No. 3 Utah (8-0) welcomes No. 9 BYU to Rice-Eccles Stadium on Saturday for the latest chapter of the Holy War, a rivalry that has swung dramatically over the decades. The Utes have won six of their eight games by at least two touchdowns, most recently a 49-25 rout of Cincinnati behind 534 yards of offense. BYU, despite a double-overtime loss to UCF and a narrow win over Arizona State, boasts a College Football Playoff resume highlighted by victories over Arizona and Notre Dame.
Rivalry History
BYU dominated the LaVell Edwards era, winning 19 of 21 matchups. Since 2002, Utah has held a 14-3 edge, but the Cougars have won three straight since 2021, including both Big 12 meetings by a combined four points.
Key Storylines
Utah's offense, revamped by new coordinator Kevin McGiven, ranks ninth nationally in total offense and second in the Big 12. The Utes frequently employ a two-quarterback system featuring backup Byrd Ficklin. On the other side, BYU sophomore quarterback Bear Bachmeier has thrown for 1,750 yards, rushed for 336 yards, and accounted for 19 touchdowns, though his rushing production has been limited to 15 yards on 16 carries over the past two weeks.
Utah's offensive line, which lost all five starters to the NFL, has been anchored by breakout left tackle Zereoue Williams, but left guard Kelvin Obot is out for the season. BYU's defensive front will test that unit.
How to Watch
The game kicks off at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday, Nov. 7, at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City. It will be televised on ABC and streamed on Fubo.
Predictions
Analysts are split, but the consensus leans toward a tight contest. SportsLine's model, which is 80-77 on top-rated CFB picks this season, favors BYU +4.5. Among the experts, Tom Fornelli, Chip Patterson, and Brandon Marcello pick BYU against the spread, while Richard Johnson, Shehan Jeyarajah, and David Cobb side with Utah.
