BYU football vs. Utah: Game Time, TV Announced for Holy War Rivalry

Two teams are likely to make the playoff field from the Big 12. The winner of the conference and most likely the runner-up. Initially, the Big 12 was expected to be a three-horse race with the Utah Utes, BYU Cougars and Texas Tech Red Raiders.

The Red Raiders have some work to do with two lower top 25 teams yet to play. No. 22 Arizona this week and No. 24 Oklahoma State in the second week of November.

If Utah and BYU can win the rest of their games and play the Holy War close, both Utah and BYU should make the playoff field. With the winner of the Big 12 getting a first round bye. Both teams will have to get there first.

If the Holy War is close, within ten points in either direction, the loser of that game is not expected to fall very far in the rankings. For Utah, a win could mean a top 5 ranking heading into the very winnable final stretch of their season. For BYU, a win would likely mean a favorable ranking ahead of Utah.

BYU travels to Salt Lake City for the latest edition of the Holy War on Saturday, November 7 at Noon ET on ABC or ESPN.

Both Utah and BYU need to play the rest of the regular season as well as possible. If they do and the Holy War on November 7 is a close, competitive game, it will set up arguably the greatest thing in college football. A rivalry championship game. If both teams do not stumble the rest of the way, viewers could be headed toward a “Holy War Big 12 Championship Game."

Read More: BYU's Kalani Sitake After UCF loss: "We Can't Let This Define us"

If the best phrase in all of sports is “Game seven”, number two could be a rivalry championship game. Like the November 7 tilt, if that would-be rivalry championship game is also played close regardless of who wins, it should also result in favorable playoff seeding for both teams.

Could the 2026 Holy War be the greatest Holy War in the rivalry’s history? Would a Holy War championship game then be the best Holy War ever? If Utah could get the better of BYU over those next two important matchups, could it lead to a National Championship game for Coach Scalley in year one?

We will begin to get answers to those questions on November 7, when Utah welcomes BYU for what will hopefully be the first of two Holy War games in 2026.