Utah and BYU's rivalry continues

During the "Expansionocalypse Era" this summer, you didn't have to look far to find a criticism of college athletics. The schools are all about the money. Players should see some of the eight and nine figure TV deals the conferences have signed. The major conferences are going to separate themselves even more from the lower leagues. 16 team superconferences are entirely too much.

In the humble opinion the folks here at BIAH, the biggest problem with conference realignment had nothing to do with money and everything to do with rivalries. In many of the scenarios that were being thrown around, some of the best rivalries in the country -- Kansas vs. Kansas State/Mizzou/Texas; Texas vs. Texas A&M; Syracuse vs. Georgetown/UConn; etc. -- would have become non-existent, or at the very least completely unimportant to the season's outcome.

Sure, everyone in the Sunflower State would tune in if the Big East's Jayhawks were playing Conference-USA's Kansas State, but would anyone else in the country really care? And if they did, that level of caring would not touch the importance this year, where a victory could eventually ensure a Big XII title.

While conference realignment wasn't quite the disaster that many had envisioned, there was still some movement out west. Utah headed to the Pac-10 and BYU left for the WCC, meaning that one of the fiercest rivalries in the country was in jeopardy of becoming no more.

Who are we kidding?

There's no way that BYU and Utah weren't going to play annually, and on Thursday the school announced their series. The Utes and the Cougars will play a four year home-and-home series, with the game taking place on the second Sunday of December every year.

There is no reason that the matchups between those two schools and Utah State will cease, either. For as much as the rest of the country mocks the state of Utah, one thing that cannot be argued is that the state is passionate about their sports teams.

Hopefully, this three way round robin between BYU, USU, and Utah will continue on past the four year contract.