Utah’s coaching handoff is starting to look like one of the cleanest in college football this century.
That’s not a small thing for a program that just watched Kyle Whittingham step aside after two decades and handed the keys to Morgan Scalley. But the Utes have made the transition look almost effortless, and Saturday’s 28-20 win over BYU only sharpened that picture. Utah hadn’t beaten the Cougars since 2019, and the victory pushed the Utes deeper into the national title conversation while giving Scalley another strong case that the job is in steady hands.
The Utes didn’t exactly cruise. Devon Dampier was uneven at quarterback, but Utah got enough from him to survive a BYU collapse.
The Cougars helped with four interceptions and 11 penalties for 80 yards, and that was enough for Utah to walk away with a result that says plenty about where the program stands right now. Arizona is next on Saturday after a miracle Friday-night win over TCU.
Nebraska, meanwhile, keeps looking worse than its numbers suggest it should be. The Cornhuskers came into the week No. 18 in ESPN’s Bill Connelly’s SP+ rankings, but Friday’s double-digit loss to Illinois only added to the frustration.
Bret Bielema’s team handled the moment, and Nebraska was outgained by 50 yards in the game. It has become the kind of season that makes Matt Rhule’s situation feel uncomfortable, even with a $63 million buyout hanging over everything.
Nebraska now needs two wins in its final three games against Rutgers, Ohio State and Iowa just to reach a bowl, and that path does not look especially friendly.
UCLA also kept showing the kind of resilience that makes it hard to dismiss. Coach Bob Chesney’s team has the feel of 2024 Indiana, even without the James Madison tie-in.
The Bruins are not blowing away quality opponents - their biggest win over a team with a winning record is only by 10 points over Wisconsin - but they keep finding ways. Against Minnesota, backup quarterback Ty Dieffenbach flipped a tied game early in the fourth quarter by connecting with Aidan Mizell on two 75-yard touchdowns, turning the night into a 34-20 UCLA win.
The Golden Gophers’ 20 points were the most anyone had scored against UCLA since Sept. 19.
Texas also made a statement in a game that mattered for the CFP picture. November in the SEC is going to be a string of elimination games, and the Longhorns handled the first one with authority.
With wide receiver Cam Coleman out and defensive end Colin Simmons easing back from injury, Texas leaned on Arch Manning, and he delivered one of his best performances of 2026. Manning threw for 297 yards and three touchdowns against Missouri, and the result likely knocked the Tigers out of the playoff race.
Missouri’s one major win came against Florida, and Texas now sits one win away from real CFP optimism if it can beat LSU next Saturday after missing the field in ’25.
In Other News...
Texas May Need A 5-Star Freshman In A Huge SEC Test
Texas is heading into a big SEC test with a little less certainty in the secondary than it would like, as cornerbacks Graceson Littleton and Kade Phillips are both listed as questionable for the Missouri game. That puts added pressure on a defensive backfield that may have to absorb more snaps than planned, especially with Missouri and key receiver Donovan Olugbode looming as a real challenge for the Longhorns.
One name to watch is true freshman John Meredith III, the former five-star recruit who could be asked to play a bigger role if the injuries linger. Texas is also still waiting on edge rusher Colin Simmons, whose status remains uncertain, even as other defenders have helped keep the unit afloat in his absence. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Freshman Receiver May Be Needed More Than Ever This Week
Jermaine Bishop Jr. has already shown why Texas is leaning on him as a freshman receiver, even after arriving in Austin as a multi-position high school player who had to settle into one role at the college level. Through the 2026 season, he has given the Longhorns a useful spark with 16 catches for 151 yards and a touchdown, production that has come with the kind of steady presence coaches tend to trust when the game gets tight.
Steve Sarkisian has pointed to Bishop Jr.'s composure and confidence in different situations, and that matters now as Texas looks for answers at receiver this week. For a young player still learning the full demands of the position, the next step is less about proving he belongs and more about seeing how much responsibility the Longhorns are willing to place on him when they need it most. [Read more 🡒]
Texas May Have Found The Best Way To Rattle Missouri
Missouri has looked more balanced this season under Eli Drinkwitz, with Chip Lindseys offense and quarterback Austin Simmons giving the Tigers a cleaner, more efficient identity than they had a year ago. Even in the loss to Mississippi, the bigger story was how well the Rebels controlled the line of scrimmage, limiting Missouris rushing game and forcing Simmons into a tougher night than he usually sees.
That blueprint is the part Texas will be studying closely. If the Longhorns can recreate that kind of pressure and make Missouri play from behind the chains, they could disrupt the rhythm that has fueled the Tigers recent run of three wins in four games. For Texas, the challenge is not just slowing an improved offense, but doing it in a way that keeps Simmons uncomfortable from the opening series. [Read more 🡒]