Who won Utah vs. BYU on November 7, 2026? No. 3 Utah defeated No. 9 BYU 28–20 in the Holy War rivalry game at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City. The Utes fell behind 20–14 after BYU’s 20 unanswered first-half points, but held the Cougars scoreless after halftime and forced four interceptions in the game. Utah quarterback Devon Dampier accounted for all four Utah touchdowns as the Utes improved to 9–0. These results are confirmed by Utah Athletics and BYU Athletics.
Last checked November 8, 2026. The result below refers to the completed Saturday, November 7 matchup, not a live prediction, a future game or the 2024 edition of this rivalry.
Utah vs. BYU 2026: official final score by quarter
| Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BYU Cougars | 3 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| Utah Utes | 14 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 28 |
The official Utah game center confirms that BYU was unable to add to its 20-point halftime total. The reported attendance was 52,901 at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
How did Utah go from 14–0 ahead to 20–14 behind?
Utah opened quickly. Quarterback Devon Dampier scored on a 22-yard run on the opening possession. He then connected with Braden Pegan for another first-quarter touchdown, giving the Utes a 14–0 advantage.
BYU’s Matthias Dunn made a 31-yard field goal before the first period ended and a 38-yard field goal early in the second, making it 14–6. Quarterback Bear Bachmeier then hit Legend Glasker for a 75-yard touchdown reception. Running back LJ Martin completed BYU’s scoring with a short touchdown run. The Cougars had scored 20 straight points and went into halftime up 20–14.
How did Utah come back in the second half?
Utah’s defense repeatedly disrupted BYU’s passing game. In the third quarter, the Utes regained possession after an interception and later completed a 53-yard touchdown drive, with Dampier connecting with Pegan for a score that put Utah ahead 21–20 with 1:50 left in the period.
In the fourth quarter, Dampier added a short rushing touchdown, making the score 28–20 with 12:03 remaining. BYU reached the red zone but threw a further interception near the goal line. Another interception on the Cougars’ final drive allowed Utah to run out the clock. The Utes outscored BYU 14–0 in the second half.
Why did BYU lose despite gaining more yards?
BYU’s offense had 391 total yards, while Utah recorded 328, according to the university’s official team statistics. Yet BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier threw four interceptions. BYU also finished with more penalties: the official BYU recap says eight penalties for 45 yards, while Utah’s team box score reports a different tally for BYU, so readers comparing sources should rely on the game-center version for its consistently presented team table and consult the play-by-play for individual calls.
Rather than total yardage alone, Utah’s second-half defensive possessions and the Cougars’ failure to score after halftime explain the result. The Utes turned several scoring opportunities into zero BYU points and preserved their narrow third-quarter lead.
Official Utah–BYU team statistics
| Statistic | BYU | Utah |
|---|---|---|
| Total yards | 391 | 328 |
| Passing yards | 272 | 206 |
| Rushing yards | 119 | 122 |
| First downs | 15 | 16 |
| Third-down conversions | 8/15 | 7/15 |
| Time of possession | 31:52 | 28:08 |
Why do Utah team passing yards exceed Dampier’s individual total? Utah’s team passing figure includes a 29-yard completion from receiver Creed Whittemore to Dampier on a trick play, in addition to Dampier’s own passes. Some third-party stat summaries display only the starting quarterback’s individual passing production; it should not be confused with the team total.
Who were the top Utah and BYU players?
Utah quarterback Devon Dampier led his side in rushing and accounted for the four touchdowns that produced Utah’s 28 points. The Utah athletics game center lists 177 individual passing yards and 87 individual rushing yards in its leaders panel; the more detailed box score can show slightly different quarterback rushing totals depending on accounting of sack yardage. Braden Pegan was Utah’s leading receiver with 86 receiving yards.
BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier finished 21-of-35 passing for 272 yards, with one touchdown and four interceptions. He also led BYU in rushing with 59 yards. Legend Glasker led BYU receivers with 118 yards, including the 75-yard touchdown, and Walker Lyons added 97 receiving yards. The stats are documented in the BYU official recap.
What is the Holy War rivalry?
The annual matchup between the University of Utah and Brigham Young University is commonly called the Holy War. The schools have a long-standing in-state rivalry. This year’s game drew special national attention because both teams entered ranked in the top 10, which BYU’s official summary identified as the first top-10 meeting in series history. It took place at Utah’s home ground, Rice-Eccles Stadium.
What were the teams’ records after the November 7 game?
Utah improved to 9–0 overall and 6–0 in the Big 12, staying unbeaten. BYU fell to 7–2 overall and 4–2 in conference play. These are records immediately after November 7, not a forecast of final season standings. The upcoming Big 12 championship and playoff field had not been decided solely by this result.
Who does Utah play next and who does BYU play next?
The University of Utah’s published schedule lists a November 14 game at Arizona. BYU’s athletics recap says the Cougars return home to play Baylor on November 14. Confirm kickoff times and broadcast details through the teams’ official current schedules before making viewing plans.
Where to check the complete box score, highlights and playoff rankings
The official Utah game center, BYU game account, and Big 12 box score provide the full game details. See our 2026 College Football Playoff rankings guide for how committee selections work and Oregon vs. Ohio State game report for another November 7 result.
Official sources
- University of Utah Athletics: No. 3 Utah moves to 9–0 with rivalry win, November 7
- University of Utah: Official game center, scoring and team statistics
- Brigham Young University Athletics: Official Utah vs. BYU game recap
- Big 12 Conference: November 7 game box score
Archive-image disclosure: The image shows the 2024 Utah–BYU Holy War at Rice-Eccles Stadium, including the universities’ marching bands and Utah National Guard during halftime. It is not the November 7, 2026 game. Utah National Guard photo by Sgt. Ian Tracy, U.S. public domain, DVIDS image 8761695.
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Who won the BYU vs Utah game on November 7, 2026?
Utah defeated BYU 28–20 at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City.
What was the score at halftime?
BYU led Utah 20–14 at halftime after scoring 20 consecutive points following Utah's 14–0 start.
How many interceptions did Utah force?
Utah intercepted BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier four times.
How did Utah score its four touchdowns?
Utah quarterback Devon Dampier was credited with two rushing touchdowns and two passing touchdowns.
What were Utah and BYU's records after the Holy War?
Utah was 9–0 overall and BYU 7–2 overall following the November 7 game.
