A great rivalry in sports usually consists of two teams from a similar locale that have a history of success. Red Sox/Yankees, Ohio State/Michigan, and Duke/North Carolina are some of the most notable rivalries that are always fun to watch. Each year the game is anticipated by both sides as being one that will certainly thrill and cause greater devotion to the team.
The buildup to these games is always entertaining. Stories are told from both sides as to why an individual is a fan of one team or the other. Allegiance is shown by painting faces, hanging a stuffed version of the opposing mascot on a stick, and tailgating with other uber fans.
Utah's biggest rivalry is in college football: Brigham Young University against the University of Utah. This game has all the right characteristics. The teams are located within a half hour of each other, and both teams have had their share of success on the national level. But with this rivalry, those things rarely matter when opposing fans interact.
From BYU's perspective: The University of Utah is full of heathens. All they do up there in Salt Lake City is party, party, party. They enter to party and go forth to party. The majority of their students applied to BYU and didn't get in (suckers...). And for that, we must beat them.
From Utah's perspective: BYU is a bunch of self-righteous kids who don't know what it's like in the "real world". They can't have beards or drink caffeine because it's against their honor code. They are a bunch of robots who can't make any decisions on their own. And for that, we must beat them.
Both sides sound ridiculous--absolutely ridiculous. The game is no longer about a sports rivalry, but the way each fan base chooses to live their lives (which may or may not be accurate). Every year I look forward to that game, and every year the same banter gets thrown back and forth.
To the University of Utah fans: Shut up about BYU's honor code. That's the way it is, so deal with it. It has no effect on the football field, so quit discussing it. You're not better than them because you can have a beard on campus. BYU is a great school.
To the BYU fans: Shut up about your school being the "Lord's school". Every school has its share of "partying"--yours included. Living an honor code doesn't make you better than anybody else. The University of Utah is a great school.
"But Brad, isn't that what makes a rivalry fun?"
No. It makes you sound like an idiot. A fun rivalry is about past success, current players that will be difference-makers, and travelling by the bus-load to the opposing city to cheer for your team. When a football game is more about perceived opposing lifestyles than opposing teams, the outcome of the game is irrelevant.