East vs West Football Rivalry
97 meetings · Marquee
East leads 48–42–7 — Reported by Deseret News, 1997-09. The oldest rivalry in Utah, played since 1919, and a literal school split.
How it started
The oldest rivalry in Utah, played since 1919, and a literal school split. West High was founded in 1890 as Salt Lake High School. In May 1914 Salt Lake High was formally divided into east and west divisions, and East High was the result — the two were one institution until then. Football started between them five years later. The campuses are four miles apart.
The trophy
None, and that is on the record. Deseret News in 1997: "Don't look for any painted rocks, dinged-up bells, old jugs or some other sort of traveling trophy." The winner gets a region win and the city.
The games that made it
In 1990 East beat West 42-35 in four overtimes to end a 29-game losing streak, and hung a commemorative plaque in its trophy case that West's coach was still annoyed about seven years later. East won 26-7 in 1996 to snap a five-game West run. On October 5, 2023, in the renewal game after an eleven-year hiatus, West won 33-16 at Gene Plaga Field — its first win over East since 2000, ending a twelve-game losing streak in the series after trailing 16-15 through three quarters. West won the 2026 meeting 60-0.
Traditions
Compared straight to BYU-Utah in 1997: "It doesn't matter what the teams' records are." No trophy, no documented spirit week.
Where it stands
The rivalry lapsed for about eleven years, roughly 2012 to 2022, and resumed October 5, 2023. It is now a non-region game. During the hiatus KSL's 2013 list of Utah's best rivalries named East-Highland, not East-West, as Salt Lake City's marquee game — which is how far this one had faded.
On the record
The game database, which only reaches back to 1950, has 31–36–1 (utah-football.com, 2026-09). The two figures are not blended.
What we could not find
The exact hiatus years and the reclassification behind them. The true all-time record. The 1919 first-game score and site. Note for the site: East-West is the OLDER series, Box Elder-Bear River is the longest CONTINUOUSLY played. Both claims are citable and they don't conflict if stated that way.
Both programs
| Program | 2026 | Rating | Statewide | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East | 3-6 | -21.2 | #85 | 4A |
| West | 10-0 | +45.4 | #4 | 5A |