33. 10/10/42 – First official win over Utah: BYU – 12, Utah - 7

            Twenty years after jump-starting their football program, the BYU Cougars (1-1) squared off against their in-state rivals, the Utah Utes (0-2), in one of the most lopsided rivalries in college football. Over the previous twenty seasons, the Cougars were 0-17-3 against their northern neighbors - and most of the contests weren’t even close. At least in the previous season, the Cougars had escaped SLC with a 6-6 draw, and Cougar fans wondered if this would be the year they would finally earn a W. Interestingly, according to Ute fans, their first loss to the Y had already happened - thrice! The Utah Ute football program counts the six games they played against Brigham Young Academy between 1896-1898, in which each team went 3-3, as part of the official record between the two schools. Regardless of the discrepancies espoused by each university, the Cougars were win less against the Utes in the 20th century, and their fans were hungry for a victory. 
            The Cougar Defense took control of their side of the field early on, forcing 3 Ute fumbles in the first period. One of the turnovers was converted into positive points when halfback Fred Whitney scored on fourth-and-goal from the 3-yard line early in the second quarter. However, their extra point attempt failed. By halftime, the Utes had produced a grand total of 22 yards of total offense and had not once crossed into Cougar territory. 
             In the third quarter, the Utes finally caught a break, blocking a Cougar punt and recovering it at the BYU 21. With the short field, the Utes finally put points on the board with a TD, taking a 7-6 lead on the extra point. 
BYU vs. Utah 1942
Courtesy of BYU Photo and ESPN Photo

            Midway through the fourth, the Cougar D successfully blocked a punt that rolled out of bounds at the Ute 10-yard line. On another fourth-and-goal, Herman Longhurst took the ball and ran right, dodging three Ute defenders on this way into the end zone. Again the extra point missed wide, but the Cougars now held a 12-7 lead. As the clock wound down, the Utes mounted a final drive. They made it all the way to the Cougar 5 before turning the ball over on downs.
1942 Cougars
Courtesy of BYU Photo and ESPN Photo

            After the final whistle, ecstatic Cougar fans tore down the goalposts and sawed them up for souvenirs. School was canceled the following Monday to host a huge assembly where the football players were awarded 4-inch sections of the goal posts. After getting off to an 0-3 start, the Utes came back to win their next six, to finish in a tie for the MSAC title with a 5-1 record. The Cougars on the other hand dropped their final four contests to finish 2-5. The two teams wouldn’t face each other again until 1946, following the conclusion of WWII. Unfortunately, after the rivalry resumed, so did Utah’s dominance. The Cougars wouldn’t win again until 1958.

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