Brigham Young Cougars vs. Utah Utes Pick & Prediction NOVEMBER 9th 2024

Preview and Prediction

BYU and Utah are once again facing off as conference foes, marking the first time since 2010 that they have met in the Holy War in Salt Lake City. This highly anticipated matchup holds significant implications for both teams.

Currently ranked No. 9, BYU (8-0, 5-0 Big 12) remains the only undefeated team in the Big 12. With a one-game lead in the standings, a win against Utah (4-4, 1-4) would bring them closer to securing a spot in the conference championship game.

On the other hand, Utah is in desperate need of a victory to break their four-game losing streak. Despite being the underdogs in this series, the Utes have dominated in recent years, winning nine out of the last ten games since 2010. However, BYU managed to break their streak with a 26-17 win in their last meeting in 2021.

Running back Jaylon Glover of Utah acknowledges the importance of this game, stating, "To own the state of Utah, to ruin their season, it would be huge for us and the team. I believe a win would give us the momentum we need for the rest of the season."

Defeating BYU will not be an easy task for Utah. The Cougars have been performing well on both offense and defense, averaging 35.1 points and 410.0 yards per game.

Quarterback Jake Retzlaff of BYU recognizes the team's progress, saying, "That's been our goal for our offense this season. If you look at our performance game by game, we have continued to improve and produce better results each week."

Defensively, BYU leads the league in takeaways (18) and is tied for the most interceptions (14). This impressive feat has been achieved by eleven different players making at least one interception and four players recovering a fumble.

The Cougars have shown their ability to play well in all three phases of the game, a key factor in their success this season.

Head coach Kalani Sitake emphasizes the importance of each player doing their part, stating, "You have to buy into your 1/11th. I believe our players have done a great job of that. Have we been perfect? No. Can we improve? Absolutely. And I hope to see that improvement this weekend."

Utah, on the other hand, has been struggling at the quarterback position. After being benched in their last game against Houston, Isaac Wilson and Brandon Rose are now competing for the starting spot. However, head coach Kyle Whittingham has yet to publicly announce the starter for Saturday's game.

The Holy War is one of four protected rivalries in the Big 12 Conference that will be played annually.

PREDICTION

Brigham Young Cougars

Utah Utes