- The Agricultural College of Utah won the first meeting 12-0 in 1892. After Utah's 33-0 win on Sept. 19, 2026, Utah leads the Battle of the Brothers 81-29-4.
- Utah Football, Utah State Football connect back to Utah State University and the wider football picture.
- The story is backed by 7 sources and a visible last-verified date.
September 27, 2026
September 27, 2026
4 min / 954 words
7 official links
Utah and Utah State first played football on November 25, 1892, in Logan. The Agricultural College of Utah, the school later renamed Utah State University, won 12-0. On September 19, 2026, the programs met for the 114th time, and Utah won 33-0 at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City. Both schools' official records now put Utah's lead in the series at 81 wins, 29 losses and four ties.
Utah State Athletics calls the rivalry the Battle of the Brothers. Its recap of the 2026 game opened by describing "the 114th meeting of the Battle of the Brothers", which matches the 114 games in the official series count.
When did Utah and Utah State first play?
The first game was played on November 25, 1892, in Logan, and the Agricultural College of Utah won 12-0. Utah State's own history describes that game as the first football game, and the first athletic event, in school history.
Utah's records make the same game its starting point. A September 2000 Utah Athletics release stated that Utah's first-ever football game was also against Utah State in Logan in 1892. The same release called the matchup the longest series in Utah football history.
That means the rivalry is as old as football at both schools. Utah leads the overall count comfortably, but the Aggies won the opener.
How often have the teams played?
A September 2000 Utah release previewed the 100th game in the series. Going into that game, Utah led 67-28-4, and the release said the series had been continuous for the most part since 1900. It listed four gaps after 1900: 1908, when no game was scheduled; 1911, when the schools could not agree on how to divide gate receipts; 1918, during World War I; and 1943, during World War II.
The series has been intermittent since 2009. Utah State's opponent-history page lists five meetings after that season: 2012, 2013, 2015, 2024 and 2026. The same page shows Utah State with one win in the last 10 games, dating from September 10, 2005. The one win was a 27-20 overtime victory in Logan on September 7, 2012.
What does the series record look like from each side?
Utah State's opponent-history page gives the Aggies' side of the ledger:
- Overall: 29 wins, 81 losses and four ties
- Longest winning streak: four games, from November 20, 1965, to November 23, 1968
- Longest losing streak: 12 games, from September 5, 1998, to September 3, 2009
- Largest winning margin: 34-0, on November 16, 1974
- Narrowest win: 19-18, on November 18, 1967
Utah's September 19, 2026 postgame notes give the same overall record from the Utes' side: 81 wins, 29 losses and four ties.
What happened in the 2026 meeting?
Utah beat Utah State 33-0 at Rice-Eccles Stadium on September 19, 2026. According to Utah's postgame notes, the game kicked off at 1:43 p.m. MT and drew 51,455, the 98th straight sellout at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Utah State's opponent-history page shows Utah scoring 16 points in the first quarter, 10 in the second and seven in the third.
Quarterback Devon Dampier completed 22 of 32 passes for 253 yards and two touchdowns. Wide receiver Braden Pegan caught eight passes for 122 yards and two touchdowns, tying his career highs in catches and touchdowns. His 28-yard touchdown catch finished Utah's opening drive. Running back Daniel Bray added a 63-yard rushing touchdown, Utah's longest play of the season to that point.
The shutout was Utah's first against Utah State since 2006, when the Utes won 48-0 in Logan. The win also made head coach Morgan Scalley 4-0 in charge of the Utes. Utah's postgame notes say he is the first Utah head coach since Jim Fassel in 1985 to win his first four games.
Utah State's recap said the Aggies "could not keep up with No. 17 Utah." The loss extended the Aggies' streak in the series to four straight defeats, according to their opponent-history page.
What is the Beehive Boot?
The Beehive Boot is a separate in-state trophy that also involved BYU. KSL reported on October 5, 2021, that in its later years the award was decided by the round-robin results among Utah, BYU and Utah State, with a media vote when teams finished level.
According to that report, BYU won the Boot 22 times, Utah 15 times and Utah State nine times. Utah State won the first four editions, from 1971 to 1974. KSL also reported that the trophy had not been awarded since 2016, when Utah claimed it with a 20-19 win over BYU, helped by Utah State's 28-10 win over the Cougars.
The Battle of the Brothers is the two-school series. The Beehive Boot was a statewide prize that the two-school games helped decide.
What conference is Utah State in now?
The Pac-12 admitted Utah State effective July 1, 2026, with competition in all conference sports beginning in the 2026-27 academic year. The Pac-12 and Utah State announced the move on September 24, 2024, so the 2026 meeting came in the Aggies' first season in the conference.
For team pages, see Utah football and Utah State football.
Key facts:
- First meeting: November 25, 1892, in Logan; the Agricultural College of Utah won 12-0
- First game for both schools: Utah State calls it its first football game; Utah's 2000 release says the same of the Utes
- 2026 meeting: Utah won 33-0 at Rice-Eccles Stadium on September 19, the 114th game in the series
- Series record through September 19, 2026: Utah leads 81-29-4
- Utah State's last win: 27-20 in overtime in Logan on September 7, 2012
- Beehive Boot: a statewide trophy contested in its later years by BYU, Utah and Utah State; KSL reported in 2021 that it had not been awarded since 2016
