Holy War Chess: The BYU–Utah Rivalry, Played Out on a Chessboard

Grandpa has worn the same faded 1984 shirt to every rivalry game for forty years. Across the board, the Superfan Aunt is ringing a cowbell she was asked to put away in 2011. Somewhere between them, a Cougar Tail is about to be captured by a shirtless guy in red body paint who is very, very cold.

Welcome to Holy War Chess, a free rivalry chess game where Blue (Provo) and Red (Salt Lake) fans are the pieces, every capture comes with a little trash talk, and every game you play counts toward a public fan scoreboard that freezes at kickoff. It is also now the annual Weak Things game: it comes back every rivalry season, so the family argument has a new place to happen each fall.

This guide covers the game with screenshots, the history behind the BYU–Utah Holy War, the numbers, a controversy from nearly every era, and why the 2026 game has both fan bases watching the calendar. We picked no side. The chessboard doesn't either.

Contents

1. The annual Weak Things game
2. Why they call it the Holy War
3. The Holy War by the numbers
4. A controversy for almost every era
5. The 2026 Holy War: why the wait feels long
6. Meet the fans on the board
7. The trash talk
8. How the fan scoreboard works
9. House Divided: one family, two colors
10. So who is going to win?
11. Questions people ask

The annual Weak Things game

Every family in Utah seems to have at least one mixed marriage. Not that kind. The kind where one spouse owns a closet of royal blue and the other owns a closet of crimson, and Thanksgiving gets a little tense in years when the game goes the wrong way.

Holy War Chess was built for those families. It takes everything people love about the rivalry (the food, the traffic, the stadium blankets, the radio callers, the arguing) and puts it on a chessboard where nobody gets hurt and everybody gets roasted equally. Each fall, Weak Things brings it back as our annual game: the board opens in rivalry season, the fan scoreboard runs until kickoff, and the bragging rights start over the next year.

It plays like real chess. The game only allows legal moves and highlights where each piece can go, so a nine-year-old can play Grandpa and actually have a shot.

Why they call it the Holy War

BYU and the University of Utah sit about 45 miles apart along the Wasatch Front, and their football teams have met nearly every year for more than a century. BYU is owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, while Utah is a public university with a large Latter-day Saint minority, and that contrast is where the nickname comes from, according to the rivalry's Wikipedia entry.

The name itself is younger than most fans think. Local sports-talk radio hosts started calling the BYU–Utah game the Holy War in the 1990s, and the name spread nationally between 2003 and 2008, when the winner usually also took the Mountain West title (Wikipedia).

Even the start date is disputed. Utah counts the first game as April 6, 1896, when BYU was still Brigham Young Academy. BYU counts from October 14, 1922, and leaves out six games played in the 1890s, which the two schools split 3–3 (BYU Athletics; The Daily Universe). So the two sides can't even agree how many times they've played, which tells you most of what you need to know.

The schools shared a conference from 1922 to 2010. Utah left for the Pac-12 in 2011 while BYU went independent, the series paused in 2014, 2020, 2022 and 2023, and the two met again as Big 12 rivals in 2024 (Wikipedia).

The Holy War by the numbers

Stat	The numbers
Games played	103 by Utah's count, 97 by BYU's count
All-time series	Utah leads 62–37–4 (Utah's count) or 59–34–4 (BYU's count)
Current streak	BYU has won 3 straight (2021, 2024, 2025)
Longest win streaks	9 games each: BYU 1979–1987; Utah 1929–1937 and 2010–2019
Last two games	22–21 (2024) and 24–21 (2025), a combined 4 points apart
Biggest margin	50 points: BYU 56, Utah 6 (1980)
Most points by Utah	57, in the 57–28 "Rice Bowl" (1988)
Highest-scoring game	101 combined points: BYU 70, Utah 31 (1989)
Undefeated seasons that ran through this game	BYU 13–0 in 1984 (consensus national champion); Utah 12–0 in 2004 and 13–0 in 2008
Rice-Eccles attendance record	54,383, set at the 2024 Holy War

Sources: Holy War (BYU–Utah), Wikipedia; ESPN 2025 box score. Records are through the October 18, 2025 game.

Both sides get a brag out of that table, and the pieces in the game wear them. Blue pawns wear 84 for 1984. Red pawns wear 08 for 2008, the season Utah finished 13–0 and beat Alabama in the Sugar Bowl (Utah Athletics).

