Saturday’s Holy War has all the ingredients of a heavyweight showdown, and the stakes are as high as they’ve ever been for BYU and Utah. No.
3 Utah comes in at 8-0, looking every bit like a team that has handled business from start to finish. No.
9 BYU, meanwhile, has the kind of résumé that keeps it firmly in the playoff conversation, even if the Cougars haven’t looked nearly as sharp in recent weeks.
Utah has been rolling. Six of its eight wins have come by at least two touchdowns, and last week’s 49-25 rout of Cincinnati was another reminder of how complete this team can be. The Utes piled up 534 yards of offense in that one, and the new-look attack has been a major part of the story all season.
That offense has been reshaped by coordinator Kevin McGiven, brought in from Utah State, and the results have been dramatic. Utah now leans into a two-quarterback look at times, with backup Byrd Ficklin moving around the formation and adding another layer to the scheme. The Utes rank No. 9 nationally in total offense, which puts them at No. 2 in the Big 12.
BYU has taken a different path to Saturday. The Cougars stunned Notre Dame in Provo, but since then the ride has been bumpier.
They dropped a double-overtime game to UCF and then edged Arizona State by just one touchdown last week. Even so, wins over Arizona and the Fighting Irish still give BYU a College Football Playoff profile that stacks up with the best.
A big reason for that is quarterback Bear Bachmeier, one of the breakout stories in the Big 12 this season. The sophomore has thrown for 1,750 yards, run for 336 more, and scored 19 total touchdowns.
In the win over Notre Dame, he found the end zone as a passer, runner and receiver. But the last two weeks have been tougher on the ground, including a 15-yard night on 16 carries against Arizona State.
If BYU is going to keep Utah honest, Bachmeier’s rushing threat has to show up.
Up front, Utah has already proven it can survive major turnover. The Utes lost all five starting offensive linemen to the NFL after last season, including both tackles, but the group has held together behind breakout left tackle Zereoue Williams.
The one concern is left guard Kelvin Obot, who is out for the season with an injury. Colorado was able to create problems for Utah’s star-studded defensive line, and BYU will be trying to do the same.
That battle in the trenches could decide everything.
This rivalry has swung wildly over the years. BYU owned the LaVell Edwards era, winning 19 of 21 meetings.
Starting in 2002, the edge shifted sharply toward Utah, which went 14-3 in the next stretch. More recently, though, BYU has taken control, winning three straight since 2021, including both Big 12 matchups by a combined four points.
That history is part of what makes this one feel so big. The matchup is set for Saturday, Nov. 7 at 12 p.m. ET from Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, with ABC carrying the game.
As for the number, Utah deserves plenty of respect for how steady it has been. But rivalry games have a way of tightening up, and 4.5 points feels like too much in a series where the last two meetings were decided by an average of 2.0 points. Pick: BYU +4.5
In Other News...
Utah Already Faces A Concerning Early Test At Home
Utah had to dig itself out of an ugly first half to get past Long Beach State, rallying from a 17-point deficit and escaping with a 66-63 win. Trey Campbell was a major part of the turnaround, helping steady the Utes when the game threatened to get away from them, but the result did little to soften the edge in the building after the final buzzer.
Alex Jensen made it clear he was not satisfied with how Utah opened the game, even in victory, and now the Utes turn around for another home test with Towson coming in. The Tigers dropped their opener 89-70 at Santa Clara, and Pat Skerry said the effort was there even if the execution was not, which makes this an early chance for Utah to show it can start cleaner before the margin for error gets any smaller. [Read more 🡒]
Utahs Offense Just Gave BYU One More Problem To Worry About
Utahs offense has become a moving target under coordinator Kevin McGiven, and thats part of what makes it so difficult to pin down from week to week. The Utes have leaned into versatility all season, with backup quarterback Byrd Ficklin showing up in the run game and even lining up at receiver, while seven different players have already cleared 100 receiving yards. Braden Pegan has been the most productive target in the passing game, and the balance has given Utah more ways to stress a defense than just one featured option.
Hunter Andrews also gave the group a boost in a recent game, adding another layer to an offense that has found production from all over the formation. Daniel Bray chipped in with a rushing touchdown as well, underscoring how many pieces can matter in a given week. With BYU next on the schedule, McGiven pointed to the Cougars defensive complexity, which only adds to the intrigue for a Utah attack that already seems comfortable making opponents account for just about everyone. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Utah Just Turned Into A Very Different Game Day
The early alarm clock is part of the deal this week in Salt Lake City, where Utah is set to face BYU at 10 a.m. MST. It is a different kind of game day for the Utes and their fans, who are used to building their Saturdays around a later kickoff and now have to rethink everything from breakfast to tailgating.
Around town, the adjustment is already showing up in real time. Fans are reshaping their pregame routines to fit the morning start, with some leaning into breakfast-style gatherings, while local bars and restaurants are opening earlier to catch the crowd before and during the game. For a rivalry weekend that already carries plenty of energy, the timing adds a fresh wrinkle to the usual script. [Read more 🡒]