Previewing the friendly in-state rivalry game that could turn ugly quick
The Battle of the Brothers is back! In this game-preview episode of The Utah Checkdown, host Josh Furlong dives deep into Utah’s final nonconference tune-up as the Utes host Utah State at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
In this episode:
• The "friendly brotherhood" dynamic: Why the Utah-Utah State rivalry carries a completely different tone than the BYU rivalry, and how fans from both sides teamed up online this week.
• History of the series: Looking back at the series' wild moments, from the bug-infested press box night when Chuckie Keeton stunned Utah in 2012 to the 2024 battle in Logan.
• Utah State’s rocky start: Breaking down Bronco Mendenhall’s 0-2 Aggies after an FCS stumble against Idaho State and a missed fourth-quarter comeback bid in a 16-14 loss at Washington.
• The Aggies' QB dilemma: Will Utah State stick with McCae Hillstead or Grady Brosterhaus? Josh analyzes Brosterhaus' tough showing in Seattle, his 10% turnover-worthy play rate, and what Mendenhall revealed about the battle under center.
• Bronco Mendenhall on Utah’s offense: The Aggies' head coach praised Kevin McGiven’s "conflict play" designs, Devon Dampier’s playmaking engine, and why stopping Utah’s diverse backfield looks like defending option football.
