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| Follow the Prophet. |
This game is held every October because Utah State is the only team that will play BYU on a Friday night. The reason the game is held on Friday rather than Saturday is because the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has their Semi-annual General Conference the first weekend in October.
So I encourage you to root for the right team (Aggies) tonight. The game can be seen on ESPN and ESPN3.
Utah State hasn't beat BYU since 1993 when I was nine years old and in the USU Huddle Club. That was the first time I ever saw a crowd storm the field, let alone tear down a field goal post. USU can't help but feel like they have a chance at revenge this year. Adding to the rivalry is the two former Cache Valley Football stars that will be returning to Northern Utah. BYU freshmen JD Falslev plays Wide Receiver and returns kicks for the Cougars and grew up playing for the Sky View High School Bobcats a few miles north of Logan. BYU quarterback, and former Logan High School football star, Riley Nelson (who announced he was leaving USU and transferring to BYU via email in 2008) will not be on Merlin Olsen Field due to season ending shoulder surgery meaning the young inexperienced Jake Heaps, a true freshmen will be starting only his second game.
The Aggies also find themselves trying to overcome some injuries of their own, including their coach, who had a spill from being lightheaded and has been wearing a neck brace throughout the week. The Friday night inter-state rivalry is a blessing to Utah fans, specifically in Cache Valley as they get football a day early. The local high school intra-valley rivalry between Logan High and Mountain Crest High was played yesterday, with the home team winning by a point. Even if you don't have an interest in, the LDS General Conference, or the Beehive State rivalry, it should be an entertaining game, and heck, its college football on a Friday night.
I also encourage you to catch some of the LDS Conference if you are able. The messages are uplifting if not merely informative. They are broadcast online during, and after the conference on the church website. There are two sessions Saturday and two sessions Sunday.
You either love or hate BYU if you live in Utah and are a member of the LDS church. I am emphatically the latter. I know that many of the general authorities and leaders of the church have at some time in their life attended some school in Utah, so I have always wondered who the General Authorities and other leaders of the church root for in this annual skirmish.
I often picture them sitting at their desks in their study making final corrections to their talks while the game plays in the background on the television, internet, or radio. Interrupting their final preparations with the usual fist pumps, cheers of success, and jeers directed at the broadcast as the game rolls on. I thought I would look at who has legit ties (none of those honorary degrees in a pitiful attempt to recruit them) to USU and BYU.
Here is a quick rundown with my opinion of who they root for in the yearly USU v. BYU match-up. You can make your own assumptions, according to their biographies. If I am incorrect in my analysis I encourage comments below.
The First Presidency:
- President Thomas S. Monson: Neutral
- Attended University of Utah for Undergrad, therefore can not be a die-hard BYU fan.
- Got his MBA from BYU and some honorary degrees.
- Elder Henry B. Eyring: BYU
- Undergrad at University of Utah, and therefore has a hard time rooting for the Cougars.
- Master's and Doctorate at Harvard.
- Taught at Stanford and was President of Ricks College (now BYU-I). With schools like Stanford, and Harvard on the list, and being a President of the BYU of the North, he most likely easily looks over his Ute origins and pumps a fist or two for the Cougars.
- Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf: Leans USU
- Grew up and went to school in Germany. Got MBA in Switzerland (a neutral country).
- Was a fighter pilot in the West German Air Force but trained in Texas, therefore has to have a soft spot for football and the Air Force Academy, which just happens to currently be in the same conference as BYU, so he likely feels obligated to not root for the Cougars.
- Elder Boyd K. Packer: USU
- Born in Brigham City, Utah which is just a short drive through the canyon to USU.
- Bachelor's and Master's Degree from Utah State University.
- Ed. D. from BYU.
- Also a pilot, that served in the Pacific during WWII.
- Sealed to his wife, Donna in Logan Utah Temple.
- Despite the degree from BYU, he loves USU not only because of his attendance and proximity to Brigham City, but because of their great Education program.
- Elder L. Tom Perry: USU
- Born in Logan, Utah.
- Perry, Utah (small town outside Brigham City) is named after his ancestor.
- B.S. in Finance from USU.
- Has been known to frequent the Coppermill Restaurant and other businesses in Logan.
- Sealed to his first wife, Virginia, in the Logan Utah Temple.
- Elder Russell M. Nelson: Neutral
- B.A. and M.D. from the University of Utah. Ph. D. from University of Minnesota
- No real leanings here, but two degrees from U of U count against BYU, which evens out his likely inclinations to root for "the Lord's team."
- Elder Dallin H. Oaks: Leans BYU
- Born in Provo.
- Accounting degree from BYU before getting Juris Doctorate from University of Chicago Law School. He then taught Law at Chicago.
- President of BYU for nine years. Justice of the Utah Supreme Court.
- Though he is likely a Cougar fan we will give him some credit as he is likely a Chicago Bears fan and is a firm believer in the Constitution of the United States.
- Elder M. Russell Ballard: Neutral
- Attended University of Utah.
- Close relationship with the Hunstman family.
- Know to have said he "Loves coming to Logan" in Stake Conferences in the area.
- Most likely a Ute fan who enjoys watching BYU lose no matter who it is.
- Elder Richard G. Scott: USU
- Mechanical Engineering degree from George Washington University.
- Nuclear Engineer. Father worked in US Department of Agriculture.
- Born in Pocatello, Idaho just north of Logan. Has to be a Aggie fan due to it close proximity to his hometown and its excellent engineering and agricultural programs.
- Elder Robert D. Hales: Leans USU
- Bachelors Degree from University of Utah. MBA from Harvard.
- Fighter Pilot in U.S. Air Force. (See Uchtdorf explanation).
- Elder Jeffrey R. Holland: BYU
- Was President of Brigham Young University from 1980-1989 and Dean of College of Religion at BYU.
- Bachelor's and Master's from BYU. Master's and Doctorate from Yale.
- This guy likely bleeds Blue (the wrong type).
- Elder David A. Bednar: BYU
- Bachelor's and Master's from BYU. Doctorate from Purdue.
- Taught at Texas Tech University and University of Arkansas, therefore, has to be a football fan.
- President of Brigham Young University-Idaho 1997-2004.
- Elder Quentin L. Cook: USU
- Born in Logan Utah.
- Sealed to wife, Mary, in Logan Utah.
- Political Science degree from Utah State University. Juris Doctorate from Stanford Law School.
- I've met him. He is an Aggie!
- Elder D. Todd Christofferson: BYU
- Born in American Fork, but grew up in Lindon just north of BYU.
- Bachelor's degree from BYU. Juris Doctorate from Duke University.
- Elder Neil L. Anderson: Leans USU
- Born in Logan, raised in Pocatello, Idaho.
- Undergrad at BYU and MBA from Harvard.
- Served in Utah North Area Presidency.
- Granted he went to BYU, but my guess it was because he got a stellar scholarship or something like that. He cannot deny his Logan roots.
A further analysis would call for a look into the the Area Seventies, Area Presidencies, Auxiliary Presidencies and Presiding Bishopric, but I will leave that up to your own curiosities.
Although this interpretation and examination is based on complete conjecture and speculation, not to mention lathered with bias, lets just say that tonight will be one of preparation and reflection for the leaders of the church, and the excitement of tonight's game will be the perfect kickoff for the 180 Semi-Annual General Conference.
Despite my general feelings in regards to the act of "storming the court/field," I do not see it as a complete impossibility for Aggie fans tonight to christen Merlin Olsen Field at Romney Stadium with its first student body storming. I mean it has been 17 years, and a "winning team, losing team" chant hasn't yet been done in Romney with the conviction that a win tonight would bring.
