Only difference is Utah is more wounded this year than they were in 1996. That year they were bowl eligible early on and were ranked late into the season.

In 1996 both teams had a common opponent immediately before the game. Rice, who happened to be pretty good that year (relative to what Rice usually is).

Two weeks before the game, Utah went to Rice and got shellacked. By like 40 points.

The following week, BYU beat Rice in Provo 49-0.

It was at that point that it became obvious that BYU should beat the crap out of the Utes--the recent common opponent kind of spelled it out. And they did.

This year feels similar with the Arizona game--they lost, we boat raced them.