Utah Utes defeated BYU Cougars 28-20 on Saturday in the 2026 edition of the Holy War, snapping BYU's win streak in the rivalry. The game carried high stakes with both teams positioning for a College Football Playoff spot and the winner potentially advancing to the Big 12 Championship Game.
Utah quarterback Devon Dampier delivered a standout performance, accounting for four total touchdowns. He passed for 177 yards, rushed for 87 yards, and even caught a 29-yard pass on a trick-play conversion. Dampier gave Utah an early 14-0 lead with a rushing and passing touchdown in the first quarter, then engineered the go-ahead score in the fourth quarter.
BYU's pass rush was effective early, with Cade Uluave and Bodie Schoonover combining for two first-half sacks and forcing a strip-sack. After allowing 138 yards on Utah's first seven plays, BYU held the Utes to 35 yards on the next 23 first-half plays, helping the Cougars rally for 20 unanswered points and a halftime lead.
However, BYU committed 11 penalties for 80 yards, including a costly delay of game on fourth-and-inches, an illegal formation that wiped out a 25-yard gain, and consecutive false starts that stalled a drive. The Cougars entered the game averaging 5.6 penalties per game.
BYU freshman wide receiver Legend Gasker, a Utah native, had a season-best game with a 75-yard touchdown reception among his team-leading receiving yards. On the other side, Utah's receivers dropped several key passes, including a would-be touchdown by Creed Whittemore and a fumble by Braden Pegan after a first-down catch.
BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier threw for 272 yards and a touchdown but was intercepted four times, including three in the second half. His interceptions cost BYU at least 10 points, with linebacker Trey Reynolds securing one in the end zone. On the final play, Bachmeier's late throw resulted in his fourth interception.
Utah cornerback James Chenault Jr. made a crucial interception in the second quarter after a Dampier fumble gave BYU the ball inside the red zone, preserving a six-point deficit at halftime.
