BYU vs. Utah: Pressure is on Y.

Provo » They've got a seasoned senior quarterback and the most prolific running back in school history. Their All-American tight end is going to be the school's all-time leading pass-catcher, seven seniors are starting on defense, and they are playing at home.

They are going against a team that was supposed to be reloading after an undefeated season, playing with a freshman quarterback.

If the BYU Cougars are ever going to defeat the Utah Utes, this is the year, isn't it?

Seemingly, the pressure to deliver a win in the annual rivalry game -- kickoff is at 3 p.m. Saturday at LaVell Edwards Stadium -- is squarely riding on the shoulders of the No. 18 Cougars and quarterback Max Hall, especially after he was intercepted five times in last year's 48-24 loss.

Sports talk radio callers say so, as do newspaper columnists and the majority of posters on internet message boards.

But not the Cougars.

Getting them to acknowledge that this might be their last, best chance to beat the Utes in several years is more difficult than getting a Ute fan to admit the 1984 national championship was deserved.

"I don't think there is any more pressure on one team or the other," said defensive end Jan Jorgensen one of BYU's 12 starting seniors. "I think we are going into this game very even, just with the expectations, with the level of play of both teams. I think it is a very even

Added tight end Dennis Pitta, who needs just two catches to pass Austin Collie for most receptions by a Cougar ever: "They've got a lot of seniors on their team, too. And that will be their last shot to beat us. So I wouldn't say we have more pressure than them, or they have more pressure than us. It is a football game, and both teams have a lot of pressure to go out and play well and win."

A lot can change from game to game (remember the Brett Ratliff-led Utah win in 2005?), let alone year-to-year, but it appears that the Cougars will be in a reloading mode next season, while the Utes will be seasoned at the right positions with freshman quarterback Jordan Wynn and several other emerging stars such as Eddie Wide, Devonte Christopher and Luke Matthews.

Of course, the Utes get BYU and TCU at home next year, too.

No matter, says Jorgensen.

"It doesn't matter who is coming back, doesn't matter what happens, the game is always a close game. It doesn't matter who is back from the year before. You can throw records or whoever is in there out the window. It is going to be a tough game every single year," he said.

The Cougars will replace Hall with either Utah State transfer Riley Nelson or incoming freshman Jake Heaps (returned missionaries Jason Munns and James Lark will also be in the mix). They will be terribly inexperienced at linebacker -- not good for a 3-4 defense -- and free safety, with Scott Johnson graduating and freshman backup Craig Bills expected to leave on an LDS Church mission.

They will get some help from other returned missionaries, though, guys such as DT Eathyn Manumaleua, TEs Austin Holt and Devin Mahina, and OLs Walter Kahaiali'i and Manaaki Vaitai.

BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall isn't buying claims that there is more pressure on the Cougars, either.

"I think those [pressure-inducing] scenarios are what you make of them, and what you dwell on," he said "Certainly, if I had my choice, I would rather have a senior quarterback on my team than a freshman on any team that I coach, just by experience.

"But we are playing a good team, so really the focus just is on how well I can help our team get prepared, how well I can get them to execute, how well I can frame this opportunity for them to really have a great time."

For BYU, only one senior quarterback, Kevin Feterik, has lost to Utah since 1970. Ty Detmer, Steve Sarkisian, Brandon Doman and John Beck all delivered wins over the Utes, putting even more pressure on Hall and his teammates on Saturday afternoon.

Or so it would seem.

"With both of us coming in 9-2 this year, I think it is an equal-weighted pressure," BYU linebacker Matt Bauman said. "We are both trying to set ourselves up for great years next year as well, and trying to do well in the conference and finish as high as we can there. So we are both in the same spot right now."

drew@sltrib.com