We're in the final day as a member of the Mountain West Conference. It's a conference Utah helped form and one that provided a great deal of memories.
What are your favorite conference games of the last 11 years?
Some of my personal favorites after the jump...
BYU in 1999 - The Cougars were ranked and a win away from wrapping up the inaugural outright conference championship. Utah needed a win to claim a share of the title. With a lot on the line, the Utes go down to Provo and eek out a three-point win over BYU.
CSU in 2003 - Entering the 2003 season, the Rams were the top program in the Mountain West's short history. No team had, up until that point, sustained success quite like Colorado State. So going on the road and knocking off the Rams early in the conference season really set the foundation for Utah's first outright title in a generation.
Air Force in 2003 - Not many teams, early in the conference's history, had Utah's number quite like the Falcons. Prior to the '03 game, Air Force had only lost once to the Utes in seven years. The series changed, however, with a double overtime win in Colorado Springs and Utah has lost to them only once since. This game really locked up the conference for Utah, who had fallen to New Mexico a week earlier.
BYU in 2003 - 3-0, 'nuff said.
CSU in 2004 - I hated playing CSU in the 90s and early 00s. They never dominated Utah - but they almost always found a way to win the close ones. In 2002, Utah lost by eight. In 2001, they lost by two. In 2000 and 1999, they lost by seven. So to go out and completely embarrass Colorado State in Salt Lake City was a thing of beauty. I loved every second of it. I loved that Sonny Lubick felt Urban Meyer ran up the score when he put Alex Smith back in the game with Utah leading very comfortably. I grinned throughout that entire humiliation.
BYU in 2004 - GameDay. Perfect season. Busting the BCS - all against your bitter rival? And you dominate? Yes, please!
BYU in 2005 - No one gave Utah a chance in this game and they went down to Provo and won in a classic overtime thriller.
TCU in 2006 - The Frogs finished 11-2 that season - with one of those losses coming to the meh 8-5 Utah Utes.
Air Force in 2006 - I wonder how many people remember Louie Sakoda's game-winning field goal as time expired? The look on Fisher DeBerry's face after the kick sailed through the uprights still makes me giddy.
Utes defeat Air Force on a last second kick! (via JazzyUte)
TCU in 2007 - Fun fact: this game marks the last time TCU lost at home.
UNLV in 2008 - Simply for revenge.
TCU in 2008 - Just a classic game with a classic finish.
Utes defeat #11 TCU in the final minute (via JazzyUte)
BYU in 2008 - Just like in '04, but against a better BYU team.
Utes crush BYU, earn second BCS bid in five seasons! (via JazzyUte)
BYU in 2010 - Can you say BLOCK? I knew you could!
Brandon Burton's Game Winning Blocked Field Goal vs. BYU in 2010 (via UtahUtesHighlights)
What's your favorite memory(ies)?