BYU-Utah and other endangered rivalries

If you’re wondering whether the BYU-Utah series will continue, it will.

For now.

But don’t plan too far ahead.

With Texas A&M’s defection to the SEC, millions of Texans are wringing their hands over the future of the Aggie-Longhorn rivalry game, traditionally played on Thanksgiving. But Texas coach Mack Brown says separation happens.

“Those things are important, but I think that what’s happened now is that with all the conference realignment talk over the last couple years that universities are needing to do what’s best for them,” Brown told espn.com.

“Obviously in some cases — you go back to the Nebraska-Oklahoma game — was a huge rival game that I grew up on, as well. Used to love that game and then coached in that game and it was really important to both states. And now they no longer play.

“So, I think it’s forcing administrators to look at what’s best for their universities, and it may not always be best to continue some of those rival games.”

If Oklahoma-Nebraska and Texas-Texas A&M can die, so can BYU-Utah.

If Utah struggles in the Pac-12, it could quickly end its rivalry with BYU. When you’re looking at a potential nine losses in your league, you can’t afford many outside games that are a 50-50 proposition.

I could see the day when Utah State is a more frequent opponent for the Utes than BYU. Utah athletics director Chris Hill has indicated he likes the non-conference schedule to include two pretty good opponents and one patsy. (OK, he didn’t say it in exactly those terms, but that was the gist.) But if the Utes lose a lot of conference games this year, they may decide to schedule small-fries outside the Pac-12 whenever possible.

Can you say Weber State?

The start of this year’s Utah-BYU game was great in terms of hard hitting, competitive football. It remains a game that people anxiously anticipate. At the same time, the same could be said of any endangered rivalry game.

The simple fact that Utah and BYU are merely saying they hope they can continue the series is proof they are worried that it may not. A season without the Utes vs. the Cougars? Unfathomable. Then again, so was $3.50 for a gallon of gas, not long ago. We don’t even think about it anymore.