No. 3 Utah hosts No. 9 BYU on Saturday in the most significant edition of the Holy War rivalry to date. The Utes enter with an 8-0 record, having won six games by at least two touchdowns, most recently a 49-25 victory over Cincinnati. BYU, despite a double-overtime loss to UCF and a narrow win over Arizona State, boasts wins over Arizona and Notre Dame that keep their College Football Playoff resume strong.
Rivalry History
The Holy War has seen streaky dominance: BYU won 19 of 21 matchups during the LaVell Edwards era, while Utah has gone 14-3 since 2002. The Cougars have won the last three meetings since 2021, including both Big 12 matchups by a combined four points.
Key Storylines
Utah's offense, revamped by new coordinator Kevin McGiven, ranks ninth nationally in total offense and utilizes a two-quarterback system featuring backup Byrd Ficklin. BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier has thrown for 1,750 yards, rushed for 336 yards, and scored 19 touchdowns, though his rushing has been limited in recent weeks. Utah's offensive line, which lost five starters to the NFL, has been anchored by breakout left tackle Zereoue Williams, though left guard Kelvin Obot is out for the season.
Where to Watch
The game kicks off at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday, November 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 close game. The point spread favors Utah by 5.5 points, though the past two rivalry games have been decided by an average of 2.0 points. The pick is BYU +4.5. SportsLine's computer model, which is 80-77 on top-rated college football picks this season, simulates the game 10,000 times for further insight.
