A Holy War, kicking off in the literal breakfast hour, is setting the stage for a furious finish in the Big 12. No. 3 Utah is hosting No. 7 BYU in what should go a long way toward determining a spot in the December 4th conference championship game in Arlington, Texas. It’s a tight league race, and the Utes are trying to hold onto their first-place spot.
Early Kickoff, Maximum Fire
Forget sleeping in this Saturday, because the Utes and Cougars are kicking off at 10 a.m. local time from Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City. Why so early? It’s all for that noon television slot back on the East Coast. Utah coach Morgan Scalley isn’t worried about the early start. He said their fans are “juiced and fired up and they’ll be there early and excited for this one.” BYU coach Kalani Sitake kept it cool about rolling out of bed, noting it’s “a little bit different” but his players are locked in. He added there’s “more energy and more effort towards the preparation for this game than ever before.” You gotta love that fire!
This rivalry is no joke, with BYU having won three straight in the series after Utah dominated with nine consecutive wins before that. Utah quarterback Devon Dampier confirmed it, saying he couldn’t go anywhere all offseason without hearing about it. “I understand what this means to the state, for sure,” he stated. That’s a quarterback who gets it.
Big 12 Title Hopes on the Line
This game isn’t just about bragging rights, it’s about the whole Big 12 picture. The Utes are 8-0 overall and 5-0 in conference play, holding onto that first-place perch. But right behind them, both BYU and No. 13 Texas Tech are lurking, sitting at 7-1 overall and 4-1 in the conference. Another loss for either the Cougars or Red Raiders could seriously jeopardize their chances at a title game appearance and a spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff. Here’s the kicker: Texas Tech doesn’t even play BYU or Utah in the regular season, so they’re watching this one with bated breath. Neither Utah nor BYU has ever won a Big 12 title, by the way. BYU got to the championship game last year but lost to Texas Tech, which then became the league’s only playoff representative.
Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire will have his TV tuned in, first for the initial playoff rankings coming out Tuesday night, and then for other games with playoff implications. He expects the Red Raiders to be around their AP Top 25 poll spot in the initial rankings, which he called “striking distance.” He’s right to track everything, because the Big 12 is the only Power 4 conference that has never had multiple teams in the playoff. They’ll need to finish in the top 11 to guarantee a spot, since the 12th spot is locked for the highest-ranked Group of Six team, which is currently No. 20 Boise State. McGuire is hyping this week, too, pointing to huge matchups like No. 2 Georgia at No. 12 Mississippi, No. 9 Alabama at No. 15 LSU, No. 11 Ohio State (minus Julian Sayin) hosting Oregon, and No. 1 Miami traveling to No. 4 Notre Dame. He said this week “is probably as big of a Saturday as we’ve seen in college football in a long time.” You better believe he’s not wrong.
So, with the playoff rankings dropping and the Big 12 race tighter than ever, this Holy War is more than just a rivalry game. It’s a statement. Texas Tech hosts West Virginia on Saturday night, but all eyes are on Salt Lake City for that early kickoff. The entire conference title race, and potentially a playoff berth, could hinge on what happens when Utah and BYU clash. You do not want to miss this one!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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