a major deciding factor in another BYU's loss.

The time has come for BYU to scrap the pro-style West Coast offense that Cougars offensive coordinator Ty Detmer installed last season and introduce some up-tempo spread concepts. Mangum has a tendency to panic and get happy feet in the pocket, leading to poor timing and accuracy on his throws. Putting him in shotgun and going no-huddle will give him a chance to react instead of overthink and bring him back to the promising form he showed as a freshman.

BYU also needs to attack the middle of the field more often. The Cougars best offensive weapons in the passing game are tight end Matt Bushman and slot receiver Aleva Hifo. Getting the ball to Bushman and Hifo consistently will draw the defense to the middle and open things up for speedier receivers like Talon Shumway, Micah Simon and Jonah Trinnaman who can snag deeper passes.

3. Utah needs to clean up the penalties

Playing disciplined football has been a serious problem for Utah through the first two games of the season. The Utes are killing their own drives and giving opponents second life on offense with tons of untimely penalties.

Against BYU, Utah totaled 11 penalties for 97 yards. In the Utes' season opening 37-16 win over North Dakota, they accumulated 11 penalties for 135 yards. Utah has totaled 22 penalties for 232 yards. Utah ranks 128^th in the FBS in total penalties and 127^th in penalty yardage.

This trend can't continue against Pac-12 opponents. Utah is talented enough on both sides of the ball to compete with virtually any team. A lack of discipline and a horde of mental errors can counteract that talent, however, and leave the Utes taking home an unexpected loss in a game they should win.

BYU vs Utah: 10 Fun Holy War Facts

Few college sports rivalries can match the passion and venom generated between BYU and Utah. Countless games featuring thrilling finishes and colorful characters have turned the Holy War into one of the nation's best.

Once again, the Utes battle the Cougars for in-state bragging rights on Saturday. Utah has held an upper hand in recent seasons. The Utes seek a seventh straight win over BYU and have beaten the Cougars 11 times in the last 14 games in the series.

What makes this rivalry special? Amazing records, memorable performances and unusual lore combine to create a rich history between BYU and Utah.

Here are 10 fun facts about the Holy War:

1. Utah ended BYU's NCAA record scoring streak

BYU built a football identity with a dynamic passing offense in the 1970s, 80s and 90s. The Cougars rolled out quarterback after quarterback who could dominate opponents through the air and light up the scoreboard. From 1975 to 2003, BYU scored in 361 consecutive games to set an NCAA record.

It all came to an end against Utah. The Utes caged the Cougars in 3-0 victory in 2003. BYU generated just 153 total yards on offense. Utah scored what proved to be the winning points with 4:13 left in the second quarter when Bryan Borreson converted a 41-yard field goal.

2. It took BYU 20 years to beat Utah after restarting its football program

BYU played football briefly in the late 1890s, but dropped the sport after a player death around the turn of the century. The Cougars restarted their football team in 1922. Finding success against Utah over the next few decades proved to be highly difficult.

From 1896 to 1971, Utah strung together a 41–8–4 (.811) record against BYU. At one point, the Utes enjoyed a 21-game unbeaten streak. They shut out the Cougars 12 times and allowed them to score 71 total points in those 21 games. Utah had no such trouble finding the end zone and averaged 25.2 points per contest.

BYU finally snapped the streak with a 12-7 victory in 1942. The Cougars would wait another 14 years before recording their next victory in the series.

3. Utah and BYU set series scoring records in back-to-back seasons

When Utah snapped a nine-game losing streak to BYU in 1988, the Utes left nothing to chance. They throttled the Cougars by dominating on both sides of the ball. Utah forced eight turnovers and scored its most ever points against BYU in a 57-28 rout.

BYU returned the favor a year later. The Cougars punched in touchdowns on each of their first eight drives and took a 49-0 lead before rolling to a 70-31 victory. BYU's offense, led by Ty Detmer, churned out more than 750 yards. 70 points remains the highest amount Utah has ever surrendered in a football game.

4. The Utes won back-to-back games by an identical 34-31 score

BYU dominated the rivalry with Utah for the first time ever after LaVell Edwards raised the football program from the WAC cellar. The Cougars reeled off 19 wins during his first 21 seasons in Provo.

Ron McBride ended that domination when he resurrected Utah's dormant football program. McBride guided the Utes to three straight victories over BYU from 1993 to 1995. The first two wins produced an identical 34-31 score.

