Utah confident, but cautious going into matchup against BYU

SALT LAKE CITY — With nine days to prepare, the University of Utah turned its focus to rival BYU Thursday.

“It will be fun,” safety Chase Hansen said following Utah’s 37-16 win over North Dakota Thursday. Hansen’s comment was made as if holding something back — a sort of hesitancy to overhype a game that needs no more emotion. In an almost afterthought, he muttered under his breath: “They’re a good team.”

Hansen, like most of the players involved in the heated rivalry over the years, doesn't need to be told how big of a game the BYU matchup is. Since the two programs split from the Mountain West Conference, the rivalry game has taken on a different life, but still important in what is a…