BYU One Win Away From Winning Deseret Duel

Alright Cougar and Ute fans, listen up. We are entering the thick of the dead period. The football season is over, the basketball season is done and we are left with just three matches between BYU and Utah to end all competition between these two schools until October. Despite losing a few heart breakers, Utah still has a chance to win the overall rivalry battle this weekend.

Back in September of 2007, BYU and Utah announced that they would insert a new element into the rivalry with the addition of the Deseret First Duel. The two schools would add up points, which totaled at 64, based upon 12 sports – and the school that earned the most points would be crowned the rivalry champion. Currently, the Cougars have 31 points and the Utes have 28.5 with three events remaining.

The Utes earned their first men’s victory last month with wins in tennis and baseball. Of the 28.5 points earned by the Utes, 2.5 of those came from men’s sports while the women’s gymnastics, soccer and basketball teams have earned a great majority of the Utes' points.

The Cougars swept the Utes in men’s basketball and football, claiming 20 points from those victories alone.

With three events remaining, the pressure is placed squarely on both of the schools' baseball teams as they start off the last three games of the series on May 15, 16 and 17, with all three games at Utah. One victory for BYU will clinch the title. However, the Utes hold a 1-0 record over the Cougars after they beat the Cougars in Provo last month on a come-from-behind effort late in the game.

While the majority of both fanbases would trade a Deseret Duel title for wins in both men’s basketball and football, it’s still one last gasp at rivalry pride, on both sides, before the doors of the dead period open for good. The Cougars are just one win away from winning the battle and winning the war.