Utah won 34-31 in 1993 after Chris Yergensen made a 55-yard field goal with 25 seconds left. It offered redemption to Yergensen, who missed field goal attempts from 35 yards and 37 yards earlier in the game. The Utes did it again a year later. Cal Beck ripped off a 67-yard punt return to set up a game-winning 20 yard pass from Mike McCoy to Charlie Brown for the go-ahead touchdown.

5. Down to the final play

Utah's recent domination in the win column doesn't do justice to the tight finishes in recent Holy War battles. 16 of the last 19 games were decided by seven points or less. On multiple occasions, the final play decided the outcome.

BYU snapped Utah's four-game series winning streak in 2006, prevailing 33-31 when John Beck found Jonny Harline for an 11 yard touchdown pass on the final play. The Cougars pulled out final play dramatics again in 2009 when Max Hall hit Andrew George on a 25 yard TD pass to secure a 26-23 overtime victory.

Utah took its turn a year later, winning 17-16 when Brandon Burton blocked a field goal as time expired. The Utes hung on for a 24-21 win in 2012 when Riley Stephenson's 36-yard field goal attempt bounced off the upright on the final play. Then, Utah survived six turnovers and claimed a 20-19 win over BYU last season after Hunter Dimick stopped Taysom Hill on a two-point run in the final seconds.

6. BYU set a controversial NCAA record against Utah

BYU became famous for producing a series of quarterbacks under Edwards who rewrote the NCAA record books. One record, set against Utah, stirred up controversy because of how it was set.

Marc Wilson broke a single-game NCAA record by passing for 571 yards in a 38-8 victory over the Utes in 1977. Wilson only accomplished that feat, however, because BYU coaches inserted him back into the game in the final minutes with the game well in hand. He completed three passes – capped by an eight-yard TD pass to John VanDerWouden – to set the record.

The Cougars drew sharp criticism from then-Utah coach Wayne Howard following the game. Howard exacted his revenge a year later when the Utes rallied from a 16-point deficit to upset BYU 23-22.

7. LaVell Edwards ended his BYU coaching career with a dramatic comeback win over Utah

Things did not go smoothly for BYU after Edwards decided to retire from coaching at the end of the 2000 season. The Cougars struggled with injuries and mediocre play on both sides of the ball. They came into the Holy War needing a victory to help Edwards avoid suffering just his second losing season as a head coach.

BYU pulled out one final win for Edwards over Utah, but just barely. A 34-yard pass from Brandon Doman to Jonathan Pittman on 4th-and-13 kept the final drive alive and Doman capped it off with a 4-yard run to lift the Cougars to a 34-27 win over the Utes. Edwards went 22-7 against Utah overall during his tenure in Provo.

8. Ron McBride beat BYU in his final game at Utah

After reviving Utah's football program in the 1990s, McBride saw diminishing returns his last few seasons. The Utes struggled badly in his final season in 2002. Utah lost six straight games after a 2-0 start, ultimately leading to McBride's dismissal.

In his final game against BYU, McBride went out a winner when the Utes beat the Cougars 13-6. It ended a streak of 28 seasons at .500 or better for BYU. Brandon Warfield rushed for 192 yards on 40 carries and scored the game's only touchdown in the third quarter. The Cougars turned the ball over twice inside the Utah 10-yard line in the loss.  

9. BYU and Utah faced each other in a bowl game

Utah planned a two-year break in Holy War in 2014 and 2015, so the Utes could schedule a home-and-home series with Michigan. That planned sabbatical ended a year early when the 2015 Las Vegas Bowl decided to match BYU and Utah. It marked the first time the two rivals met in the postseason or played at a neutral site.

It ended up being a tale of two games. The Utes dominated in every phase of the game during the first quarter. Utah raced out to a 35-0 lead over the Cougars midway through the first quarter after scoring all five touchdowns off of BYU turnovers. The Utes set a Las Vegas Bowl record for the most first quarter points.

BYU rallied over the final three quarters and closed to within a touchdown late in the fourth quarter to make the final score look respectable. It was Bronco Mendenhall's final game as head coach of the Cougars. Utah denied him his 100th career victory and he left to become the head coach at Virginia at season's end. 

10. Neither team can agree on how many games they have played

You know it's a heated rivalry when two teams can't agree on how many games they have actually played. That's the case with BYU and Utah. The Utes claim an all-time series lead of 59-34-4. On the other hand, the Cougars say Utah holds a 56-31-4 lead in the series.

One major reason for the difference is Utah counts six games the two schools played from 1896 to 1898. BYU does not recognize those games, however, because it operated under the name Brigham Young Academy from 1875 to 1903. The Cougars only counts games the team has played starting from 1922, which BYU officially considers the inaugural season of its football program. 

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