Utah escaped Boulder with its perfect start intact, but the Utes had to sweat for it. After building a 13-0 halftime lead, they watched Colorado come roaring back with three straight scoring drives out of the break. Utah answered when Devon Dampier hit Braden Pegan for a touchdown with three minutes left, only to see Colorado strike quickly again and get the ball back in the final seconds before the Utes finally closed out a 27-24 win.
“It's not always pretty, and this was definitely not pretty and not clean, but we did enough,” said head coach Morgan Scalley.
That result moved Utah to 6-0 for the first time since 2015, and now the Utes get to stay in the spotlight. ESPN’s “College GameDay” remains in the Beehive State for a second straight week and will be in Salt Lake City for Utah’s ranked Big 12 matchup with Houston at 8:15 p.m. MT on ESPN.
The matchup sets up as one of the more intriguing games in the conference race, with both teams carrying strong numbers into the weekend. Utah is 72.3 in this season’s Game Grader, good for 10th, while Houston sits at 53.9 and 35th.
Looking ahead to 2026, Utah is at 70.5 and Houston at 68.1 in those projections. In the 3-year average, Utah checks in at 56.5, while Houston is at 41.5.
Utah was picked third in the Big 12 race in the preseason edition of Pick Six Previews and opened the year ranked No. 22.
The Utes have since climbed to No. 10 and are now tied with BYU at the top of the league chase. Game Grader currently has Utah projected as favorites in every remaining game.
Houston, meanwhile, has already made noise under Willie Fritz. After a surprise 10-win season in 2025, the Cougars went back to work with another strong transfer haul and entered this week at 6-1 overall and 3-1 in Big 12 play. They came up just short in a 2-point loss at Texas Tech on a failed conversion that missed by inches, then rebounded with a rally from 17 down to beat UCF before winning a shootout against Oklahoma State on Saturday.
This one looks like it could be played in a similar style.
Utah’s offense has been one of the better units in the Power 4, ranking 16th in the opponent-adjusted Game Grader. But the Utes saw their FBS-best streak of consecutive 30-point games end against Colorado after a second half that included four punts, two Dampier interceptions, and some missed chances in the red zone. Even so, Braden Pegan kept producing, finishing with eight catches for 86 yards and two touchdowns, while Creed Whittemore made a pair of explosive plays that helped set up second-half scores.
Houston’s defense, though, is no pushover. It ranks 49th in the Power 4 in the opponent-adjusted numbers and 42nd against the pass.
Utah may need to lean into more shots downfield to Whittemore and Pegan, much like Oklahoma State did against the Cougars last week. The Utes also need to rediscover the creative run game Kevin McGiven showed in September, especially with Houston allowing just 83 rushing yards per game, sixth in FBS, and 3.2 yards per carry, 27th nationally.
When Houston has the ball, the challenge gets even bigger. The Cougars own the No. 7 offense in the opponent-adjusted rankings, with a top-five passing attack and a rushing game that checks in at No.
- They also lead the nation in third- and fourth-down conversions.
Conner Weigman is the engine. He threw for five touchdowns and a career-high 343 yards in the win over Oklahoma State, with Amare Thomas posting 126 receiving yards and Trent Walker adding 104.
The tight ends have been a factor too, with Patrick Overmyer catching five touchdowns over the last two games combined. Weigman also adds as a runner, whether it’s on scrambles or designed runs, and he’s the type who lowers his shoulder instead of sliding.
For Utah, the defensive numbers have started to wobble a bit after the bye week. The Utes allowed 7 yards per play and 393 yards per game in their last two outings, and both Kansas and Colorado outgained their season averages on a per-play basis.
In the traditional stat sheet, this looks close to even. Adjust it for opponent, and Houston’s offense gets the edge.
That’s why the expectation here is a track meet. Both teams are top 10 in scoring and yards, and both should be able to find answers against the other’s defense. The difference, as the preview points out, may come late.
In one of college football’s toughest places to play, Utah’s defense and the crowd are expected to make the final stop and seal the win.
In Other News...
Utah Caught Heat Over A Rivalry Week McAfee Controversy
Rivalry week brought an awkward side note for Utah after Pat McAfee took issue with the universitys Instagram account sharing a video that showed students calling him corny and creepy. The clip landed before ESPNs GameDay broadcast, and McAfee said he was bothered by the school choosing to promote it in that window, turning what should have been a celebratory buildup around a big football weekend into something more uncomfortable.
McAfee still made clear he respects the football program and knows the student section can bring real energy, but the relationship between the host and the campus clearly took a hit. He went a step further in his response, saying he hopes never to return to the University of Utah, leaving an already tense rivalry-week moment with an unresolved sting. [Read more 🡒]
Utah Heads Into Cincinnati With A Serious Kelvin Obot Question
Utahs trip to Cincinnati comes with more than the usual road-game pressure, because the Utes are still sorting through what to do along the offensive line after Kelvin Obots injury. The five-star freshman arrived with real expectations, but the latest update from Morgan Scalley leaves the picture unsettled, and the staff has already had to make some adjustments up front while waiting for the next medical step.
Roger Alderman has stepped into the mix at left guard, and his recent work has given Utah at least one more option as it prepares for a Cincinnati defense that will be keying on Wayshawn Parker and trying to force the Utes into a different kind of offense. If that happens, Devon Dampier could be asked to run more often, which only makes the lines composition and stability more important heading into a game where Utah may need answers in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]
Pat McAfee Just Put Utah In An Awkward National Spotlight
Pat McAfees stop at the University of Utah has turned into one of those awkward little college football side stories that lingers after the cameras leave. The ESPN personality said on his show that he came away bothered by the experience, pointing specifically to an official university Instagram post that mocked him and made the visit feel uncomfortable. For a program that has spent plenty of time in the national conversation, it is not the kind of extra attention Utah would prefer to invite.
McAfee said he did not appreciate the school amplifying negative comments about him, which only added to the tension around the broadcast. He also suggested the relationship may not be one he wants to revisit, leaving future appearances at Utah in doubt and putting even a possible return for a big matchup like BYU-Utah into question. [Read more 🡒]