But this becomes a special and meaningful game. It's a rivalry game renewed in a bowl. As the article states, bowls don't want to replay games already played in a season. Normally rivals have enough self respect to stand up to one another. However, Utah decided to run from its rival and not schedule BYU this season. Thus creating this occasion that is extraordinarily rare and marketable should Vegas get the rivalry game in a bowl.

If you think about the other potential match ups this bowl season, I would argue that a BYU/Utah rivalry bowl game is as attractive and appealing to the country to watch as ANY game that is not the playoffs. You're going to see a bunch of 6-6 teams playing this year. Well, you probably won't see those games. But think about it, here are the best of the New Years Day bowl (see: exhibition game, non-playoff) projections (from SI.com):

Outback: Michigan vs. Tenn.
Citrus: Wisconsin vs. Florida
Liberty: Kansas St. vs. Auburn
TaxSlayer: Northwestern vs. LSU
Alamo Bowl: Okla. State vs. USC
Cactus Bowl: W. Virginia vs. Ariz. St.

These are the absolute BEST bowl games. Yes, the fan bases of the respective schools care. But there are no real compelling story lines here. You can't tell me that OK St has an axe to grind for USC or Wisconsin really has wanted to knock Florida's block off for decades. You can't say that the Sun Devils fans desecrate mountaineer effigies. What, did LSU fans start the Chicago fire? These are a bunch of good teams playing nice bowl games for literally very little to no meaning. What do they get for the exhibition game win? I think they get a trophy. Didn't your kid get a trophy for losing every soccer game this year?

Obviously, a rivalry game in a bowl game means much, much more. Keep your trophies, I just want to kick some yewt. And I think that hatred and bitterness makes the Vegas bowl arguably the most nationally marketable bowl that is not a playoff.