Saturday's rivalry game serves as a personal timeline marker

The upcoming matchup between the University of Utah and Brigham Young University on Saturday at Rice-Eccles Stadium offers more than athletic competition. Columnist Gordon Monson advises fans to record the sensory details of the event because the game functions as a fixed point in personal history. This perspective positions the contest as a milestone for tracking life changes rather than just a sporting outcome.

Monson, a longtime sports reporter, has covered the rivalry for decades. He notes that the specific details of the game, such as a long pass or a final score, allow viewers to anchor their current emotional and physical state to a specific date. This mental filing system helps people recall where they stood in their careers, marriages, and family lives at the time of the game.

The 1988 contest serves as a primary example of this phenomenon. Utah defeated BYU 57-28 in an upset that Monson was watching from Southern California. At the time, he lived with his wife, Lisa, and two infant daughters. The victory by Scott Mitchell and the Utah offense provided a backdrop to a family-focused period of his life.

Another defining moment occurred in 1993 when Chris Yergensen kicked a 55-yard field goal to secure a 34-31 win for the Utes. Monson had moved to Utah from Los Angeles four months prior. His three children were ages eight, five, and two. He recalls the jubilant reaction of coach Ron McBride and the transition of his family settling into their new state.

In 2000, Monson was in the press box during LaVell Edwards’ final game as BYU head coach. The Cougars won 34-27 after a fourth-and-13 conversion. That year also involved a chaotic evening at home where a child invited 30 friends over, resulting in one of them hitting golf balls with Monson’s new clubs. The game provided a professional anchor while his domestic life expanded.

The 2003 game featured a 3-0 Utah victory played in severe winter conditions. Monson observed the crowd from the press box and noted the harsh environment. That same year, his family traveled to Hawaii, a trip he connected to the need for warmth after the cold Utah winter.

A 2006 sideline memory stands out for Monson, who was working for The Tribune, a radio show, and a television program. BYU won 33-31 on a pass from John Beck to Jonny Harline. Monson was navigating a household with two daughters in college and three at home, marking a transition in his family structure.

In 2012, Utah won 24-21 after BYU missed a game-tying field goal. The game was interrupted three times by fans storming the field. Monson became a grandfather that year, a personal milestone that aligned with the chaotic nature of the contest.

The 2024 game ended with a 22-21 BYU victory following a defensive holding penalty on Utah. Utah athletic director Mark Harlan protested the call and later held an impromptu press conference where he criticized the Big 12 Conference. He acknowledged his wife’s harsh feedback on his reaction, stating, “As much outside criticism as I took for that, none of it was as [fierce] as my wife’s criticism.”

Monson is approaching 50 years of marriage and has 10 grandchildren. He views the upcoming game through the lens of gratitude for his longevity and family. The rivalry game continues to serve as a recurring calendar event that helps individuals measure the passage of their own lives against the backdrop of the sport.