My Top 8 Favorite Aggie Rivals

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

These are my favorite teams to see come into the Spectrum:

#8. Hawaii.

This isn't so much of a rivalry as the Rainbows rarely win on the mainland and the Aggies can win on the Islands, but there have been a lot of good games played between these two. Including the unforgettable "We Shot The Lights Out" Big Monday game a few years back

#7. Pacific

This one would be higher if the two teams still played each other every year. This old Big West rivalry used to be played for conference supremacy at least twice a year. Highlights from this one include the heartbreaking Pacific "overrated" comeback in the Spectrum and the Aggie redemption in the Big West Tourney Championship game lead by freshman and Big West Tournament MVP Jaycee Carroll.

#6. UVSC

This is more of a personal rivalry for me. These two in-state teams have only met three teams, and all came up in favor of USU. But after a weekend roadie to Orem and some poor treatment from the UVSC faithful (all 3 of them) I've always had a personal vendetta against this wannabe BYU school.

#5. Boise State

This is another up and coming rivalry in the WAC. Boise used to be a doormat in basketball until Coby Karl came along and brought the team to respectability. Then came the epic USU comeback in the Spectrum in 06-07 coming back from 9 down with just over a minute to go. Last year the Aggies played beat them twice in the regular season including in Boise on their senior night to rob them of an outright WAC title only to lose the Bronco's in the 2nd round of the WAC tourney. If Boise can keep up their program after graduating 4/5th of the starting lineup this could be a great rivalry

#4. University of Utah

For some reason I've never had the same hate in my heart for the U of U as I do for some of the others on the list but this rivalry always brings a great game to the Spectrum. An eventual sweet 16 Utah team led by future number 1 overall draft pick Andrew Bogut was embarrassed 71-45 in the Spectrum, and just 2 years ago Chaz Spicer showed a glimpse of things to come that season by hitting a jab-step 3 to beat the Utes.

#3. New Mexico State University

The All-Aggie WAC rivalry is one that rates high for the quality of teams playing in it. New Mexico for all their flaws and troubles always brings in a good team and is tough to beat in Las Cruces and it usually turns out to be a classic. Some highlights from this series are Jaycee Carroll's 44 points in the Spectrum against NMSU in 05-06 leading then head coach Reggie Theus to say to the crowd "What an ass kicking!" after the game, the Reggie Theus pictures and look-a-like contest and Tyrone Nelson's pizza boy chants which gave birth to the idea of the Refraction.

#2. Nevada

Even with all those good games against the southern Aggies there is no team in the WAC I'd rather play then Nevada. Always a quality opponent with potential pro players on the roster they are the class of the conference. And nobody will ever forget the night the Aggies beat #9 Nevada in OT 79-77 in the Spectrum.

#1 BYU

To be honest this list never had a chance of having a different number 1 team. I dislike the Cougars as much as humanly possible. From Austin Ainge telling the crowd that his name isn't Danny, to the ushers in Provo telling the Aggie crowd to cheer positively only, to the ultimate disrespect of Coach Rose pulling out of playing the Aggies in Logan I can't think of any positives to talk about. I hate the Y.

2 comments:

  1. Anonymous said...

    I have personally enjoyed the New Mexico State rivalry the best. As much as I hate BYU, the NMSU games have meant more in terms of standings and post-season play.

    And who didn't absolutely love Reggie?

    Man, I miss that guy.

  2. jill said...

    I've been to all of these games and have most of these teams/games listed as my top favorites as well.

    good list!

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