The start of November means that the college football season is entering the home stretch and that emotionally charged rivalry games are soon to come.

The start of November also means that local charitable organizations will be working hard to help needy Utah families, and Utah fans can help support the Utes and the Utah Food Bank at the same time.

“There’s nothing more fun than beating the Cougars on the field,” says Uof U Alumni Association Board Member Greg Anderson, who chairs the Community Service Committee, “and nothing is more satisfying than beating the Cougars and doing good at the same time.”

The Annual Utah/BYU Rivalry Week Food Drive runs from Friday, Nov. 12 through game day on Saturday, Nov. 27.

This year’s food drive represents the end of a rivalry era, and the Utah and BYU Alumni Associations want to close it with record-breaking amounts of food and monetary donations. Starting next season, Utah will enter the Pac-12 conference and BYU will go independent in football. The rivalry games for the 2011 and 2012 football seasons have been moved to September.

“Let’s go out with a bang!” says Anderson.

The U hopes to shatter their existing records of 232,767 pounds of food and $60,228 donated by Utah fans last year.

Starting Friday, Nov. 12, Utah supporters can make a monetary donation online at www.alumni.utah.edu/rivalryweek or drop off non-perishable food items at the Alumni House at 155 South Central Campus Drive.

On Wednesday, Nov. 17 from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Utah supporters are encouraged to “drive through and drop off” food donations, either at the Alumni House (address above), or at the Development Office at 540 Arapeen Drive in Research Park.

This year’s food drive features an online auction with a variety of items offered, many of which cannot be found elsewhere. And all the proceeds go to support the Utah Food Bank.

Starting Friday, Nov.12, items may be bid on such as running onto the field with the football team before the BYU vs. Utah game, a golf foursome with Head Basketball Coach Jim Boylen, a birthday party with the U gymnasts.

Swoop’s Harley Davidson motorcycle will also be available for bidding as well as Jazz ticket packages, lodging, Miller Motorsports Park experiences and more.

Again this year, a special edition “Beat BYU” t-shirt will be on sale during the two weeks before the rivalry game. Shirts are $15 each and available in adult sizes from XS (Extra Small) to XXL.

A portion of the proceeds from each shirt will go to the Utah Food Bank.

Due to the overwhelming demand for shirts last year, shirts are now being offered online at the University Campus Store, www.campusstore.utah.edu starting Friday, Nov. 12 where they will be available for pick-up.

For more information on the Utah-BYU Rivalry Week Food Drive, visit www.alumni.utah.edu or call the University of Utah Alumni Association at 801-581-6995.