This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Back in the day, Thanksgiving weekend usually meant a BYU-Utah football game on the Friday or Saturday after the holiday.

For many years, the big tilt was played on the Saturday before the holiday.

Obviously, things have changed, but the Cougars still have a rivalry game this week. They travel to Logan to take on Utah State on Saturday at Maverik Stadium (1:30 p.m. MT, CBS Sports Network).

Here's my article from Monday's BYU football press briefing in which the Cougars (8-3) talked extensively about facing the Aggies (6-5) two days after Thanksgiving.

As usual, there were a lot of interesting comments that I couldn't squeeze into an 18-inch article.

Nothing that could be considered bulletin-board material, but here's more from coach Bronco Mendenhall and receivers Mitch Mathews and Mitchell Juergens:

Mendenhall on the importance of winning in-state games:

"Nothing has changed that way. I think any program, not just BYU, but I think any program, playing well at home is one of the first things that you have to do, and then playing well instate is the second thing you have to do. Playing regionally well, I think that's the next thing. And so I think it all just expands outward."

Mendenhall on USU getting fired up for the game and whether BYU can match their intensity:

"Man, I think any time you focus your emotion only on the opponent, or on whom you are playing, you run the risk of the real highs and the real lows, and not being very consistent. I think one of the things we've done well over a long time at BYU is being very consistent, year in and year out, and winning after winning and bowl game after bowl game, and so what I have learned at BYU is a lot of teams play really hard against us and I don't know if we are targeted necessarily, but just it is a big game, or an emotional game for a lot of people, so the best way I know how to handle it is just really focus on us, and improving our game and the things we can improve and work on. And almost treat the opponents, no matter who it is, kind of like nameless, faceless, and it is just us.

So that has allowed me to be more consistent over the years. And I don't see anything really changing in terms of our approach this week."

Mendenhall on whether USU coach Matt Wells getting $5,000 for beating BYU shows the emphasis the Aggies put on this game:

"Sure. But I also think it is just management. Again, you want to play well at home, and you want to play well within the state and kind of expand it from there. I think that just reflects that, maybe not any more than that in terms of targeting BYU. But I guess it is $5,000 worth."

Mendenhall on any extra motivation this week because of what happened last year vs. USU, with Taysom Hill getting hurt in the second quarter, etc:

"No, there really isn't. And that seems like about 10 years ago. We are trying to get to nine wins and improve our team. Really, anything beyond that no matter how many times I am asked, that's just where it is. But no, I really don't think that way. There have been so many games, and so many things that have happened since then it is hard to even remember."

Juergens on what is at stake:

"The main thing is just finishing strong. We are a good team. We know we are. And any time we play Utah State — we saw it last year — they are going to come out and play hard. So, there is a lot at stake. We have a lot of passionate seniors that really want to finish the season out strong. And to get to those 10 wins, we gotta get No. 9 this week.

It is a big game, and we are going to prepare like it is a really big game."

Juergens on whether he likes finishing with an in-state opponent:

"Yeah, I think it is awesome. Sometimes the season can be hard. It is long. You can get tired. Your bodies wear out. But knowing that the last game is one of those rivalry games, I think it drives a lot of inner motivation for us as a team. No one wants to lose in their home state to finish the season."

Juergens on what they can expect out of USU:

"Honestly, what we can expect is very fast, very athletic and aggressive team. It doesn't matter what they have done in the past, when they come to play BYU it is going to be a lot of passion, a lot of aggression, so we've got to be ready to come out really strong and ready to go. … We are just anticipating a fun, cold, exciting game to finish."

Mathews on his great game against USU two years ago:

"They have always been a rival, but it is more of, I would say, a new rival. BYU-Utah has always been the big rivalry. But they have stepped up their recruiting and they win a lot more games now. Utah State is a really good team. They are good, and rivalry games are always close. So whatever their record is compared to ours doesn't really matter. You throw those aside and play some football because they are going to be good and ready to play."

Mathews on decades of success vs. USU and how they match the emotion that USU will bring:

"They are going to have a chip on their shoulder, and they always will until they are in that category of BYU-Utah. It is all on one plane, but because of that perception, which in my opinion is gone, now in the past few years because they've been great teams. They've beat us. I think that because of our record this year, more people are saying we should beat them because of our record. Whatever it is.

Rivalry game. They have a great team, great players, great coaches. It will be a close one. It will be a good game. Whatever the perception is this year, that will be outside world perception. Not ours. We think they are a great team. We respect the heck out of them, and we gotta come ready to play, for sure."