Alta vs Bingham Football Rivalry
Black and Blue Classic · 31 meetings · Marquee
Alta leads 17–14 — 31 meetings since 1978. This one wasn't built by a boundary line — it was built by championships.
How it started
This one wasn't built by a boundary line — it was built by championships. Alta is in Sandy, Bingham in South Jordan, on opposite sides of the south end of the valley, and the series only really becomes a rivalry after 2000. The name refers to the schools' colors and to how the game is played. The first year the two met is not documented.
The games that made it
The 2008 5A championship is the one that set it: Alta came from eleven down in the fourth quarter to beat Bingham, and a Bingham player said afterward that the loss "haunts you every time you see an Alta kid." On August 25, 2012 Alta won 17-16 at Rice-Eccles Stadium, ending a four-game skid in the series. Alta won again 23-13 at Bingham on August 21, 2025.
Traditions
The game outgrew both campuses and moved to Rice-Eccles Stadium at the University of Utah; a 2009 meeting at Bingham was expected to draw more than 10,000. Players on both sides have gone out of their way to talk about mutual respect.
Where it stands
Between 2004 and 2014 the two played annually and sometimes twice a season, often for the state title — from 2006 to 2009 they combined for five straight championships. The series then lapsed when realignment separated them. Coaches Blake Burdette (Alta) and Josh Johnson (Bingham) agreed to renew it in 2024, and it is now scheduled annually as an August non-region game.
On the record
A separately published figure has 16–14 (Deseret News, 2025-08-21). The two figures are not blended. Reported after the August 21, 2025 meeting.
What we could not find
First year played. Who coined the name and when. The exact years the series lapsed.
Both programs
| Program | 2026 | Rating | Statewide | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alta | 7-3 | +20.5 | #23 | 5A |
| Bingham | 3-7 | +9.0 | #42 | 6A |