The rivalry between Utah and BYU is known as the Holy War, so you better believe there is a lot animosity between these two schools. The players have come to blows in recent years, and Utah coach Larry Krystkowiak even went so far as to cancel the 2016-17 matchup as a result. If you want to see a rivalry where emotions run high, then there are few better than Utah-BYU.
Old Oquirrh Bucket
Rival Team: Utah State, BYU, Weber State
From 1974 to 2010 Utah schools played for the Old Oquirrh Bucket. The trophy was awarded to the team with the best record against in-state opponents creating an intense rivalry between all of the Utah schools. Utah schools may no longer play for the Old Oquirrh Bucket, but there are still a lot of bragging rights on the line, so don’t miss it when a Utah-based school comes to the Jon M. Huntsman Center.
Utah Utes Stadium Guide
In Game
Utah’s Jon M. Huntsman Center was the site of the famous 1979 national championship game between Larry Bird’s Indiana State and Magic Johnson’s Michigan State. You can still feel the magic in the air when you enter the arena making a trip to the Jon M. Huntsman Center a great experience for any college basketball game.
In addition to seeing a game where two basketball titans clashed in one of their biggest contests, you’ll experience a fun in-game atmosphere. The Mighty Utah Student Section, or MUSS, does an excellent job of getting behind their team. The Utah Pep Band also puts on an incredible show and helps set the tone with their music.
Additionally, U of U is located in Salt Lake City, so you’ll find lots of places to eat and things to do when visiting. The closest group of restaurants to campus features a variety of different choices ranging from pizza to Greek food, so you should be able to find something to eat no matter what you’re in the moo for.
The Jon M. Huntsman Center is a fun place to see a game thanks to the arena’s history as home to one of the most famous finals in NCAA basketball history and the excellent atmosphere provided by the MUSS.
The Utes have several banners hanging celebrating the biggest accomplishments and best players in Utah basketball history. The banners honor the 1944 national championship winning team and the 1998 runners-up, as well as Utes legends such as Keith Van Horn and Andrew Bogut.
Fans in the MUSS form a U with their hands and chop to the beat whenever the band plays a specific percussion song. Join in the tradition to spur on the Utes and show off your U of U pride.
Swoop
Utah’s mascot is a red-tailed hawk named Swoop. You can see Swoop entertaining the crowd and getting into all kinds of shenanigans. Keep an eye out for Swoop when attending a Utes basketball game.
While many student sections in college basketball stand for the duration of the game and cheer loudly, The Muss is truly special in its traditions. The MUSS gets its name from school’s fight song and has been named one of the top five student sections in all of college sports. There is no better place to sit than in the MUSS if you want to show off your Utes pride.
The Utah Pep Band creates a fantastic in-game atmosphere and is a big part of any Utes basketball game. The band is energetic throughout the game and is a can’t miss for anyone attending a Utah basketball game.
I am a Utah man, sir, and I live across the green.
Our gang, it is the jolliest that you have ever seen.
Our coeds are the fairest and each one’s a shining star.
Our yell, you hear it ringing through the mountains near and far.
CHORUS
Who am I, sir? A Utah man am I A Utah man,
sir, and will be till I die; Ki!Yi!
We’re up to snuff; we never bluff,
We’re game for any fuss,
No other gang of college men
dare meet us in the muss.
So fill your lungs and sing it out and
shout it to the sky,
We’ll fight for dear old Crimson,
for a Utah man am I.
And when we prom the avenue, all lined up in a row,
And arm in arm and step in time as down the street we go.
No matter if a freshman green, or in a senior’s gown,
The people all admit we are the warmest gang in town.
CHORUS
We may not live forever on this jolly good old sphere,
But while we do we’ll live a life of merriment and cheer,
And when our college days are o’er and night is drawing nigh,
With parting breath we’ll sing that song:
“A Utah Man Am I”.
Salt Lake City’s premier dining establishment, specializing in modern American cuisine featuring seasonal refined dishes and approachable comfort food enjoyed in a casually elegant setting with impeccable service.
Pizza Napoletana is made with a soft dough and takes about one minute to cook in a wood-burning oven. Because of this, Pizza Napoletana has several distinctive characteristics.
The Tavernacle Social Club has been Downtown Salt Lake City's most wild dueling piano show since 2002 and is still the craziest sing-a-long party in Utah.
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