Why a former BYU star thinks this rivalry game could be one where BYU ‘delivers a pounding’

John Beck has two very different memories from his BYU-Utah battles at Rice-Eccles Stadium. The first took place in 2004 and helped shape the second in 2006 — with the latter still standing as the Cougars’ last victory in Salt Lake City.
As a sophomore quarterback, Beck marched BYU (5-5) into Rice-Eccles to contend with No. 5 Utah (11-0) and attempt to end their unbeaten season. A touchdown toss to Todd Watkins and a 5-yard run by Curtis Brown pulled the underdog Cougars even at 14-14 with 5:45 remaining in the first half.
Quarterback Alex Smith and Utah took it from there and outscored BYU 38-7 to win 52-21 and secure a date in the BCS’s Fiesta Bowl. The noise from the postgame celebration crept into the Cougars locker room and drew Beck back onto the field.
“I walked out to watch it,” Beck said. “I remember listening to (Utah coach) Urban Meyer talking to his team and the fans. I wanted something special like that for our team and our fans. Little did I know that two years later, I’d get that moment, but it would be on their field.”
The Cougars returned to Rice-Eccles in 2006 to much different circumstances. The place was packed, but it was BYU and not Utah that was nationally ranked and looking to lock up the Mountain West championship.
A much more experienced Beck threw for 375 yards and four touchdowns, including the game winner to Jonny Harline as time expired to win the game, 33-31.
“Did I think my best moment as a Cougar would happen on their field? No,” Beck said. “But it was cool.”
The win is also the last one No. 9 BYU (8-0, 5-0) has enjoyed at Rice-Eccles, where Utah (4-4, 1-4) has won five straight against the Cougars, including the last meeting in Salt Lake in 2018. Both Beck and Harline believe that will change on Saturday (8:15 p.m. MST, ESPN).
“I’m dying for it! I would love it,” said Harline, who caught seven passes for 118 yards and three touchdowns during the 2006 win. “BYU must go in and execute and maintain the mental edge.”
Beck’s optimism stems from BYU’s season-long momentum and Utah’s lack of it. His keys include establishing the run, anticipating Utah’s best effort and creating turnovers on defense.
“Based on the Utah team I have been watching this season, they have to come up with a miracle to beat this BYU football team,” Beck said. “The way (BYU) is defending and running the football, and incorporating Jake (Retzlaff) in the run game, this could be one of those games where BYU delivers a pounding.”
The Cougars bring a confident bunch into Salt Lake with a lot on the line. BYU is No. 9 in the initial College Football Playoff rankings and the Cougars are projected to reach the Big 12 championship game and the CFP in just their second year in the conference. They have much to gain and much to lose under the lights at Rice-Eccles.
Dave McCann is a sportswriter and columnist for the Deseret News and is a play-by-play announcer and show host for BYUtv/ESPN+. He co-hosts “Y’s Guys” at ysguys.com and is the author of the children’s book “C is for Cougar,” available at deseretbook.com.