PROVO - All eyes around BYU this week are on one simple question: will LJ Martin be back on the field Saturday?
That uncertainty hangs over the No. 9 Cougars as they get ready for No.
3 Utah in what is being billed as the biggest rivalry game ever. Martin, the reigning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, has been out since he injured his ankle on October 3 at TCU, and his status remains the biggest storyline surrounding the matchup.
There was at least one encouraging sign. Last week, Martin was seen on the sideline at LaVell Edwards Stadium without the boot or scooter he had been using in recent weeks. Then on Tuesday night, BYU offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick gave the first real update after practice.
“He practiced today, and he did some good things,” Roderick said on Tuesday night after practice. “I would say it’s too soon to say if he’s gonna be ready by Saturday.
Obviously, we gotta look out for him first, you know, and then we’ll just see how he does tomorrow. Hopefully he doesn’t have any setbacks, and we’ll just keep looking at him throughout the week.”
The timeline on Martin’s injury was originally four to six weeks. This weekend would land at the five-week point.
BYU has felt his absence in a big way. Through three games and a quarter this season, Martin has piled up 344 rushing yards on 44 carries with three touchdowns. Without him, the Cougars’ run game has lost steam.
That showed up again last week against Arizona State, when BYU managed only 47 rushing yards. Some of that came late, when the Cougars lost 23 yards trying to drain the clock at the end of regulation and keep the ball away from ASU. Even so, the trend without Martin has been heading in the wrong direction.
The numbers tell the story. In the first full game after Martin went down, BYU rushed for 177 yards against Iowa State on October 9. After that, the production dipped to 121 effective yards in the upset over Notre Dame, then 116 at UCF, and then 47 against Arizona State.
That sets up a tough test against a Utah defense that ranks 22nd nationally in rush defense, giving up just 101.4 yards per game. The Utes have been especially stingy at home, holding Kansas to 58 rushing yards and Houston to 86 in their last two home games. Utah did allow 193 on the ground in last week’s 49-25 win at Cincinnati, but 120 of those came in the second half after the game was already out of hand.
Beginning Wednesday night, availability reports will start coming out for Saturday’s game, and Martin will be one of the names everyone watches closely.
BYU does expect one backfield boost. Preston Rex, who had been dealing with an injury suffered against UCF, is back this week against the Utes.
No. 9 BYU vs.
No. 3 Utah
Date: Saturday, November 7, 2026
Kickoff: 10 a.m. (MST)
TV/Stream: ABC
Radio: KSL NewsRadio (102.7 FM, 1160 AM)
In Other News...
Keanu Tanuvasa Brings Extra Emotion Into BYU Rivalry Week
Rivalry week already carries its own weight in Provo, but Keanu Tanuvasa has brought a more personal layer to it. The BYU defensive tackle spent time at Utah before transferring across the rivalry line, and he has had to sort through what that means as the Cougars prepare for the next meeting between the programs. His perspective is shaped not just by the switch in uniforms, but by his relationship with Utah coach Morgan Scalley and the familiarity that comes with having lived on both sides of the matchup.
This week also arrives with something far bigger than football hanging over Tanuvasas head, since his wife is due to deliver their son. Even as he balances that family milestone, he has been talking about Utahs team and the responsibility he feels as a leader on BYUs defensive line. It gives the rivalry an extra edge, with Tanuvasa standing in the middle of a game that means plenty in the standings and even more in his own life. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Heads Into Utah With One Huge Question On Offense
BYUs ground game has lost some of its edge over the last four games since star running back LJ Martin went down with a leg injury, and the timing could hardly be worse with Utah next on the schedule. The setback has not been just about one player, either, because injuries along the offensive line have also made it harder for the Cougars to get consistent push up front and keep the run game on track.
Martin did practice recently, which at least gives BYU some hope as it heads into a rivalry matchup that usually demands physical football. Even so, his availability is still uncertain, leaving the Cougars to lean on a collective answer from the offense if they want to get the rushing attack moving again against Utah. [Read more 🡒]
BYUs CFP Position Just Made The Utah Game Even Bigger
BYUs path into the College Football Playoff picture got a little steeper when the selection committee placed the Cougars at No. 9, a spot that felt lower than many expected after their win over Notre Dame. The Irishs slide from No. 4 in the AP poll to No. 11 in the CFP rankings also took some shine off what looked like a signature victory for BYU, since the committee clearly leaned toward teams with more quality wins on the rsum.
The Cougars still have chances to change that conversation, and the calendar has made the next stretch feel even more important. Notre Dames game against Miami and BYUs matchup with Utah both loom as opportunities to strengthen a case the committee has not fully embraced yet, especially with the loss to UCF still hanging over the profile as a major blemish. [Read more 🡒]