Top-10 showdown: BYU visits unbeaten Utah in rivalry game

No. 9 BYU (7-1, 4-1) will meet unbeaten No. 3 Utah (8-0, 5-0) at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Saturday at 10 a.m. MST. The game will be televised on ABC and streamed via ESPN’s online platform and Disney+.

BYU enters the contest ranked ninth in the College Football Playoff poll and needs a win to stay in contention for the Big 12 championship and a possible playoff berth. The Cougars have averaged 32.4 points while allowing 18.8 points per game this season and have won three straight meetings with the Utes, though only once at Utah’s home stadium since 2006.

Utah, the lone unbeaten team in the conference, comes off a road victory at Cincinnati and averages 38.9 points while conceding 15.9 points per game. First-year head coach Morgan Scalley hopes to end a three-game rivalry losing streak and preserve the Utes’ top-three ranking.

Key players include BYU running back LJ Martin, who has been listed as questionable after a month-long injury but is expected to dress for the game, and Utah quarterback Devon Dampier, who averages 234 passing yards and recently threw for three touchdowns against Cincinnati.

“That rivalry game is different every time. No matter what you guys think is going to happen, it is a different game. I am more focused on trying to get our team playing better,” BYU coach Kalani Sitake said.

“Utah is a great team and they’re ranked. They are undefeated for a reason. So it is not going to be an easy task, but I am looking forward to the matchup,” Sitake added.

“Yes, we have a predominant religion as part of one school, but I think we make too much of that… Does God care who wins this game? No. Does He care about people? Yeah. We can be better to each other,” Utah coach Morgan Scalley remarked.

The winner will improve its standing in the Big 12 race, while the loser could see its postseason hopes diminish. BYU’s next game is against Baylor on Nov. 14, and Utah travels to Arizona on the same date.