A controversy for almost every era

Some rivalries have a famous game. This one has a famous argument nearly every decade, and each side has been on both ends of them. In chronological order, with no editorializing (that's what the trash talk is for):

• 1977, the record and the "crusade": BYU coach LaVell Edwards put quarterback Marc Wilson back in a 38–8 game so he could set an NCAA passing record (571 yards). Utah coach Wayne Howard said beating BYU would become a "crusade," and Utah won 23–22 the next year (Wikipedia).
• 1980, the scoreboard point: after a late touchdown in BYU's 56–6 win, Jim McMahon pointed at the scoreboard in reply to heckling from Utah fans (Wikipedia).
• 1993, the goalpost: Chris Yergensen's 55-yard field goal gave Utah a 34–31 win in Provo, its first there in 22 seasons. Utah fans and players went for the goalpost, BYU players came back out to protect it, and a BYU player's postgame remark about Utah fans became a story of its own (Wikipedia; Sports Illustrated).
• 1998, "the Kaneshiro Doink": a late BYU field goal hit the upright, a 95-yard Utah kickoff return had already cut the lead to two, and BYU held on 26–24 (Wikipedia).
• 2006, "Harline is still open": with three seconds left, John Beck scrambled and found Jonny Harline alone in the end zone for a 33–31 BYU win in Salt Lake City (Sports Illustrated).
• 2007, fourth-and-18: trailing 10–9 and facing fourth-and-18 deep in its own territory, BYU completed a 49-yard pass and went on to win 17–10 (Sports Illustrated).
• 2009, the overtime and the quote: BYU won 26–23 in overtime, then quarterback Max Hall said he hated Utah, its program and its fans. He said his family had been mistreated at the previous year's game, and he apologized two days later (ESPN; Deseret News).
• 2010, the knee and the block: replay seemed to show a BYU defender's knee down before he fumbled an interception, but the call stood. Utah scored to go up 17–16, then blocked BYU's game-winning field goal attempt with four seconds left (Sports Illustrated).
• 2012, three field stormings: Utah fans rushed the field three times in the final seconds, drawing two penalties. BYU's last field goal try then hit the upright, and Utah won 24–21 (Sports Illustrated).
• 2016, going for two: BYU scored late and went for a two-point conversion and the win instead of the tie. It came up short, and Utah won 20–19 (Wikipedia).
• 2018, the comeback: down 27–7, Utah rallied in the fourth quarter for its ninth straight win in the series (Sports Illustrated).
• 2024, the holding call: Utah sacked BYU's quarterback on fourth down late, but a defensive holding penalty kept the drive alive, and BYU kicked a 44-yard field goal with four seconds left to win 22–21. Utah's athletic director criticized the officiating and was fined $40,000 by the Big 12, while former NFL referee Terry McAulay said the call was correct (USA Today; Wikipedia).
• 2025, "a Bear on the loose": Utah outgained BYU by more than 100 yards, but BYU freshman Bear Bachmeier ran 22 yards through a pile of defenders for the go-ahead score in a 24–21 BYU win (KSL Sports; Wikipedia).

Count them up and you get the real Holy War tradition: one side insists the other got lucky, and the other side insists luck had nothing to do with it. Holy War Chess has a piece for that. He's called the Sports-Talk Radio Caller, and he's on hold right now.

The 2026 Holy War: why the wait feels long

The 2026 game is Saturday, November 7, at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City. It is not on rivalry weekend this year; it falls four weeks before the regular season ends (Yahoo Sports).

There is plenty for both sides to watch:

• Both teams started unbeaten. BYU went 3–0 through September and Utah went 4–0, and both are ranked (CBS Sports, BYU; ESPN, Utah).
• A new head coach in Salt Lake. Kyle Whittingham stepped down after 21 seasons, and longtime defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley is coaching his first Holy War as Utah's head coach (KSL; ESPN).
• A streak on the line. BYU is going for a fourth straight win in the series. Utah is at home in front of the crowd that set the stadium attendance record in 2024 (Wikipedia).
• The margins keep shrinking. The last two games were decided by one point and three points.

That's a lot of weeks to wait with nothing to argue about. That's where the chessboard comes in.

Meet the fans on the board

No players, no coaches, no mascots and no logos. The pieces are the fans everybody recognizes from every tailgate on either side of Point of the Mountain. Tap "Meet the fans" in the game to read each one's scouting report.

A few fans to watch

• Season-Ticket Grandpa (Blue king): same seat since 1984, stadium blanket, seat cushion and a firm plan to leave early to beat traffic.
• The Big Booster (Red king): just bought a new building, and he would like you to know it has his name on it.
• Tailgate Mom (Blue queen): runs the whole tailgate with a crockpot of funeral potatoes and matching family shirts. The most powerful piece on the board, as in real life.
• The Superfan Aunt (Red queen): red wig, cowbell, no indoor voice. Never sits down.
• The Cougar Tail Kid (Blue knight): carries 15 inches of maple bar in one hand and a chocolate milk in the other.
• The Shirtless Painted Guy (Red knight): it is November. He is aware. He doesn't care.
• The Third-Date Couple (Blue bishop): not watching the game. Will be engaged by the fourth quarter.
• The Sports-Talk Radio Caller (Red bishop): first-time caller, long-time hater, already blaming the refs.

