cause. If you cheer for Utah you are cheering against BYU. If a recruit is on the fence between BYU and Utah this season, who do you think they are going to choose? The team that is in the Pac-12 championship and may be in the playoff or the team who is in an invisible bowl game (Christmas Eve at 6PM will get no viewers). There is a reason that it is rare for BYU and Utah to both be excellent at the same time.

During BYU's prime Utah was mostly a joke. Its flipped since Urban and Kyle and now BYU is turning into an inconsistent and somewhat of a joke team. It is cyclical between in state teams.

Other examples: Clemson's rise killed South Carolina. Florida got much better right as FSU began to fall. Boise State's rise happened as Idaho football died.

It will be hard for BYU to ever match and surpass Utah as long as Utah is successful.