PER THE ATHLETIC: BYU, Utah is NOT A RIVALRY and Holy War is MEANINGLESS to College Football, Big 12

The Athletic, a prominent sports media outlet, recently released a ranking of the top 100 rivalries in college football. Much to the potential dismay of fans of the Utah Utes and BYU Cougars, the "Holy War" did not land within the top 25 of this list. While the exact ranking for the Holy War varies across different articles and lists from The Athletic, it generally falls outside the elite tier. For instance, in a list compiled by Scott Dochterman of The Athletic, the Utah-BYU game was ranked as the No. 28 best rivalry game in the country, sandwiched between Stanford-Cal (No. 29) and Oregon-Oregon State (No. 27). It's worth noting that The Athletic also published a separate ranking specifically for the "best rivalry names," where "Holy War" fared much better, coming in at No. 4 on Chris Vannini's list. This highlights the recognition of the rivalry's unique and impactful moniker, even if its on-field intensity or historical prominence in the national conversation didn't place it among the very top rivalries in college football. The general sentiment for rivalries ranked outside the top 25, including the Holy War, often points to a lack of consistent national championship contention from both programs over the past several decades, compared to perennial powerhouses like Michigan-Ohio State or Alabama-Auburn. Despite this, the Holy War remains a deeply significant and passionate rivalry for fans in Utah, fueled by proximity, cultural differences, and a long history of intense matchups. Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms… 🎧 https://link.chtbl.com/LOBig12?sid=YouTube Locked On College Conferences, HBCU, Basketball & More 🎧 https://linktr.ee/LockedOnCollege Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/drakectoll Follow the show on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LOBig112 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.