When I moved to Utah 17 years ago this month, I learned that new residents to the Beehive State quickly have to choose a side - red or blue.

Not politically, but in which football team to support: The University of Utah Utes or the Brigham Young University Cougars.

Since I am a fan of my alma mater's team, the University of Washington Huskies, the choice was simple. I hated BYU long before I ever got here.

It goes back to 1984, when I was a junior at the U-Dub. My Huskies had compiled a 9-0 record and took the No. 1 spot in the Associated Press poll, before losing a 16-7 heartbreaker to Southern Cal - who took the Pac-10 title and the Rose Bowl slot. The Huskies rallied by beating their cross-state rival, Washington State, and getting an Orange Bowl berth.

That Orange Bowl was amazing (and here's the Wikipedia account of it). The Huskies held the No. 2 team in the nation, the Oklahoma Sooners, into the fourth quarter. Then there was the infamous play in which a Sooner field goal was nullified - but not before the Sooner Schooner rolled out onto the field, prompting a 15-yard penalty, a blocked field goal, and two Huskies touchdowns in less than a minute. Huskies win, 28-14.

By rights, the Huskies should have been national champions. But, no, the AP voters decided BYU - which went undefeated, although they didn't play any team in the top 25, and their bowl victory was in the who-cares Holiday Bowl - should get the title.

So that's why I hate the BYU Cougars. And that's why on Saturday, when the Cougars go to Seattle to play my Huskies (at 1 p.m. MDT on Fox Sports), I'll be rooting like crazy for the Purple Reign.