PROVO - BYU is heading into rivalry week with little time to breathe and plenty to clean up.
The No. 7 Cougars are coming off a 27-20 win over Arizona State, a result that steadied things after a rough stretch, but it hardly erased the concerns that have built over the last two weeks. BYU managed only 283 yards of offense against an Arizona State team that had been losing by 28 points per game in its previous two true road games, and that came on the heels of the disappointing double-overtime loss to UCF on October 24.
Now the focus shifts to the biggest test on the schedule: a road trip to face No. 3 Utah in the first-ever top-10 matchup between the rivals.
Kalani Sitake made it clear after Saturday’s win that the Cougars are not spending much time looking backward.
“That game is different every time. So, no matter what you guys think is going to happen, it’s a different week.
I’m more focused on trying to get our team [ready],” BYU football head coach Kalani Sitake said following Saturday’s 27-20 win over Arizona State. “We have to make more improvement week to week.
I thought we did some really good things this week. We need to be consistent.
That’s my focus.”
Utah enters the matchup at No. 3 after a 49-25 road win over Cincinnati in Nippert Stadium. The Utes are 8-0 for the first time since 2010 under first-year head coach Morgan Scalley.
BYU will go in as the underdog, but that’s a role the Cougars have handled well lately. They’ve won two straight against Utah when the odds were against them, and they now carry a three-game winning streak in the rivalry into Saturday morning’s 10 a.m. kickoff. BYU is chasing its first four-game run against the Utes since 1992.
Sitake, who spent 2005 to 2014 on Utah’s staff as a defensive assistant and defensive coordinator, had plenty of praise for the unbeaten Utes.
“They’re a great team, and they’re ranked. They’re undefeated for a reason.
So it’s not going to be an easy task, but I’m looking forward to the matchup. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”
For BYU, the word Sitake keeps circling back to is urgency. The Cougars are 7-1 and up to No. 7 in the AP Top 25, but the last two weeks have left room for sharper execution.
“I’m looking forward to the amount of urgency that it’ll take from our players, and the amount of detail and their attention coming into it. It’s going to be great preparation. I’m looking forward to all the practices and the prep for it.”
No. 7 BYU vs.
No. 3 Utah
Date: Saturday, November 7, 2026
Kickoff: 10 a.m. (MST)
TV: ABC
Radio: KSL NewsRadio (102.7 FM)
In Other News...
BYU Heads Into Utah Week With One Awkward Tie And Injury Drama
Utah week always carries extra weight for BYU, but Keanu Tanuvasa adds a personal layer to the rivalry. The defensive lineman spent time in Salt Lake City before transferring across the aisle, and he still has enduring connections there, including with Utah head coach Morgan Scalley. Even with that history, Tanuvasa sounded eager for the chance to line up at Rice-Eccles Stadium, where the emotion of the matchup will be matched by a very different kind of family milestone as his wife is expecting their first child soon.
On the injury front, BYU is still sorting out two important names before kickoff. Coach Kalani Sitake said running back LJ Martin and cornerback Evan Johnson will continue to be evaluated over the next few days as the Cougars try to determine whether either can go against Utah. For a game that already has plenty of edge, the availability of both players could shape how BYU approaches one of its biggest tests of the season. [Read more 🡒]
Tyler Betseys Quiet Start Puts BYU Fans In Wait-And-See Mode
Tyler Betseys first few days in a BYU uniform have given Cougar fans a little bit of everything except the scoring burst they were hoping to see. The Syracuse transfer has started both exhibition games, but he has made just 1 of 6 shots, a quiet beginning for a player expected to help on the wing as the season takes shape.
Kevin Young has not sounded concerned, pointing to Betseys defensive work and saying the shooting will come around. The Cougars will get a better read soon enough, with Ohio State up next in a non-conference game at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, where the stakes and the pace should offer a clearer picture of how Betsey fits. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Faces A Defining Big 12 Test With Playoff Stakes Rising
November is arriving with the Big 12 suddenly looking like one of the deepest races in the country, and BYU is right in the middle of it. The league has five ranked teams heading into the month, with Utah, BYU, Texas Tech, Houston and Arizona all still carrying real weight in the conference picture. For the Cougars, the next stretch is about more than staying in the hunt for Arlington. It is about proving they belong in the conversation as the playoff field starts to take shape.
The timing makes every remaining game feel bigger, especially with Utah and BYU among the matchups that could reshape both the Big 12 Championship Game race and the College Football Playoff pecking order. The first CFP rankings are coming soon, and the door is open for multiple Big 12 teams to make a case if they keep winning. For BYU, that means the margin for error is shrinking fast, and the path forward is starting to look like a weekly test of staying power. [Read more 🡒]