But those with sweeter dispositions know that ice cream is the most exciting battle that takes place between the Aggies and Cougars.

Both Utah schools have had campus creameries for decades, allowing them to create their own brand of dairy products. The two schools are among 15 colleges nationwide that still make their own sweet, creamy treat for students, alumni and devoted fans.

Which Utah school makes the "best" ice cream has been the subject of a friendly debate for decades.

"They make a good ice cream," USU professor and dairy processing director Don McMahon said of his colleagues to the south, "just not as good as Aggie ice cream."

"And if BYU officials follow their honor code, "he said tongue-in-cheek, "they would say the same thing."

Not only is BYU ice cream "just a little bit better," explained Dean Wright, director of BYU dining services, it has divine powers.

The football team carried BYU ice cream to their college bowl games in 2006 and 2007 in Las Vegas. Both times the Cougars were victorious, he said. "The proof is on the field as to how great our ice cream is."

The top-selling ice cream on each campus mirrors the personality of the students who attend.

At USU, where students aren1t afraid to mix things up, the number one seller for the last three years has been the Aggie Blue Mint. This blue ice cream has pieces of Oreo cookies and white chocolate mixed in.

"We sell three times more of that than vanilla," said McMahon.

The favorite at BYU, where students proudly wear the conservative label, is LaVell Vanilla - named after the school1s legendary football coach, LaVell Edwards.

"I don't know if it's because our students are vanilla and plain, but they like their ice cream that way," said Wright, who noted that most BYU students aren1t really that boring, they eat the vanilla topped with fresh fruit, nuts or crushed candy bars.

At both schools, the second most popular ice cream is a variation of chocolate.

At USU, it is Aggie Bull Tracks, named after the school mascot. The ice cream includes peanut butter cups and a caramel swirl. At BYU, it is Ernestly Chocolate, which has marshmallow and caramel swirls and mini chocolate-coated caramel cups. It's named after Ernest Wilkinson, the school's president from 1951 to 1971.

For both schools, the secret to rich, creamy ice cream is fresh local milk and butter fat. USU gets its milk from its dairy farm in Cache Valley, while BYU purchases milk from Utah County dairy farmers. Besides ice cream, the schools use the milk to make cheese and yogurt.

Most supermarket varieties of ice cream have about 10 percent butter fat, but both USU, at 12 percent, and BYU, at 14 percent, rise to the level of "premium" ice cream.

Timeless tradition. For both USU and BYU, ice cream is more than just a dessert. It is a prized tradition that plays a big part in the university culture.

Students visit the on-campus shops - the only place it's available - when they want to celebrate a good grade or to console themselves after a lost love.

Alumni come to remember the good old days. Those who live far away have been known to have the ice cream shipped to away games and parties. Fans come to show school spirit.

On a recent morning at the BYU Creamery on Ninth, for example, customers included a young couple sharing a single cup of chocolate ice cream, a table of construction workers and Stan and Karen Albrecht, of La Habra, Calif., along with six of their 10 children. The ice cream was a "good-bye" treat before taking their son, Jay, to the LDS church's Missionary Training Center nearby.

"Their grandparents met at BYU in the 1950s," said Karen Albrecht, "and our four oldest children have attended school here."

It's a similar story at USU.

"We came all the way from Germany to eat Aggie ice cream," explained Joyce Pugmire, as she finished off her chocolate almond ice cream.

Her husband, Roy, grew up near Bear Lake and they were in Logan visiting family. A trip to the Aggie Ice Cream store was required before heading home.

"I graduated from BYU and I don1t remember the ice cream being that special," said Roy Pugmire. "Aggie ice cream, now that1s a tradition."

Kathy Stephenson writes about food and dining. Contact her at kathys@sltrib.com or 801-257-8612.

Facts about Utah's collegiate ice cream

Utah State University, Logan

* As the state's agricultural college, USU's dairy history dates back nearly a century. The dairy processing facility was designed as a teaching and research laboratory for students, the ice cream is just a sweet byproduct.

* USU makes about 1,000 gallons of ice cream a week. It also makes its own cheese and yogurt.

* The most popular flavors are "Aggie Blue Mint" a blue ice cream with pieces of Oreo cookie and white chocolate; and "Aggie Bull Tracks," chocolate ice cream with peanut butter cups and caramel swirls.

* The founders of Snelgrove1s learned to make ice cream at Utah State University.

Brigham Young University, Provo

* BYU has been making ice cream since 1948. The College of Agriculture had a dairy herd and it needed to do something with the milk.

* BYU Dining Services makes about 200,000 gallons of ice cream annually.

* The most popular flavors are LaVell Vanilla, and Ernestly chocolate, with marshmallow and caramel swirls and mini chocolate-coated caramel cups

* The BYU creamery is currently under construction so some of the favorite flavors may not be available. The project will provide updated equipment and enhanced production capabilities.