Saturday's Utah-BYU game has been sold out for months in anticipation it would be one in which the conference title and possibly more would be at stake for the rivals.

Both teams have done their share to make it as big as hoped. The Utes (11-0, 7-0) rolled over San Diego State 63-14 Saturday at Qualcomm Stadium only a few hours after the Cougars (10-1, 6-1) beat Air Force 38-24.

If Utah's game against TCU was the biggest ever in Rice-Eccles Stadium based on the teams' rankings, then Saturday's game against No. 16 BYU is just as big, if not bigger considering the emotions linked to the game. Only once before have the teams met when both were ranked, back in 1994 when No. 21 Utah upset No. 20 BYU 34-31.

Add the BCS implications to the Utes' desire to avenge their two heart-breaking losses to the Cougars and Saturday's game looks like one of those games in which you save the ticket stub so you can prove you were one of the lucky ones who saw it in person.

"The atmosphere this week will be unlike anything any of us have seen before," Utah quarterback Brian Johnson said.

Utah's win over the Aztecs (1-10, 0-7) earned the Utes at least a part of the Mountain West Conference championship, but the celebration of such an achievement was all but ignored from the players and fans alike.

Instead, chants of "BCS, BCS" and "Beat BYU" came from Utah's fans at the end of Saturday's game as the players raised their arms in acknowledgment.

"This win guaranteed us part of the championship, but it isn't what we're going for, obviously," receiver Bradon Godfrey said. "We want it solo and we have business to take care of. . . . The beginning of the season the talk has been of BYU. We had it in the back of our minds and it's finally here. We have one more shot at them. No last-minute miracles. My senior year we are putting them down."

Any nervous thoughts that San Diego State might ruin Utah's perfect record and the hype of rivalry week were eased almost immediately Saturday when San Diego State's Tyler Campbell fumbled on the Aztecs' second play of the game and Utah defender Koa Misi recovered the ball on Utah's 47-yard line.

The Utes easily drove down the field with Johnson throwing a 2-yard touchdown pass to Colt Sampson.

That 7-play, 53-yard drive was indicative of the kind of night the Utes were going to have against the Aztecs. Barely competitive when healthy, the injury-riddled Aztecs couldn't muster the perfect plays and the emotionally-driven football they needed to upend the Utes.

Instead, Saturday's game merely served as a tune-up and confidence-builder for Utah.

Utah's offense, which was stuck on 13 points in wins against New Mexico and TCU, scored at ease against the Aztecs. Johnson finished with five touchdown passes, one short of the school record.

Granted the performance came against the Aztecs, considered one of the worst teams in college football this season. However the strong offensive showing from the start was notable because the Utes didn't take advantage of such opportunities in games early this year.

Utah took care of all the chances they were given Saturday, and now this team has the biggest opportunity of all ahead of it.

"It's good to finally get a piece of that title," defender Greg Newman said. "Now with one game left, all our focus is on the Cougars. It's going to be a huge game. I can't wait to get into that game. We've all been politically correct and focused, but it's been in the back of our minds all season long building to this game. It's going to be something special."

lwodraska@sltrib.com