The trash talk

In Trash Talk mode, every capture pauses the game for a one-liner, and some captures get a bonus line. Every phone in a family game sees the same joke at the same time, which is the point. The roasts are split evenly. Here is a sample from each side.

And a few lines both sides can agree on:

• "Fun fact: these two can't even agree how many times they've played. Utah says 103. BYU says 97. Both say they won the argument."
• "Both sides agree on exactly one thing: fry sauce."
• "Stalemate. Nobody wins, everybody's mad. So, a normal rivalry week."
• "Red has requested a rematch on Sunday. Blue has respectfully declined."

Want regular chess? Tap Quick Play, or turn trash talk off at any time without ending the game.

How the fan scoreboard works

The small scoreboard at the top of the game page (and on the Weak Things homepage) keeps a running Blue vs. Red count from every game played, everywhere, until kickoff.

• Pick your fans, not your color. Before each game, every player taps Blue fan or Red fan. You score for the side you cheer for, no matter which color pieces you play. Two Provo fans can play each other and both still help Blue.
• A point for playing. Each player earns a point for their fans after two moves each. You don't have to finish to count.
• A bonus point for winning. At checkmate, the winner chooses which fans get the bonus point. Give it to the other side and the game will tell you, "Very generous. Grandpa is confused."
• Fair limits. Each device can only add points so fast, so nobody can run up the score with a script. Draws earn no bonus.
• The board freezes at kickoff on November 7. Whatever it says then is the fans' final score for the year.

House Divided: one family, two colors

This is the mode for in-laws, roommates and mixed-loyalty marriages.

1. Open the game on a TV or laptop. Choose Family Play, then House Divided, then Create game.
2. Everyone scans the code on their phone and picks Blue or Red. No accounts needed.
3. Play as teams. Each turn, the game picks a teammate at random to make the move, so the youngest cousin may end up deciding the game.
4. Share the win card so the losing side never hears the end of it.

Two houses? Choose Family Play 1 vs 1 and text the code. It works for a brother-in-law in Lehi playing a brother-in-law in Sandy just as well as it works across the kitchen table.

So who is going to win?

Honestly? We don't know, and we're not saying even if we did.

Here is what we do know. The series lead belongs to one side, and the current streak belongs to the other. One fan base has a 1984 shirt in the closet, the other has a 2008 shirt right next to it. The last two games came down to the final minutes. And until kickoff, the only Holy War score anyone can change is the one on the chessboard.

So that's the question. Not just who wins on November 7, but who wins the fan scoreboard first. Will Blue fans show up in numbers? Will Red fans rally the group chat? Will Grandpa leave early to beat traffic? (Yes. He always does.)

Pick your side, play a game, and keep it on the board. The best rivalries are the ones where you can sit next to each other at Thanksgiving afterward.

Play Holy War Chess free

Questions people ask

Is Holy War Chess free?

Yes. It plays in any web browser on a phone, tablet or computer, with no app, no account and no login.

Do I need to know how to play chess?

It helps, but the game only allows legal moves and highlights where each piece can go. Start on Easy against the computer, or play 2 players on one device with someone who knows the rules.

How does the fan scoreboard count points?

Each player picks Blue fan or Red fan before the game. Every player earns a point for their own fans after two moves each, and the winner chooses which fans get a bonus point. The scoreboard freezes at kickoff on November 7.

Can two fans of the same team play each other?

Yes. Points go to the side you cheer for, not the color you play, so two Blue fans or two Red fans can play each other and still score for their own side.

When is the 2026 Holy War?

BYU plays at Utah on Saturday, November 7, 2026, at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City.

Who leads the Holy War series?

Utah leads the all-time series, 62–37–4 by Utah's count or 59–34–4 by BYU's count, because the schools disagree on whether six games from the 1890s count. BYU has won the last three meetings.

Is this an official BYU or University of Utah game?

No. Holy War Chess is an independent fan parody made by Weak Things. It uses colors, cities and fan stereotypes only, with no school names, logos, mascots, players or coaches in the game.

Will Holy War Chess come back next year?

Yes. It is the annual Weak Things game, and it returns each rivalry season with a fresh fan scoreboard.

Pick your side and play

Keep reading and playing

• Book of Mormon Chess: the same chess engine, with 80 Book of Mormon characters and a story after every capture
• Family Showdown: a team game for family night, with play on phones
• Family Home Evening Games Teens Will Actually Play
• All Weak Things games, free for families, youth and classes

Holy War Chess is an independent fan parody made by Weak Things, a small family business. It is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by Brigham Young University, the University of Utah, the Big 12 Conference or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. "Holy War" is used here as the common nickname for the rivalry. Statistics are from the linked sources and run through the 2025 game. Found a mistake? Tell us.