Uintah vs Union Football Rivalry
Basin Bowl · 86 meetings · Marquee
Union leads 45–40–1 — 86 meetings since 1950 on record. Vernal against Roosevelt — the two anchor towns of the Uinta Basin, about thirty miles apart on opposite sides of the Uintah/Duchesne county line.
How it started
Vernal against Roosevelt — the two anchor towns of the Uinta Basin, about thirty miles apart on opposite sides of the Uintah/Duchesne county line. The name is geographic and is in current local use; regional broadcaster Channel V6 carries the game under it. The first year played and the circumstances that started it are not documented, and because the database only reaches back to 1950 the series is very likely older than the 86 games on record.
The games that made it
Union held off a late Uintah comeback to win the 2026 meeting 22-21. This is one of the most evenly balanced series in the state — Union leads by five games across 86 meetings.
Traditions
KSL's Rod Zundel named it one of Utah's six best rivalries and reported that both Vernal and Roosevelt essentially shut down for the night, with the stadium filling regardless of either team's record. That is the best-sourced tradition attached to this game.
Where it stands
Still played every year. Union has spent recent seasons in a lower classification than Uintah, so it is now typically a non-region early-season game rather than a region decider.
On the record
The series record above begins in 1950, which is as far back as the published game database reaches. These two were playing before that, so the figure is a floor rather than the whole series.
What we could not find
First year played. Whether a trophy exists at all. Any defining game. Where the Basin Bowl name came from. The Vernal Express and Uintah Basin Standard archives are not indexed by search — this one needs a direct archive or school request.
Both programs
| Program | 2026 | Rating | Statewide | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uintah | 3-7 | -19.2 | #82 | 4A |
| Union | 3-6 | -18.9 | #80 | 3A |