College Football: The 17 Million Dollar Game

Utah hosts BYU on Saturday, November 22, 2008 at 4:00 p.m. (MST) on The Mtn. cable television station associated with Versus / CBS. It's a heated rivalry with a lot at stake this year.

Utah is 11-0, ranked #7, undefeated, and on the verge of being invited to play in a BCS bowl for the second time. Standing in their way is BYU, who is 10-1, ranked #14, and winners of the last two Utah-BYU games. BYU has one of the nations best offenses, while Utah is one of the nations top defensive teams. It should be a classic as the last two games between the Utes & Cougars have come down to whoever had the ball last.

If Utah wins, the payout for playing in a BCS game is around 17 million dollars. This will be my 29th consecutive time to attend this game, I of course will be wearing RED, cheering on the Utes, it's my favorite day of the year, better than sex, better than anything I can imagine, all I can say is.... GO UTES!

(More facts about the Utah-BYU rivalry are after the jump)

The Utes were the first team in college football history to climb the ranks and force the BCS to invite a non-BCS school. Utah defeated Pittsburgh in the 2004 Fiesta Bowl and ended the season a perfect 12-0 record. Quarterback Alex Smith was the #1 draft choice of the San Francisco 49ers in the NFL draft. Coach Urban Meyer was offered millions to coach the Florida Gators and left Salt Lake City. The bottom nearly fell out at Utah.

Here we are four years later and the Utes are knocking on the door again.   BYU has won the Mountain West Conference Championship the past two years, Utah has clinched a share of the title this year and can win it outright with a victory. A loss would tie the Utes and Cougars as co-champions of the league.

However the game ends, BYU looks to be a lock to play in the Las Vegas Bowl. Utah on the other hand could be playing in the Sugar, Orange or Fiesta Bowls with a win, or if the Utes lose they will be headed to the San Diego Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl with a payout of $750,000. BCS bowl berths, conference championships, in-state bragging rights, money, fame, the list goes on as this is the "Biggest Game Ever" between these two bitter rivals.